The
horse is the symbol of Larisa the capital of and also the largest city in
Thessaly. Larisa means "stronghold" in the ancient language of
Pelasgian, an early Greek culture. There is archeological evidence that
man settled here over 12,000 years ago. The region of Thessaly was
famous for its horseman since times of antiquity. The very best of Greece's
cavalry came from here. Greek mythology states that Poseidon,
the God of the oceans, created horses and he likely first placed them
upon the earth here. This was also the land of the Centaurs, the
mythological creatures that were half man and half horse. This shows
just how much these people love their horses !!!
Larisa is not
the most attractive city in Greece, but it has many facilities and
stores, making it the hub of the region. It is all function and little
form. There is an exceptionally well-preserved Ancient Theater that is
well worth a few minutes of your time. There is an Acropolis, but
unfortunately it has been covered with buildings. Some say that Achilles
was born here. It is more likely that he was born in Farsala, a small
town in the region, but he definitely knew the town. He certainly would
have passed through here on his way to Mount Pillion to study under
Chiron the Centaur.
Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine,
was born in Kos, a Greek island off the coast of Turkey, but he died
here in Larisa. If the medical system was as poor here then as it is now
i am quite certain he died awaiting treatment. Modern Larisa is famous
for two things: very "friendly" women ;) and Lakis Lazopoulos,the most
famous comedian in all of Greece (he also had a roll in the fantastic
movie "El Greco"). So if you are looking for a quick laugh or a one night
stand, this is a great place to spend a weekend...
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| A statue of Hippocrates. |
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| The Ancient Roman Theater of Larisa. |
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| Ancient Roman ruins downtown Larisa. |
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| Graffiti in Greek: "Greek-fitti" |
