Ouranoupolis
Over 1000 habitants live on the threshold of Athonas and in the shade of the compelling tower of Prosforios. Ouranoupolis may be the last cosmopolitan place that a visitors reaches on its way to Mount Athos, but its name does not derive from the fact that it comprises the ‘gate’ to the monastic city.
It was named after the Alexandrian city which was established in 315b.C. by Alexarhos, son of Antipatros and brother of Kassandros. This city was built on the remains of Sanis, the colony of Andrion, which Phillip the B’ destroyed from base. Saved coins bear the inscription ‘OURANIAS POLEOS’ and others ‘OURANIDON POLEOS’ and also a figure of Ouranias Aphrodite, sitting on a sphere from one side and from the other side it pictures the sun with eight rays.
During the summer period, the hotels are full with guests, alike with the surrounding beaches. Most of them also visit the small islands of Ammouliani and Drenia. No one leaves without seeing the famous monastery Zygos, in a distance of 2 km from Ouranoupolis, which is easily and pleasantly visited on foot. The archaeological area is well organized and a visit to the natural boundary with the monastic community of Athonas is an experience you should not miss.
Ouranoupolis is about 120 km away from Thessaloniki and it is a vivid city all year long. The ships leave from the small port of the tower of Prosforios on which men worshippers go aboard (after they have received the Diamonitirio, that is the respective license from the worshippers office) to reach the seaport of Mount Athos, Dafni.
HISTORIC ELEMENTS OF THE REGION
On the 10th century, at the peninsula of Ahtonas there were established the first monasteries. One of them was the monastery of Zygos, or Fragokastro, which Blessed Athanasios Athonitis, the founder of the monastery Megistis Lavras joined for about one year. This monastery, which is lately reconstructed, has the unique privilege to be the only one which is located out of the borders of Mount Athos; consequently women can visit it as well.
In the early 14th century the Byzantine tower which dominates on the SW side of the village was built by the monastery of Vatopedi aiming at the protection of the glebe. It is the largest and most well-preserved in Halkidiki. On the 10th century, after an earthquake, the upper floor was dismantled. It was then that it was repaired and took its final form. The surrounding buildings were built at the same time.
Following the Minor Asia destruction, the refugees from the islands of Marmara in Propodida were gathered at this area finding a shelter in the tower, the nearby buildings and living also in tents. In 1926 there were built by a German company the first buildings in the island, some of which are still reserved. Later on the habitants built the church, the school and a community was organized with the name ‘Prosforion’, and then ‘Tower’ and in 1960 approximately it took its final name as ‘Ouranoupoli’.
In 1928 Loch couple that moved in the tower was connected to the life of the village. The collaboration of the couple that used the designs which were copied by codes of the monasteries, with the habitants of the village that knew the art of telary, set its basis of a local industry that offered a job to many families.