Penteli, Greece

Penteli (Greek: Πεντέλη) is a town and a municipality in the North Athens peripheral unit, Attica, Greece. It belongs to the Athens metropolitan area and Athens' Megalo Daktylo. One of its city halls is located next to the central square. About 80% of the non-urban land consists of Penteliko Mountain. The suburb's main streets are divided into two one-way thoroughfares, one going to Kifissia and to Vrilissia, and the other going north to Dionysos and Rea.

Municipality

The municipality Penteli was formed at the 2011 local government reform by the merger of the following 3 former municipalities, that became municipal units:

• Melissia
• Nea Penteli
• Penteli

Geography

The area in the western and the northern portion of Nea Penteli once constituted farmland, whereas today it is covered with suburban developments. Much of the population, which varies from low to mid-density, dwells in large suburban villas. These sprawl to the northern and eastern slopes, which are also forested.

History

The bones of prehistoric animals--mastodons, rhinoceros, antelope, and giraffe, along with giant turtles, hyenas--and other animals no longer extant in the area--have been found among the limestone crags of the mountain that looms over the present suburb of Athens. Dominated by Mt. Penteli, the source of the marble used to build the Parthenon, Penteli was renowned in Classical Greece as well as in the Roman Empire....
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