Nea Smyrni is a municipality and a southern suburb of Athens, Greece. At the 2011 census, it had 73,076 inhabitants. It was named after the former Greek city Smyrna, from where many refugees arrived and settled in the Nea Smyrni area following the 1922 catastrophe of Asia Minor and the Great fire of Smyrna, as a result of the Greco-Turkish war.
History
Although there are few details about the ancient history of the area, in 2012, during works, ancient graves were unearthed on the side of Agias Sofias Street. The specific manner of burial is known as 'burial by the roadside'. These ancient findings have already been unveiled by public authorities and are able to be visited. Nea Smyrni began to be inhabited at the beginning of the twentieth century. Up until that point, it had not been inhabited in a systematic manner. At the time, it was intersected by an avenue which connected Athens and Phalerum, the ancient port of the city. After the Asia Minor Disaster, the government decided to construct a settlement in the area for the refugees from Smyrna. Construction of this settlement began in 1926. In 1928, the population was just 210. By 1933, the area had become a true town with a population of 6,500. By 1940, there were 15,000 inhabitants. In 1944, with the end of the war, Nea Smyrni became a municipality. Nea Smyrni was the site of multiple clashes between British Army forces and ELASresistance forces during the so-called Dekemvriana of 1944. After the civil war, Nea Smyrni was incorporated into Athens.
Geography
Nea Smyrni is located about southwest of central Athens. The municipality has an area of 3.524 km2. Its built-up area is continuous with those of central Athens and the neighbouring suburbs. It is the second-most densely populated municipality in Greece, following Kallithea. The main thoroughfare is Andrea Syngrou Avenue, which forms the northwestern border of the municipality and connects it with central Athens and the coast.
Alsos Neas Smyrnis
Alsos Neas Smyrnis has an area of fifty acres and is bounded by Eleftheriou Venizelou, Ephesou, Kordeliou and Patriarchou Ioakeim III Avenues. The Alsos consists mainly of woodland trees and ornamental trees. In addition, most of this green space is covered in shrubs. Today, conifers make up about 60% of the plant capacity. The plant material of the Alsos consists mainly of monoculture and introduced plants planted in very high density. Two fountains complete the architectural makeup of the area. The whole park is surrounded by iron railings.
Sporting teams
The sport clubs based in Nea Smyrni are Panionios G.S.S., multisport club founded in Smyrna, in 1890 and AONS Milon, multisport club founded in 1928.
Sites of interest
Nea Smyrni Stadium, built in 1939, renovated in 1988. Panionios FC plays in the stadium.
Nea Smyrni Indoor Hall, holds up to 1,832 persons.
Nea Smyrni Square.
Nea Smyrni Park, a 5-hectare centrally located park with about 40% trees.
