Preveza (Greek: Πρέβεζα) is a town in northwestern Greece, located at the mouth of the Ambracian Gulf. It is the capital of Preveza Prefecture, which is part of the periphery of Epirus. An undersea tunnel, which runs between Preveza and Aktio of Acarnania (see Actium), connects the town to western Aetolia in Aetolia-Acarnania. The ruins of the ancient city of Nicopolis lie 5 km north of the city.
History
The Cathedral's tower of Preveza
Preveza was founded in 290 BC as Berenikia by Pyrrhus, King of Epirus.[2] It is site of the Battle of Actium, in which Augustus' forces defeated those of Mark Antony and Cleopatra. Nicopolis ("victory city") was built nearby to commemorate Augustus' victory. It continued under Roman and later Byzantine rule, experiencing brief periods of Bulgarian rule in the 10th century (920-922, 977-983, 996-997). After 1204, it came under the Despotate of Epirus (1204-1230, 1241-1338, 1356-1358), the Second Bulgarian Empire (1230-1241), the Serbian Empire (1348-1356), and the Despotate of Arta (1358-1401). It then came under Venetian rule until captured by the Ottomans in 1499.
Under the Ottomans, it was known as Preveze, and was the capital of the Karlı İli sanjak (derived from Carlo II Tocco, Despot of Epirus) which comprised Aetolia-Acarnania), initially as part of the vilayet of Rumelia (1499-1670) and afterwards of the vilayet of Yanya (Ioannina). The Battle of Preveza was fought off its shore in 1538, where the Ottoman fleet of Hayreddin Barbarossa defeated a united Christian fleet under Andrea Doria. Ottoman rule was interrupted twice by periods of Venetian control, during the Morean War (1684-1699) and from 1717 to 1797. At the Treaty of Campo Formio, it was ceded to France, but was abandoned to the forces of the local Ottoman governor, Ali Pasha, in 1798. It remained under Ottoman control until captured by the Greek Army on 3 November 1912, during the First Balkan War. Along with the rest of Greece, it was occupied by Italy (1941-1943) and Germany (1943-1944) during World War II.
Subdivisions
Municipal districts
Historical population
| Year |
Population |
Change |
Municipal population |
Change |
Density |
| 1981 |
13,624 |
- |
- |
- |
-/km² |
| 1991 |
13,341 |
-283/-21.21% |
16,886 |
- |
252.78/km² |
| 2001 |
16,321 |
2,980/22.34% |
19,605 |
2,719/16.1% |
293/km² |
International relations
Twin towns - Sister cities
Preveza is a founding member of the Douzelage, a town twinning association of 23 towns across the European Union. This active town twinning began in 1991 and there are regular events, such as a produce market from each of the other countries and festivals.[3][4]
- Other twinnings
See also
References
External links
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