The municipality of Markopoulo – Messogaia has a population of 20.040 residents covering an area of 81.8 sq km from the valley of Messogea all the way to the eastern seashore of Porto Rafti and Vrarona. Very close to the city of Athens, endowed by nature with a variety of sceneries, valleys, mountains and beaches, attracts not only hundreds of tourists every year but a fair amount of new residents as well.
Among its many renowned cultural and historic sites the Temple of Artemis and the medieval towers of Vravrona as well as a number of Byzantine monuments from the 5th – 6th century depict its historic significance. Moreover, one should mention that the wetlands of Vravrona are enlisted among Natura 2000 sites, consisting a nesting shelter for over 185 kinds of birds!
During the 2004 Summer Olympic Games in Athens, at the peak of its athletic history, the Municipality hosted a part of the Olympic Games in its Equestrian and Shooting Range Centers and the Olympic flame ceremonies in the areas of Markopoulo, Porto Rafti and Vravrona. This legacy continues by dozens active sports’ clubs with national and international distinctions in more than 10 sports (e.g volley ball, sailing and tennis). In this frame and despite the difficult financial situation of our times, the municipality continues to invest in the athletic infrastructures of the area, maintaining 20 sports’ programmes and promoting the construction of both a swimming pool and a multifunctional sports center.
The municipality firmly believes that art and culture consist major factors that determine the quality of the citizens’ life and therefore its priority is to invest in its long standing value. In this frame the municipal movie theater “Artemis”, the only closed top theater in eastern Attika, with 300 seats’ capacity has been recently renovated whereas a separate event space for 140 people has been created. Moreover the new municipal Cultural Multiplex in Porto Rafti has been inaugurated, while the initiative of transforming the town’s central square into a pedestrian area every Sunday in summertime was endorsed by our residents very warmly. Furthermore, the internationally award-winning municipality band, continues for the 75th year its activities, accompanying the city’s major events, whereas the only theater eastern Attika, PERIAKTI, with its two major scenes and various workshops contributes for 17 consecutive years in the cultural development of the area together with the two municipal choirs, the Joint Choir of Markopoulo and Markopoulo’s Elderly People choir.
The systematic reinforcement of the social policy, consists one of the main priorities of the Municipal Authority, as the current socio-economical situation demands more than ever the development of a concrete network of social solidarity towards those in need. In this frame, the Municipality of Markopoulo was the first in eastern Attika that established a Social Grocery Store, supporting with food, clothing and other necessary items more than 100 families unable to cover their daily basic needs. Moreover, the municipality gathered school supplies, medicines and health related items for the functioning of a Social “Tuition” Centre. Through specific initiatives, it stands close to the children and the working mothers, while with the creation of the new Elderly People in Porto Rafti, it has attributed the proper respect and gratitude to the people who raised us. One should mention also the lower prices introduced to vulnerable groups in the municipal movie theater and the Avlaki beach in Porto Rafti. Moreover, by realising support programmes such as “Help at home”, the free psychological counseling and support provided by municipal consultants, the operation of a “Time Allocation Bank” and the participation to a series of EU funded programmes that benefit more than 250 of our citizens, the Municipality clearly displays its commitment to adopt an integrated and constantly developing social policy in order to be able to support the ever growing needs of its citizens.
For more information please visit the municipality’s official web page: http://www.markopoulo.gr/frontoffice/portal.asp?cpage=NODE&cnode=1&clang=1 .
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