Kallithea Chalkidiki

KALLITHEA HALKIDIKI

"Kallithea is a village and the seat of the eponymous Municipal Department in the Municipality of Kassandra, Halkidiki. It has a population of approximately 500 permanent residents. The Municipal Department of Kallithea includes, besides its seat, the settlement of Solina, with only 18 inhabitants (2001). The main occupation of the residents is tourism. It attracts hundreds of tourists every year due to its beaches and developed tourist infrastructure.

Kallithea is located in the first leg of Halkidiki and is an area of archaeological interest. In Kallithea, the sanctuary of Dionysus and the Nymphs has been excavated, as well as part of the sanctuary of Ammon Zeus (worshiped in the area since the 5th century BC) and the area of the altar. A large temple of  Doric rhythm was constructed in the mid-4th century BC in honor of Ammon Zeus. Dionysus had already begun to be worshiped in the area from the 8th century BC, as evidenced by a staircase carved into the rock and a cave dedicated to the god.

The village was founded in 1925 by refugees who settled in Greek territory following the Asia Minor Catastrophe. Before the refugees settled, a farm owned by Russian monks operated in the area. The residents founded the settlement Neos Maltepes and engaged in agriculture and animal husbandry. This village was renamed Nea Kallithea after 1950 and finally Kallithea due to its beautiful view. In recent years, residents from other parts of Greece have also settled in the settlement.

Of particular interest is the Russian-style Church of Agios Panteleimon, located near the sanctuary of Zeus. Additionally, there is an irrigation canal from the mid-19th century in the area."