Kiato is located 22 km west of Corinth and is the seat of the Municipality of Sikyonia. The city's economy is based mainly on trade, but due to its coastal location and short distance from Athens, it attracts a large number of holidaymakers during the summer months. It has a population of about 10,000 inhabitants and occupies most of the coastal part of the Municipality while it is crossed by the rivers Cyril and Elissona. It consists of the main city and three settlements, Naples (west), Tragana (south) and Agios Ioannis (east). The port of Kiato is commercial in nature and serves mainly the export of agricultural products and the import of raw materials for handicrafts of the wider area.
Aesthetic forest of Mongosto
An important attraction is the
aesthetic forest of Mongostos, which contains many species of flora
and fauna. The total forest area is 7,185 acres. It was declared
aesthetic with 551977 P.D. which was published in the Official
Gazette (175 sq. D) 261977. It is located southwest of the village
of Souli in the prefecture of Corinthia. It belongs to the
municipalities of Sikionia, Xylokastro-Evrostini and Stymphalia.
This is a natural coppice oak forest, that is, an oak forest that
grew on its own, as a result of natural evolution, that is,
ecological succession. It grows on slightly sloping terrain with a
slope of 3% to 20% with an eastern exposure at the foot of Mount
Killini (Zirea).
It belongs to the para-Mediterranean
vegetation zone. The main trees we encounter are broadleaf oak
(oak), Halepova pine, black pine in isolated specimens, Capellinia
fir, holly, holly, juniper, cutsupia and the characteristic coumaria
and glistrocumaria. In August 1998, as part of the MEDEFLU
(Mediterranean Currents) research program, the first and unique
standard weather pole, 32 meters high, was installed in the forest
in Greece. It operates under the responsibility of the Agricultural
University of Athens.
Assumption Monastery
The Monastery
of the Assumption of the Virgin Lehovas was built on the eastern
slope of Mount Titan or Vesesa (1207m) at an altitude of 1050m, in
mountainous Corinthia. From Kiato, following the road deeper into
the prefecture, we pass the village of Suli, turn left towards Nemea
and meet the village of Kryoneri. Just beyond it there is a branch
leading to the monastery (4 km) along a wonderful path full of plane
trees. Following the ravine on the right bank of the Elisson stream,
the asphalt road quickly leads us to a saddle, from where a
monastery juts out in front of us in the distance in the spruce
forest.
Ancient theater of Sikyon
The Ancient Theater of
Sikyon is considered one of the largest theaters in Ancient Greece.
All ancient Greek theaters were built in the same way and according
to the same architectural design. From Kiato, following the road
deeper into the prefecture, we pass Sikyona. The ancient theater is
located a little further on the hill of Vasilikos (about 4 km
southeast of Kiathos), a village after Sikyon.
Kryoneri
Observatory
The Kryoneri astronomical station was founded in
1972. It is located in Corinthia, near the village of Kryoneri. The
1.2-meter IAA telescope with a CCD camera as its main instrument is
installed at Kryoneriu AS. There is also a special unit for
aluminizing telescope mirrors. The AS has engineering and
electronics laboratories. Every August, the IAA organizes open days
at the Kryoneri station, during which organized visits are carried
out to the public, schools, etc. Information about observing times
with the 1.2-meter telescope can be obtained from the head of the
ASC, Dr. A. Dapergola.
Connecting the municipality with Athens by commuter rail, the
completion of the long road axis PATHE (Athens-Patras) in combination
with the Kalamata-Tripoli-Corinth highway could change the development
pattern and lead to changes in land use conditions (major housing
growth, additional transport infrastructure).
The municipality is
developing rapidly in housing and demographic terms, while the coastal
settlements are showing a strong urbanization trend, mainly through the
construction of holiday homes. The consequence of this trend is that the
population of coastal communities more than triples during the summer
season.
To the above comparative advantages, if we add natural
and cultural resources (lakes Stymphalia and Doxa, archaeological sites
and museums of Sikyonia and traditional professions of Stymphalia), it
is possible to create a very diversified and competitive tourism
product, which will help to lengthen the tourist season through the
development of alternative types of tourism , thematic and special types
of tourism.
A key feature of the local economy is the high
proportion of the primary sector (50.62%), with the dominant activity in
the last decade being the cultivation of raisins and grapes, as well as
the cultivation of olives, apricots, citrus fruits and livestock
products.
An early Christian basilica from the 5th century has been excavated
in the Panagia Kiatu grove. The archaeological site of Ancient Sikyon
and the museum are located in the municipal area of Ancient Sikyon
(Vassiliko), approximately 4 km southwest of Kiathos.
This city
existed since Mycenaean times under the name Sikyon and experienced
great prosperity mainly from the 5th to the 2nd centuries BC. century,
when Cleisthenes was the tyrant of the city. He singled out great
artists, most notably the sculptor Lysippos. The city's ancient theater
has survived to this day, where performances are held in the summer
months and a world meeting of ancient drama is held every year.
From 1861 to the present day, Kiato records only population growth (with the exception of 1907 and 1951, which recorded declines), with particularly large increases occurring in the second half of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century due to the spread of raisin cultivation. However, Kiato's population growth has slowed significantly in recent years.
Alexandros Alexandris (footballer)
Phaedon Alkinos (Vlachiotis
Giorgos) (writer)
Nikos Karahalios (poet)
Asteris Kovvatsis
(author)
Sotirios Krokidas (Prime Minister)
Lampros Lampropoulos
(politician)
Vera Lambrou (singer)
Marcos Lezes (actor)
Amy
Livaniu (Hamaidi Zisiopoulou) (journalist)
Theodoros Merticopoulos
(politician)
Konstantinos Nikas (university student)
Kostas
Paniaras (artist)
Angelos Papadimitriou (artist, actor)
Christos
Patrinelis (historian)
Makis Punentis (radio producer, presenter)
Apostolos Predaris (opera singer)
Yiannis Spanos (composer)
Lakis
Theazis (lyricist, poet)
Yiannis Troupis (journalist)
Kimon Trupi
(journalist)
Romos Filiras (poet)
Christos Chasiotis (Chairman of
the Appellate Division)
Anastasios Horemis (politician)
Getting to Kiato is easy as it is served by KTEL buses from Athens every hour and from Corinth every half hour. There is also a suburban train station with hourly flights from Athens. It is currently the terminus of the commuter rail line. Olympia Odos offers direct access to Kiato from Athens and Patras. From Kiathos train station you can also take a bus to Patras.