Attiko Alsos (Athens)

Attiko Alsos (Athens)

The Attiko Alsos forest occupies a large part of the Tourkovounia Mountain, covers an area of ​​550 acres and has a maximum altitude of 337 meters.

The Park covers an area of ​​550 acres, a maximum altitude of 337 meters, and a minimum of 200 meters. It consists of 2 hills with bare rocky slopes and cliffs. It is comprised of cypress, pine, and other tree species and a cave. It has a flora percentage of 67%, open spaces, and facilities of 33%. Of the Park's total area, one part involves a residential area - the settlement of Georgios Papandreou; a small portion that occupies the Municipality of Athens with the wells; and the rest of the vegetative sections is 230 acres (of these, 80-90 acres is on a flat surface and the rest in the slopes and rocky parts of the grove).

Found within Attiko Alsos is an open-air theater with a back-room and a canteen; a summer cinema; 2 refreshment stands; a playground for preschool children; outdoor volleyball, basketball, and tennis courts; a dressing area; and an outdoor car park.

The natural access to the interior of the Park makes it familiar and provides the visitor with the opportunity to easily navigate and understand all the spatial functions. The areas in the central clearings are for resting and walking for older people, excursions, and scout gatherings.

Over the last decade, it is one of the main centers of entertainment and cultural activities of neighboring municipalities, and since 2006 cultural events have been organized during the summer months at the open-air theater of Attiko Alsos from the Athens-Piraeus Hypermunicipality in cooperation with the Municipality of Athens Cultural Organization. Moreover, redevelopment intended to revive life in this important green area and to transform the Alsos into a modern pole of green, leisure, and entertainment - a great breath in the suffocating embrace of cemented surroundings. Based on the Hypermunicipality's vision of a park full of visitors of all ages, all year round, it also delivers to the citizens a multi-activity sports park with fully refurbished 5x5 tennis, basketball, volleyball and soccer fields embedded in a splendid green environment. Most importantly, with the help of the General Secretary of Sports, the Park provides free access to all sports venues, something that is crucial due to the difficult economic climate.

The redevelopment project began in 2008 with the contractor "Gingerton" and was completed within the predefined timetable. In the context of the rehabilitation of Attiko Alsos, the interventions that were made in brief are the following:

• 1,165 new trees and 1,277 herbaceous and bushy plants were planted and a botanical walk was made to meet the visitors with the trees of Athens.

• The fire and irrigation network has been replaced.

• New playgrounds and shaded areas were created as a point of relaxation and social gathering for visitors.

• An outdoor phytopathology for the emergence of local plants and a small meteorological station for educational purposes was set up.

• The points of magnificent view were revealed as the park is at the highest point of the Basin.

• The open-air theater of Attiki Alsos has been refurbished and modernized which has become the focus of major cultural events since the summer of 2009 within the framework of the Athens Epidaurus Festival.

• The network of footpaths was converted and special jogging routes were set up.

• Athletic facilities (4 tennis courts, 2 5x5 soccer, 2 basketball, and 2 volleyball) were refurbished and upgraded and, in cooperation with the General Secretariat of Sport, are granted free of charge to the citizens of the basin and adjoining municipalities.

Special care was taken to cater for people with special needs, especially those with mobility problems, as defined by the relevant directives of the Hellenic Ministry of Environment, Energy and Climate Change.