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Elefsina Ελευσίνα
Location
Coordinates	38°2′N 23°32′E / 38.033, 23.533Coordinates: 38°2′N 23°32′E / 38.033, 23.533
Time zone:	EET/EEST (UTC+2/3)
Elevation (min-max):	0 - 5 m (0 - 16 ft)
Government
Country:	Greece
Periphery:	Attica
Prefecture:	West Attica
Population statistics (as of 2001[1])
City Proper
- Population:	25,863
- Area:[2]	18.455 km² (7 sq mi)
- Density:	1,401 /km² (3,630 /sq mi)
Codes
Postal:	192 00
Telephone:	210
Website
www.eleusina.gr

Elefsina (Greek: Ελευσίνα, Ancient/Katharevousa: Ἐλευσίς Eleusis) is a town and municipality about 20 km NW of Athens. It is located near the northernmost end of the Saronic Gulf and is the seat of administration of West Attica Prefecture. It is best known for having been the site of the Eleusinian Mysteries, the most famous religious center of ancient Greece.^[3] It was also the birth place of Aeschylus, one of the three great tragedians of antiquity. See also Metanira.

[edit] History

[edit] Ancient Eleusís

In the Classical period of Greece, from as early as 1700 BC up to the era of the Roman Empire, Eleusina, or Eleusis, was the site of the Eleusinian Mysteries, or the Mysteries of Demeter and Kore. These Mysteries revolved around a belief that there was a hope for life after death for those who were initiated. Traditionally in Ancient Greece there was no positive outlook of death, one would cross the River Styx and enter Hades, however the Eleusinian Mysteries gave Greek speakers of that time a hope of a better life in Hades. Such a belief was cultivated from the introduction ceremony in which the hopeful initiates were shown a number of things including the seed of life in an ear of corn. The Mysteries are attributed to Demeter and her daughter Kore, or Persephone, and were created while Demeter searched for her lost daughter who had been abducted by Hades.

[edit] Modern Eleusína

Today, the city has become a suburb of Athens, and is linked by the freeway, the Athens metro freeway (Attiki Odos), and Athens metro (transit). A toll post named after the community is on the westbound lanes of GR-8A. A hill is near between the tolls and the refinery North of Eleusis is Mandra and Magoula, and northeast is the Thriasian plain containing Aspropyrgos is founded. It lies northeast of the Gulf of Eleusina.

Elefsina is the town where the majority of crude oil in Greece is imported and refined. The refinery nearest to the city is on its west side. The other major town is Aspropyrgos, next to the shipyards of Skaramagkas.

Forests align with the bay with a length of around 200 m. The nearest mountain is in the northwest. Athens's nearest military airport is a few kilometers east of Elefsina. It has been used since the mid-20th century. Its runway is about 2 km and its buildings are to the west. It sits in the Thriasian/Eleusina Plain. It has a nearby interchange slightly north of the Eleusina(east) interchange about 2 km west.

They are home to the junior football (soccer) team Panelefsiniakos.

[edit] Nearest places

• Mandra (west)
• Magoula (north)
• Aspropyrgos (east)

[edit] Historical population

[edit] Persons

• Aeschylus
• Stelios Kazantzidis
• Theodoros Pangalos

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Official website (English) (Greek)
• Αρχαιολογικό Μουσείο Ελευσίνας - Archaeological Museum of Eleusis
• Pictures from Ancient Elefsina

	Mandra	Magoula		v • d • e
	Megara and Nea Peramos		Aspropyrgos
		Eleusina
		Gulf of Eleusis

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