Kilkis

Periphery: Central Macedonia
Prefecture : Kilkis

Kilkis (Greek: Κιλκίς, Bulgarian/Macedonian (Slavonic): Кукуш; transliterated Kukuš or Kukush) is a small provincial city in Central Macedonia, Greece. It had a population of 16,000 citizens in 2001. It is also the capital city of the local prefecture (or nomos) and the capital of one of the two local provinces (or eparhia) of its prefecture.

1913 liberation of Ioannina, Kilkis, Serres, Drama, Kavala

The city was ruled by the Ottoman Empire before being taken by Bulgaria in the First Balkan War of 1912. In the Second Balkan War of 1913, the Greek army captured the city after a three-day battle between June 19-June 21. Although costly, with over 5000 casualties on the Greek side and 7,000 on the Bulgarian, the Greek victory proved a decisive step towards victory in the war. Kilkis was almost completely destroyed during the battle, its 7,000 Bulgarian inhabitants fled or were expelled to Bulgaria, settling, for the most part, in Sofia. The new town was built closer to the railway to Thessaloniki and was settled by Greeks expelled from Bulgaria and Asia Minor.

A significanct event was the Battle of Kilkis-Lahanas. The city of Kilkis came under Bulgarian rule in 1943 when the Bulgarian zone of occupation was expanded to include the prefectures of Kilkis and Chalcidice. The Greeks claim that the Bulgarians pursued a policy of "Bulgarianisation" with considerable brutality and intended to annex the region to Bulgaria, but were forbidden from doing so by their German allies, who feared destabilising Greece if the Bulgarians proceeded. The region became a major centre for partisan resistance activity before being liberated in 1944.

Geography

Kilkis city, Satellite Images, Greece

The mountains are Paiko to the west, parts of the western part of Kerkini to the northeast and Krousio to the east. Lake Doirani is siuated to the north and shares its eastern portion of the lake. The bounding prefectures and one district of another state (nation) are Serres to the east, the Thessaloniki prefecture to the south, Pella to the west and the Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) with the Gevgelija to the north.

Climate

The areas that mainly get Mediterranean climate is at the southern portion by the Axios valley. Its climate is mainly continental with cold winters in higher elevations.

Transportation

GR-1/E75, old and new, SW, W, NW
GR-65, S, Cen., N, NE

road to Dojran, N

Famous inhabitants of Kilkis

• Goce Delchev, IMARO revolutionary (1872-1903)
  
• Aleksandar Stanishev, Bulgarian physician, scientist and politician (1886-1945)
  
• Hristo Smirnenski, Bulgarian poet (1898-1923)
  
• Giorgos Floridis, politician, ex minister
  
• Savvas Tsitouridis, politician, minister of agriculture
  
• Dimitris Basis, singer
  
• Kiltidis Kostas, politician
  

Kilkis Stamp, St George Cave

Division of the municipality of Kilkis, population 24812 (in 2001)

• Kilkis / Δ.δ. Κιλκίς [ 18.958 ]
  
  • Kilkis / το Κιλκίς [ 17.430 ]
    
  • Argyroupolis / η Αργυρούπολις [ 591 ]
    
  • Zacharaton / το Ζαχαράτον [ 101 ]
    
  • Kolchis / η Κολχίς [ 143 ]
    
  • Metallikon / το Μεταλλικόν [ 371 ]
    
  • Xirovrysi / η Ξηρόβρυση [ 172 ]
    
  • Sevaston / το Σεβαστόν [ 150 ]
    
• Vaptistis / Δ.δ. Βαπτιστού [ 504 ]
  
  • Vaptistis / ο Βαπτιστής [ 449 ]
    
  • Kyriakaiika / τα Κυριακαίικα [ 55 ]
    
• Kastanies / Δ.δ. Καστανιών -- οι Καστανιές [ 595 ]
  
• Kristoni / Δ.δ. Κρηστώνης -- η Κρηστώνη [ 1.138 ]
  
• Leipsydrion / Δ.δ. Λειψυδρίου [ 556 ]
  
  • Leipsydrion / το Λειψύδριον [ 121 ]
    
  • Akropotamia / η Ακροποταμιά [ 212 ]
    
  • Ano Potamia / η Άνω Ποταμιά [ 105 ]
    
  • Kato Potamia / η Κάτω Ποταμιά [ 118 ]
    
• Megali Vrysi / Δ.δ. Μεγάλης Βρύσης -- η Μεγάλη Βρύση [ 520 ]
  
• Melanthion / Δ.δ. Μελανθίου -- το Μελάνθιον [ 235 ]
  
• Mesianon / Δ.δ. Μεσιανού [ 906 ]
  
  • Mesianon / το Μεσιανόν [ 195 ]
    
  • Dafnochorion / το Δαφνοχώριον [ 63 ]
    
  • Leventochorion / το Λεβεντοχώριον [ 266 ]
    
  • Palaion Gynaikokastron / το Παλαιόν Γυναικόκαστρον [ 382 ]
    
• / Δ.δ. Σταυροχωρίου -- το Σταυροχώριον [ 481 ]
  
• Chorygion / Δ.δ. Χωρυγίου -- το Χωρύγιον [ 919 ]

Chorygi

Chorygi (older Form Chorygion)

Chorygi Google Earth

Kastanies

Kastanies Google Earth

Stavrochori

Stachrochori (older Form Stavrochorion)

Stavrochori Google Earth

Vaptistis

Vaptistis Google Earth

Municipalities

Communities

Links