Elliniko

Elliniko, sometimes still referred to in English by its former name Hellinikon, is a southern suburban town in the Athens agglomeration in Attica, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform, it has been part of the municipality of Elliniko-Argyroupoli, of which it is a municipal unit. Elliniko is known for the former Hellinikon Olympic Complex, a temporary sporting complex building on the grounds of the former Ellinikon International Airport used for the 2004 Summer Olympics and the 2004 Summer Paralympics.
Elliniko is the site of a major development project for coastal Athens beginning in 2020 and due for completion in 2026—the Hellinikon Metropolitan Park, consisting of luxury homes, hotels, a casino, a marina, shops, offices, and Greece's tallest buildings such as the Riviera Tower and the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Athens, which will be the first integrated resort in Greece.

History

In 1922 after the Greco-Turkish War, many refuges, especially from the Sürmene town of Pontus, settled in the northernmost area of Elliniko, which was subsequently named Sourmena. In 1947, as a sign of the United States' involvement in the Greek Civil War, the US Air Force established an air base in Elliniko, which continued operating until 1993.

Geography

Elliniko is situated near the Saronic Gulf coast, south of Athens city centre, in the Athens Riviera. The municipality has an area of. The former airport is in the western part of the municipal unit, near the coast. Most of the residential area is in the eastern part, east of the former airport. The northern part of the airport has been converted to a sports complex. There are plans to convert the remaining part into a park.
Elliniko is well connected to the centre of Athens through a new line of the Athens metro. The Athens Tram serves the coastal part of Elliniko.

Climate

According to the data provided by the Hellenic National Meteorological Service, Elliniko, like much of the southern suburbs of Athens, has an average annual temperature of and receives of precipitation per year thus it marginally falls into the BSh hot semi-arid climate category with strong Mediterranean influences according to the Köppen climate classification. The highest temperature recorded is on August 3, 2021, while the lowest is on 18 February 2008. The highest minimum temperature of was recorded on July 26, 2023. Fog is rare, while thunderstorms occur sparsely throughout the year. Snowfall is not very common, though it occurs almost every year, but it rarely causes severe disruption to daily life.

Economy

had its head office in Elliniko. The Greek Civil Aviation Authority also has its head office in Elliniko. Elliniko is also home for the Greek national weather agency.

Sports

is located in Elliniko. It was built for the staging of the 2004 Summer Olympics and consists of five venues. Elliniko also houses the basketball club Elliniko-Sourmena B.C. with many achievements in women's basketball.