Vonitsa


Vonitsa is a town in the northwestern part of Aetolia-Acarnania in Greece, seat of the municipality of Aktio-Vonitsa. The beach town is situated on the south coast of the Ambracian Gulf, and is dominated by a Venetian fortress on a hill. Vonitsa is southeast of Preveza, northeast of the city of Lefkada and northwest of Agrinio. The Greek National Road 42 passes through Vonitsa.

Settlements

  • Vonitsa proper
  • Aktio, the ancient Actium
  • Nea Kamarina

    History

Vonitsa is built near the site of ancient Anactorium, an important city of Acarnania, founded by the Corinthians in 630 BC. Like the other cities of Acarnania, it went into decline when the Romans founded Nicopolis on the other side of the Ambracian Gulf after the Battle of Actium, and forced its inhabitants to move to that city. Modern Vonitsa was founded during the Byzantine era, and it was the last stronghold of the Despotate of Epirus before being conquered by the Ottomans in 1479. It was later controlled by the Republic of Venice between 1684 and 1797, before returning to Ottoman rule. After the Greek War of Independence, the town became a part of the Kingdom of Greece in 1832.
On 18 October 1862 the insurrection that later spread to Athens and lead to the overthrow of King Otto of Greece, started in Vonitsa.

Population

YearTownCommunity
19813,836-
19914,037-
20013,8404,081
20114,7034,916
20214,0524,264

International relations

Vonitsa is twinned with: