Thermes

Thermes
Θέρμες
Municipal unit
Thermes is located in Greece
Thermes
Thermes
Location within the regional unit
Coordinates: 41°21′N 24°59′E / 41.350°N 24.983°E / 41.350; 24.983
CountryGreece
Administrative regionEast Macedonia and Thrace
Regional unitXanthi
MunicipalityMyki
Area
 • Municipal unit90.0 km2 (34.7 sq mi)
Elevation
485 m (1,591 ft)
Population
 (2021)[1]
 • Municipal unit
646
 • Municipal unit density7.2/km2 (19/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+2 (EET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+3 (EEST)
Vehicle registrationAH

Thermes (Greek: Θέρμες, romanized: Thérmes) is a former community in the Xanthi regional unit, East Macedonia and Thrace, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Myki, of which it is a municipal unit.[2] The municipal unit has an area of 90.014 km2.[3] It consists of the villages Ano Thermes, Thermes (also called Kato Thermes), Meses Thermes, Medousa, Kidaris, Diasparto, and Kottani. The population of Thermes was around 1396 inhabitants in 1991.[4] In 2021, the population decreased to 646 inhabitants.[1] Thermes is popular for its hot spas, which can be found all around the area.

Name

In Bulgarian, the community is known as Лъджа (Lydža) or Баня (Banja), the former a version of the Turkish name and the latter a calque also meaning "spa". The Turkish name of Thermes is Ilıca which means "spa".

Relief of Mithra

Thermes is also famous for the relief of Mithra (a Persian origin goddess of the sun) end of 2nd - beginning of 3rd century AD. The relief is depicting Mithras sacrificing a bull. Close to Mithras we can see figures of Cautes and Caupates.[5][6]

Relief of Mithra (Mithras the Bull-slayer) is located close to Kato Thermes village.
  • Spring of hot spa.
    Spring of hot spa.
  • Spring of hot spa.
    Spring of hot spa.
  • Hot spa pool.
    Hot spa pool.
  • Hot spa.
    Hot spa.
  • Thermes village
    Thermes village
  • Mithras relief close up
    Mithras relief close up

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Thermes,_Xanthi.
  1. ^ a b "Αποτελέσματα Απογραφής Πληθυσμού - Κατοικιών 2021, Μόνιμος Πληθυσμός κατά οικισμό" [Results of the 2021 Population - Housing Census, Permanent population by settlement] (in Greek). Hellenic Statistical Authority. 29 March 2024.
  2. ^ "ΦΕΚ A 87/2010, Kallikratis reform law text" (in Greek). Government Gazette.
  3. ^ "Population & housing census 2001 (incl. area and average elevation)" (PDF) (in Greek). National Statistical Service of Greece.
  4. ^ Michail, p. 3.
  5. ^ Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Tourism: Relief of Mithras Tauroctonos (Mithras the Bull-slayer).
  6. ^ 19.04.2007 Article in Ο Χρόνος greek newspaper of Komotini: Στην ορεινή Ξάνθη: Οι άγνωστες Θέρμες, 90 χιλιόμετρα από Κομοτηνή. in Greek.

Sources

  • Michail, Domna. Migration, tradition and transition among the Pomaks in Xanthi (Western Thrace). Department of Balkan Studies Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. LSE PhD Symposium on Social Science Research on Greece Hellenic Observatory, European Institute, LSE. June 21, 2003.
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