View source for Chalastra

{{About|the modern town in Northern Greece|the moth genus|Chalastra (moth)|the salt lake known in ancient times as lake Chalastra|Pikrolimni (lake)}}
{{Infobox Greek Dimos
 |name = Chalastra
 |name_local = Χαλάστρα
|type = municipal unit
 |image_coa = 
 |image_map = DE Chalastras.svg 
 |map_caption = Location within the regional unit
 | periph = [[Central Macedonia]]
 | periphunit = [[Thessaloniki (regional unit)|Thessaloniki]]
 |municipality = [[Delta, Thessaloniki|Delta]]
 |pop_municunit = 9066
 |pop_community = 6657
 |area_municunit = 121.415
 |area_community = 98.449
 |population_as_of = 2021
 |elevation = 
 |coordinates = {{coord|40|38|N|22|44|E|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
 |postal_code = 
 |area_code = 
 |licence = 
 |website = 
 |image_skyline = ΕΠΑΛ Χαλάστρας.jpg
 |caption_skyline = 
 |city_flag = 
 |city_seal = 
 |districts = 
}}
'''Chalastra''' ({{langx|el|Χαλάστρα}}) is a town and former municipality in the [[Thessaloniki (regional unit)|Thessaloniki regional unit]], [[Greece]]. Before 1926, it was known as Κουλουκιά - ''Kouloukia'' ({{langx|bg|Кулакия}} - ''Kulakiya''). It was renamed to ''Chalastra'' in 1926, to Πύργος - ''Pyrgos'' in 1955 and back to ''Chalastra'' in 1980.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.eetaa.gr/eetaa/metaboles/oikmet_details.php?id=15711 |title=EETAA local government changes |access-date=2021-09-05 }}</ref> Since the local government reform of 2011 it has been part of the municipality [[Delta, Thessaloniki|Delta]], of which it is a municipal unit.<ref name=Kallikratis>{{Cite web|url=http://www.et.gr/idocs-nph/search/pdfViewerForm.html?args=5C7QrtC22wGYK2xFpSwMnXdtvSoClrL81-32jgAMSfbnMRVjyfnPUeJInJ48_97uHrMts-zFzeyCiBSQOpYnT00MHhcXFRTsb2fGphpq4MKX2ZkaHobySNnvZCNHXvYVvlf80XevW0Q.|title=ΦΕΚ B 1292/2010, Kallikratis reform municipalities|language=el|publisher=[[Government Gazette (Greece)|Government Gazette]]}}</ref> The town is located 20&nbsp;km west from the city of [[Thessaloniki]], on the north side of [[Greek National Road 1]], near the [[Axios River|Axios]] river and the [[Thermaic Gulf]]. The municipal unit of Chalastra consists of the two communities of Chalastra itself and [[Anatoliko, Thessaloniki|Anatoliko]]. The population was 9,066 inhabitants according to the 2021 census, most of them working in [[agriculture]] and small [[Industrial sector|industry]]. The municipal unit Chalastra has an area of 121.415&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>, and the community Chalastra has an area of 98.449&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>.<ref name=stat01>{{cite web |url=http://dlib.statistics.gr/Book/GRESYE_02_0101_00098%20.pdf |publisher=National Statistical Service of Greece |title=Population & housing census 2001 (incl. area and average elevation) |language=el |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150921212047/http://dlib.statistics.gr/Book/GRESYE_02_0101_00098%20.pdf |archivedate=2015-09-21 }}</ref>

==History==
[[file:Bulgarian woman from Kolakia and young girl from Balca.jpg|thumb|left|160px|A [[Bulgaria]]n woman from Chalastra/Kulakia (left) by Raphäel Jacquemin, 19th century]] 
[[File:KulakiaGospel.jpg|thumb|160px|The ''Kulakia Gospel'', a Bible written in the native Slavic dialect of Chalastra in 1863 with the Greek alphabet. On the title page there is also inscription "written in [[Bulgarian language]]".<ref>[[Mazon, Andre]] et Andre Vaillant. L'evangeliaire de Kulakia un parler slave du Bas-Vardar, Paris 1938.</ref><ref>''Господново и сфетаго евангелио на бога нашаго голема црикфа христианоф, искарено на '''бугарцко изик''' тувашно збор на Вардариа за уф неделите сати за гудината и за сати празницити големите за цела година за литургиата. Са писало ут Евстатио Киприади уф селото Колакиа на 30 ноемврио месиц 1863.</ref> ]]

Chalastra ({{langx|grc|Χαλάστρα}}, [[Strabo]] vii.; {{lang|grc|Χαλέστρη}}, [[Herodotus|Herod.]] vii. 123; {{lang|grc|Χαλαίστρα}}, [[Plutarch|Plut.]] ''Alex.'' 49; [[Pliny the Elder|Plin.]] iv. 10. § 17, xxxi. 10. § 46) was known as a town of [[Mygdonia]] in [[ancient Macedonia]], situated on the Thermaikos gulf at the mouth of the [[Axios River|Axios]] river, which belonged to the [[Thracians]] and possessed a harbor.<ref>{{Cite Stephanus|''s.v.''}}</ref> A large part of the population was absorbed in [[Thessaloniki]] when it was founded by [[Cassander]].

The site of the ancient town is tentatively placed at [[Anchialos, Thessaloniki|Anchialos]] at 
{{coord|40.631151|N|22.729683|E|display=inline|format=dms|source:http://dare.ht.lu.se/places/32091}}.<ref>{{Cite Barrington|50}}</ref><ref>{{Cite DARE|32091}}</ref>

During the Byzantine Middle Ages, the name of the area was "Campania".

In the 19th century it was inhabited by a mixed Bulgarian and Greek-speaking population.

==References==
{{reflist}}
{{SmithDGRG|title=Chalastra}}

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[[Category:Populated places in Thessaloniki (regional unit)]]
[[Category:Delta, Thessaloniki]]
[[Category:Populated places in ancient Macedonia]]
[[Category:Cities in ancient Macedonia]]
[[Category:Geography of ancient Mygdonia]]


{{CentralMacedonia-geo-stub}}