HALIACMON RIVER
It is the longest river in Greece, gathering the water of the mountains of Western and Central Macedonia, and giving life to a large part of the country before flowing into the Gulf of Thermaikos.
A rare aquatic habitat hosting unique fish species and surrounded by an inexhaustible natural landscape.
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At his feet, stretched the watery load of a river god of antiquity. A few kilometres away, on the peaks of Mount Grammos, in Western Macedonia, shortly after the flood of Deucalion, two brothers, Oceanus, the most ancient sea deity of Greek mythology, and his sister Tethys, a titan, daughter of Uranus and Gaia, must have met. The outcome of this union was the creation of three thousand rivers, with the Haliacmon being the largest of them all.
He had just got off his bike, enjoying the spectacle. He had travelled many miles to see the largest river in Greece up close, which dozens of legends, stories and even songs praise.
From Mount Grammos to the waters of the Aegean where it flows into, the Haliacmon runs, shapes and is shaped by the history of the region. Sometimes it flows rapturously and sometimes it rushes, switching names depending on the people who live around it. Its name becomes Intze Kara, meaning tall and black when it meets Turks, it becomes Bistritsa, meaning fast river, when it meets Slavs, and for the Greeks, it remains the Haliacmon.
Dogs and the sound of cowbells were heard. A flock of sheep which was descending towards the river passed by. Could it be true what was said in the old days that the sheep that drank water from the Haliacmon turned white?
Over its 322 kilometres, it manages to connect the prefectures of Kastoria, Grevena and Kozani, and just before forming a delta in the Thermaic Gulf, it serves as a natural border between the prefectures of Pieria and Imathia. Especially the inhabitants of Imathia used to fear the Haliacmon, as in their area, it flowed for years without a specific riverbed. It often flooded and formed extensive swamps, until the human mind found a way to master it.
Its waters are rich, but they also generate wealth. It hosts 33 different species of fish. Among them is mavrotsironi, which lives nowhere else in the world, meaning it is endemic. 215 different species of birds have been observed either nesting or using its waters on their journey to places far away. The Haliacmon, with its continuous and endless flow, now covers 2%-2.5% of clean energy output in Greece, mainly from its hydroelectric power stations, as well as 70% of Thessaloniki water supply needs.
HALIACMON RIVER
It is the longest river in Greece, gathering the water of the mountains of Western and Central Macedonia, and giving life to a large part of the country before flowing into the Gulf of Thermaikos.
- The Castle
- The Town
- The River
Folklore Museum
Housed in the home of Dr. Aristidis Christakis, the purpose of the museum is the preservation and dissemination of the historical heritage and tradition of the region.
Servia
The name “Servia” derives from the Latin verb "servo" meaning "to watch, observe", reflecting the city's position as an impregnable fortress in earlier times.
Haliacmon River
It is the longest river in Greece, gathering the water of the mountains of Western and Central Macedonia, and giving life to a large part of the country before flowing into the Gulf of Thermaikos.
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