Volos, located in Thessaly, central Greece is as the capital of the Magnesia region and, together with the municipality of Nea Ionia, boasts a population of 114,000. It is among Greece’s largest cities, a bustling commercial port, a significant industrial hub, and the headquarters of the University of Thessaly. Nestled around its deep harbor at the edge of the Pagasetic Gulf, Volos stretches towards the foothills of Mount Pelion, blending maritime allure with mountainous charm. The city is characterized by its modern urban layout and unique charm.
Volos has a rich history spanning from the Neolithic period to the present day. The area was inhabited since the 7th millennium BC, with important settlements like Sesklo and Dimini showcasing organized Neolithic communities. These early inhabitants were primarily farmers and herders, and they also created distinctive pottery with white paint and red lines. In ancient times, the region saw the rise of Iolcos, the mythical home of the Argonauts. According to myth, Iason and the Argonauts embarked on their famous journey to Colchis from here, aboard the ship Argo. Iolcos was considered a significant city until the Macedonian era. Later, the city of Pagases became the main port of Thessaly during the Classical period.
The area known as the Castle of Volos, or the old district (Palia), has been continuously inhabited from the 3rd millennium BC to the present day. During the Byzantine era, it experienced significant growth. It was fortified in the 4th century AD and repaired in the 11th century, adding towers. The Ottomans took control of the Castle in 1423, and for the following 458 years, no Christians lived there. During Ottoman rule, the area inside the castle walls was occupied by Muslim families, guards and a few Jewish families.
The city of Volos began to expand outside the castle in the 19th century along the coast, with new neighborhoods developing. With the rise of industrialization, new districts near the port and rivers were built, while arrival of refugees from Asia Minor in 1922 led to the creation of Nea Ionia right next to Volos, which later became a separate municipality.
Volos was a major commercial port in Thessaly. By the 18th century, it was the most important port in the region. The city exported goods such as textiles, wool, and agricultural products, connecting it with Crete, Thessaloniki, Smyrna, Alexandria, Constantinople, and various European ports.
In 1883, two years after the liberation of Thessaly from the Ottoman Rule, the Municipality of Pagasa was founded, the predecessor of the current Municipality of Volos. The development of the new city was rapid. The artisanal and agricultural tradition of Pelion, its port as well as the diaspora capital that flowed into the area, were some of the factors that favored the economic development of the city towards trade and industry, while at the same time the urban fabric of the city was developing. The favorable location and the rapid economic development of the city attracted residents and investors from other areas. The port underwent modernization and expansion in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, becoming one of the largest commercial ports in Greece.
In 1886, the railway connection of Volos with Larissa and Kalambaka was completed. Also in 1895, the Volos-Lechonia railway line began its operation, which was extended to Milies in 1904, operating the famous narrow-gauge train, which ran through the city and up into the Pelion mountains. The railway was built by the Italian engineer Evaristo de Chirico, whose son, the painter Giorgio de Chirico, was born in Volos and featured the train in his work. The train line connected Volos with the villages of Pelion, functioning also as a means of city transport.
At the same time, in 1892, the port development works began and continued after World War I, in order to meet the ever-increasing needs of goods movement. In 1919, the port of Volos was the first in tobacco exports in Greece, with an export rate of 30%.Volos became capable of accommodating large ships, facilitating connections with foreign countries and inland cities. During the first decade of the 20th century, the port of Volos rose to prominence as the second most significant in Greece, following Piraeus. From Volos, goods were shipped worldwide. Exports included cereals and leaf tobacco produced in Almyros, which were transported to Egypt and then to tobacco factories in England and Germany. Additionally, chromium was exported to the USA and England, while plows were sent to Turkey.
During that time (late 19th – early 20th century) the city developed a vibrant cultural life, with theaters and cinemas like the Achilleion, the Municipal Theater, and the Titanian cinema contributing to the community’s social fabric. Theatrical performances were popular, with amateur actors joining touring companies and people volunteering in production. The city’s beaches at Anavros and Alykes were popular destinations, with designated areas for mixed bathing.
The industrial development of Volos in the 19th and 20th centuries led to the establishment of various factories. Having gathered capital, labor force, an expanded internal market and access to raw materials Volos developed into an important industrial center. Industries like textile manufacturing, food processing, tobacco processing, and tanning flourished, as well as metallurgy industries began to develop to create machinery that would meet the needs of the Thessalian plain. In 1889, the Paparigas Iron Industry was founded, in 1890 the Matsangos Tobacco Company and in 1895 the Gas Factory.
Other notable factories included the Papadimitriou Halva Factory, the Mousouris Steam Mill, the Georgiou and Nikouli Tannery, the Stamatopoulos Iron Industry, the Koutsikos Drinks Factory, the Sp. Kritselis Gas Factory, the Papageorgiou Textile Factory, the Loulis Flour Mill, the Etmektzoglou Silk Mill, and the Tsalapatas Brick and Tile Factory. These industries played a significant role in the city’s growth, but many declined after the mid-20th century due to various economic factors. Some of the former industrial buildings have been converted into cultural centers and commercial spaces.
In the 1980s, the municipality of Volos, in collaboration with other institutions, decided to take action to preserve its industrial heritage. The Papastratos Tobacco Warehouses became the headquarters of the Rectorate of the University of Thessaly. The Paparigas Mechanical Works buildings housed the University’s Department of Architecture. The MatsagosTobacco Warehouses have housed the Agricultural School of the University of Thessaly since 2000. The Spierer Tobacco Warehouses house the activities of municipal enterprises and organizations such as the Center for History and Documentation. The Tsalapatas Brick and Ceramic Factory was converted into a historical industrial museum. The Adamopoulos Cotton Mills became a Sports Center. The Electric Company was converted into a Musical Theater Center.
Today, some large industrial units still operate in the area, such as the Olympus factory of AGET Iraklis, the Hellenic Steelworks (formerly the Thessaly Steelworks), the VPI PET resin factory, the Konti steel sheet factory, the EPSA bottling plant, the EUREKA detergent factory, the OSE heavy maintenance-reconstruction factory, Papadopoulou biscuits, etc. However, the economy of Volos is now based primarily on trade, services and tourism, and secondarily on small and larger-scale industry. The port serves around 400,000 passengers annually and provides connections to the Sporades islands, the Cyclades, the eastern Aegean, and Crete.
In 1984, the University of Thessaly was founded, with its headquarters in Volos and faculties or departments in all Thessalian cities. The University, which admitted its first students in 1989 and currently hosts approximately 15,000 students and over 500 teaching and technical staff, has given a new lease of life to the intellectual life of Volos. The Municipal Theatre, the Conservatory, and the city’s Symphony Orchestra are centers of cultural activity.
The Pelion mountain, near Volos, has a long history, dating back to the mythical era of the Centaurs. During the Ottoman period, the villages of Pelion developed, and the architecture is characterized by multi-story stone houses with balconies and slate roofs. The region has preserved its traditional character, making it a popular destination.
Volos has preserved its rich architectural heritage, including neo-classical buildings, tobacco warehouses, and traditional houses, reflecting various eras of the city’s history. The city also boasts museums like the Museum of the City of Volos and the Athanasakio Archaeological Museum of Volos, among many others.
The Museum of the City of Volos
The Museum of the City of Volos is a modern museum in Greece, a place to display the life stories of the city’s people, along with the material evidence of their activities. The first city museum built in Greece (and the only one besides the City Museum of Athens) is not just a place to display objects, but a living organism that tells the history of the city, engages the community and promotes cultural heritage. The combined presentation of historical objects, personal stories, educational activities and periodic exhibitions make the museum an important cultural center for Volos.
The museum’s first major exhibition was entitled “Volos – Nea Ionia: so far away, so close” and was inaugurated on December 22, 2014. This exhibition was dedicated to the 90th anniversary of the establishment of the refugee settlement in Nea Ionia, as well as to the effects of the mass settlement of Asia Minor refugees in Volos.
The museum’s permanent exhibition, entitled “Volos, 10 + stories”, was inaugurated on May 17, 2019, presenting the course of Volos from the mid-19th century to the late 20th, through 10 thematic sections. These sections concern urban planning, demography, multiculturalism, city networks, crises, urban transformation, reconstruction, work, tourism, culture and sports.
Through these ten thematic sections, we follow the course and evolution of the city of Volos from the mid-19th to the late 20th century, through historical documents and valuable relics donated by citizens to the museum, including photographs, letters, furniture, personal items, period clothing and posters. Among the exhibits is part of the art collection of the Municipality of Volos, a collection that began to be created in the 1920s and today numbers more than 500 works.
A virtual tour option is available for selected landmarks in Volos, along with audio-guided walks that offer a powerful journey through the era of the Greco-Italian War, the Occupation, and the Resistance, featuring recorded interviews with individuals who lived through these events.
In addition to the permanent exhibition, the museum also hosts temporary exhibitions. One of these is the exhibition “Trikeri, women and their costumes”, which will run from December 11, 2024 to March 21, 2025. The museum’s temporary exhibition area also featured the exhibition “The Matsagou Lithograph”, which included posters, package mockups, packages and cigarette wrapping paper designs of the “Matsagou Brothers Tobacco Industry”, part of which is now included in the permanent exhibition.
The museum is housed in the former Papandou tobacco warehouse, a building built around 1920 and renovated in 2014. The Papandou tobacco warehouse building, built around 1920, is important for the history of the city, as it is associated with the development of the tobacco industry in Volos. The building, like other tobacco warehouses in Volos, served as a shelter for refugees from Asia Minor until the establishment of the Settlement. A section of the castle is preserved and restored outside the museum. Inside, the glass floor of the first floor allows visitors to see parts of the water pipes, dating back to the 6th-7th AD century.
Ioulia Livaditi, with info from: Municipality of Volos; Museum of the City of Volos; Educational Pamphlet on Volos by the Ministry for Culture; Travel.gr; e-thessalia.gr.
