Larissa
Larissa
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Clockwise from top: Central Square in downtown Larissa with the "Floating River" fountain, Municipal Theatre OUHL (Thessalian Theatre), Holocaust monument, Saint Achilles Cathedral, Old Mills of Pappas, Larissa railway station, and the First Ancient Theatre of Larissa. | |
| Coordinates: 39°38.5′N 22°25′E / 39.6417°N 22.417°E | |
| Country | Greece |
| Administrative region | Thessaly |
| Regional unit | Larissa |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Athanasios Mamakos (since 2023) |
| Area | |
• Municipality | 335.98 km2 (129.72 sq mi) |
| • Municipal unit | 122.59 km2 (47.33 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 70 m (230 ft) |
| Population (2021) | |
• Municipality | 164,095 |
| • Density | 490/km2 (1,300/sq mi) |
| • Municipal unit | 148,562 |
| • Municipal unit density | 1,200/km2 (3,100/sq mi) |
| Demonym | Larissean |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (EET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+3 (EEST) |
| Postal code | 41x xx |
| Area code(s) | (+30)241 |
| Website | www.larissa-dimos.gr |
Larissa (/ləˈrɪsə/; Greek: Λάρισα, Lárisa, pronounced [ˈlarisa] ⓘ) is the capital and largest city of the Thessaly region in Greece. It is the fifth-most populous city in Greece with a population of 148,562 in the city proper, according to the 2021 census. It is also the capital of the Larissa regional unit. It is a principal agricultural centre and a national transport hub, linked by road and rail with the port of Volos, the cities of Thessaloniki and Athens. The municipality of Larissa has 164,095 inhabitants, while the regional unit of Larissa reached a population of 268,963 (in 2021).
Legend has it that Achilles was born here. Hippocrates, the "Father of Medicine", died here. Today, Larissa is an important commercial, transportation, educational, agricultural and industrial centre of Greece. The city straddles the Pineios river and N.-NE. of the city are the Mount Olympus and Mount Kissavos.