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Missolonghi (Municipality, Greece)

Μεσολόγγι

Flag of Missolonghi - Image by Olivier Touzeau, 19 May 2014

Presentation of Missolonghi
Flag of Missolonghi
Other flag of Missolonghi

See also:

Presentation of Missolonghi

The town of Missolonghi is the seat of the municipality of the Sacred City of Missolonghi (34,416 inhabitants in 2011; 6,741 ha) and the seat of Aetolia-Acarnania Prefecture.
The municipality was formed in the 2011 local government reform by the merger of the three former municipalities of Aitoliko (Αιτωλικό, 7,216 inh.), Missolonghi and Oiniades (Οινιάδες, 9,373 inh.).

Until 1700, Missolonghi was under Venetian domination. Its inhabitants were mostly fishermen. During the Orlov Revolt in 1770 the town passed to the Ottomans.
Missolonghi revolted on May 20, 1821 and was a major stronghold of the Greek rebels in the Greek War of Independence, being the seat of the Senate of Western Continental Greece. Its inhabitants successfully resisted a siege by Ottoman forces in 1822. The second siege started on April 15, 1825 by Reşid Mehmed Pasha whose army of 30,000 men was later reinforced by another 10,000 men led by Ibrahim Pasha, son of Muhammad Ali Pasha of Egypt. After a year of relentless enemy attacks and facing starvation, the people of Missolonghi decided to leave the city on the night of 10 April 1826. At the time, there were 10,500 people in Missolonghi, 3,500 of whom were armed. Very few people survived the Ottoman pincer movement after the betrayal of their plan.
Due to the heroic stance of the population and the subsequent massacre of its inhabitants by the Turkish-Egyptian forces, the town of Missolonghi received the honorary title of Hiera Polis (the Sacred City), unique among other Greek cities.
The famous British poet Lord Byron, who supported the Greek struggle for independence, died in Missolonghi in 1824. He is commemorated by a cenotaph containing his heart and a statue located in the town.

Olivier Touzeau, 16 May 2014

Flag of Missolonghi

The new municipality of Missolonghi uses the same flag (photo, photo, photo) as the former one (Kokkonis website).

Olivier Touzeau & Valentin Poposki, 16 May 2014

Other flag of Missolonghi

Other flag of Missolonghi - Image by Olivier Touzeau, 19 May 2014

An article (2011) about flags flying on Aitoliko bridge shows two pictures of three flags: one for the municipality, one for the Vaso Katraki Museum, and one for the Oinades Theater. The municipal flag is white with the official municipal emblem, including in black and white the same emblem and the name of the municipality below.

Olivier Touzeau, 19 May 2014