Megara

Megara
Μέγαρα
Megara
Coordinates: 37°59′47″N 23°20′40″E / 37.99639°N 23.34444°E / 37.99639; 23.34444
CountryGreece
Administrative regionAttica
Regional unitWest Attica
Government
 • MayorPanagiotis Margetis (since 2023)
Area
 • Municipality
330.1 km2 (127.5 sq mi)
 • Municipal unit322.2 km2 (124.4 sq mi)
Elevation
4 m (13 ft)
Population
 (2021)
 • Municipality
38,033
 • Density115.2/km2 (298.4/sq mi)
 • Municipal unit
30,773
 • Municipal unit density95.51/km2 (247.4/sq mi)
 • Community
29,122
Time zoneUTC+2 (EET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+3 (EEST)
Postal code
191 00
Area code22960
Websitewww.megara.gr

Megara (/ˈmɛɡərə/; Greek: Μέγαρα, pronounced [ˈmeɣaɾa]) is a historic town and a municipality in West Attica, Greece. It lies in the northern section of the Isthmus of Corinth opposite the island of Salamis, which belonged to Megara in archaic times, before being taken by Athens. Megara was one of the four districts of Attica, embodied in the four mythic sons of King Pandion II, of whom Nisos was the ruler of Megara. Megara was also a trade port, its people using their ships and wealth as a way to gain leverage on armies of neighboring poleis. Megara specialized in the exportation of wool and other animal products including livestock such as horses. It possessed two harbors, Pagae to the west on the Corinthian Gulf, and Nisaea to the east on the Saronic Gulf of the Aegean Sea. Greek painter Théodore Jacques Ralli created countless paintings featuring the village of Megara between 1873 and 1909.