Editing Chalcis

{{Short description|City on the island of Euboea, Greece}}
{{Other uses}}
{{Redirect|Chalkis|the Chinese company|Xinjiang Chalkis}}
{{Redirect|Euripos|the ancient city in Acarnania|Euripus (Acarnania)}}
{{Infobox Greek Dimos
 | name               = Chalkida
 | name_local         = Χαλκίδα
|type = municipality
 | city_flag          =
 | image_map          = 2011 Dimos Chalkideon.png
 | periph             = [[Central Greece (administrative region)|Central Greece]]
 | periphunit         = [[Euboea (regional unit)|Euboea]]
|demonym= Chalcidian<ref>''Oxford English Dictionary'', 1st&nbsp;ed. "[http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/30257 Chalcidian, ''n.'' & ''adj.''<sup>3</sup>]". Oxford University Press (Oxford), 1933.</ref>
 | pop_municipality   = 109256
 | area_municipality  = 424.77
 | pop_municunit      = 64490
 | area_municunit     = 30.80
 | population_as_of   = 2021
 | coordinates        = {{coord|38|27|45|N|23|35|42|E|display=inline,title}}
 | postal_code        = 341 00
 | area_code          = 22210
 | licence            = ΧΑ
 | website            = [http://www.dimoschalkideon.gr/ www.dimoschalkideon.gr]
 | image_skyline      = Χαλκίδα 0067.jpg
 | caption_skyline    = Chalcis' seafront
 | city_seal          = 
 | districts          =  
 | mayor              = Eleni Vaka<ref name=mayor>[https://ekloges.ypes.gr/current/d/home/en/municipalities/9155/ Municipality of Chalkida, Municipal elections – October 2023], Ministry of Interior</ref>
 | party              = 
 | since              = 2019
 | elevation          = 10
}}
'''Chalcis''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|k|æ|l|s|ᵻ|s}};<ref>{{citation |last=Richmond |first=Henry J. |title=The Pronunciation of Greek and Latin Proper Names in English |page=[https://books.google.com/books?id=XMGulz4NTfwC&pg=PA32 32] |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XMGulz4NTfwC |date=1905 |publisher=George Wahr |location=Ann Arbor |isbn=9780857927866 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304090214/https://books.google.co.jp/books?id=XMGulz4NTfwC&printsec=frontcover |archive-date=2016-03-04 }}</ref> [[Ancient Greek]] and [[Katharevousa]]: {{lang|grc|Χαλκίς}}, {{small|[[Romanization of Ancient Greek|romanized]]:}} {{Transliteration|grc|Chalkís}}), also called '''Chalkida''' or '''Halkida''' ([[Modern Greek]]: {{lang|el|Χαλκίδα}}, {{IPA|el|xalˈciða|pron}}), is the chief city of the island of [[Euboea]] or Evia in [[Greece]], situated on the [[Euripus Strait]] at its narrowest point. The name is preserved from [[Classical antiquity|antiquity]] and is derived from the Greek [[wiktionary:χαλκός|χαλκός]] ([[copper]], [[bronze]]), though there is no trace of any mines in the area.{{sfn|Chisholm|1911}}<ref>Simon C. Bakhuizen, R. Kreulen, ''Chalcis-in-Euboea: Iron and Chalcidians Abroad'', Brill Archive, 1976, p. 58.</ref> In the [[Late Middle Ages]], it was known as '''Negropont(e)''', an Italian name that has also been applied to the entire island of Euboea.

== History ==

===Ancient Greece===
[[File:Colonies of Chalcis.png|thumb|240px|Colonies of ancient Chalcis]]
[[File: Αρχαιολογικό Μουσείο Χαλκίδας 9826.jpg|thumb|Archaeological museum of Chalkida]]
[[File:Ydragogeiohalkidas.jpg|thumb|View of the ancient Roman aqueduct]]
The earliest recorded mention of Chalcis is in the [[Iliad]],<ref>[[Homer]], [[Iliad|''Il.'']], Bk. II, l. 537.</ref> where it is mentioned in the same line as its rival [[Eretria]]. It is also documented that the ships set for the [[Trojan War]] gathered at Aulis, the south bank of the strait near the city. Chamber tombs at Trypa and Vromousa dated to the [[Mycenaean period]] were excavated by Papavasiliou in 1910. In the 8th and 7th centuries BC, colonists from Chalcis founded thirty townships on the peninsula of [[Chalcidice]] and several important cities in [[Magna Graecia]] and [[Sicily]], such as [[Naxos (Sicily)|Naxos]], [[Reggio Calabria|Rhegion]], [[Messina|Zankle]] and [[Cumae]]. Its mineral produces, metal-work, [[purple]], and pottery not only found markets among these settlements but were distributed over the [[Mediterranean]] in the ships of [[Corinth]] and [[Samos Island|Samos]].{{sfn|Chisholm|1911}} The development of the city led consequently to the increase of the population and finally to the colonization with the establishment of many important cities in the West, but also in the Greek area. The first recorded settlement in the West, which paved the way for the 2nd Greek colonization, is Pithecusae on the island of Ischia, in front of Naples, from Chalcidians and Eretrians around 770 BC. The etymology of the toponym "Pithikousa" comes from the pithos (pitharia) that the first settlers had with them to transport their products. Because of the first Chalcidian settlers, the Romans initially called all Greeks "Chalcidians", as they were the first Greeks they came into contact with.A few years later, the Chalcidian Antimnestos founds Rigio in 730-720 BC. and Crataimenis' fellow-citizen Zagli (later Messina) in 730 BC, thus wanting to control the sea strait between Sicily and Italy, just as the Metropolis of Chalkida controlled the Euboean gulfs. In the 8th century BC the increase in trade between the Chalkidian colonies in lower Italy and Sicily with the local populations resulted in the spread of the Chalkidic alphabet among the most ancient inhabitants of the peninsula. The Etruscans took this alphabet and appropriated it so that they too could express themselves in writing. Over the centuries the Romans renamed it 'Latin'.So today, at least eight letters of all Latin-derived languages are the same as their ancient Euboic counterparts. They are C, D, F, P, R, S and X (pronounced ks). The transmission of the Chalkidic alphabet to the west is the most important cultural contribution of ancient Chalkida to the world culture.

The [[Lelantine War]] was a war fought in the late 8th century BC. between the two powerful ancient states of Evia, Chalkida and Eretria, which at that time were at the height of their prosperity. This war was one of the first known major wars between ancient Greek cities and took pan-Hellenic dimensions as the warring Chalcidians and Eretrians allied themselves with other Greek cities.
As Herodotus mentions, the Samians allied with the Chalcidians, while the Milesians allied with the Eretrians. The Thessalians also allied with the Chalcidians, a fact mentioned by Plutarch. The historical sources provide evidence for only one battle of the war, undoubtedly the last, with the reference point being the death of the Thessalian Amphidamandas, who was praised by Hesiod. In this battle the help from the Thessalian cavalry resulted in victory for Chalkida, by which it acquired the best agricultural district of Euboea and became the chief city of the island. Late in the 6th century BC, its prosperity was broken by a disastrous war with the [[Athens|Athenians]], who expelled the ruling aristocracy and settled a [[cleruchy]] on the site. Chalcis subsequently became a member of both the [[Delian League]]s.{{sfn|Chisholm|1911}}

Chalkis has had a [[Romaniote Jews|Greco-Jewish]] presence since antiquity, which is sometimes claimed to have been continuous and to thus form Europe's oldest Jewish community,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kis.gr/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=39&Itemid=59|title=ΚΟΙΝΟΤΗΤΑ ΧΑΛΚΙΔΑΣ - ΙΣΤΟΡΙΚΟ|website=Kis.gr|access-date=13 January 2018}}</ref> although there is no evidence of it through the early Middle Ages.<ref>{{cite Jewish Encyclopedia |first=Gotthard |last=Deutsch |author-link=Gotthard Deutsch |first2=M. |last2=Caimi |title=Chalcis |url=https://archive.org/stream/jewishencyclopedia03sing#page/660/mode/2up |volume=3 |ref={{harvid|''JE''|1902}} |page=661}}</ref>

In the Hellenistic period, it gained importance as a fortress by which the [[Macedonia (ancient kingdom)|Macedonian]] rulers controlled central Greece. It was used by kings [[Antiochus III the Great|Antiochus III of Syria]] (192 BC) and [[Mithradates VI of Pontus]] (88 BC) as a base for invading Greece.{{sfn|Chisholm|1911}}  Characteristic is the fact that in 323 BC the Stagerite philosopher '''Aristotle''' comes to Chalkida to die the following year at his mother's house. Then during the Hellenistic era, settlers from Chalkida founded Chalkida in Syria, by order of Seleucus I, from which settlers founded another Chalkida in the Lebanon Valley, as well as another Chalkida in Arabia.

Under Roman rule, Chalcis retained a measure of commercial prosperity within the province of [[Achaea (Roman province)|Achaea]] (southern Greece).{{sfn|Chisholm|1911}}

=== Middle Ages and early Modern period ===
{{Further |Triarchy of Negroponte}}
[[File:Negroponte by Giacomo Franco.jpg|thumb|Venetian map of Chalcis (Negroponte) (1597).]]
[[File:Αγία Παρασκευή Χαλκίδα 2658.jpg|thumb|Church of [[Paraskevi of Rome|Saint Paraskevi]], patron saint of Chalkis]] 
[[File:Negroponte - Coronelli Vincenzo - 1687.jpg|thumb|left|Negroponte by [[Vincenzo Coronelli]], 1687]]
[[File:Κάστρο Καράμπαμπα 0039.jpg|thumb|The Ottoman fortress of Karababa]]
[[File:A church in Chalkida.JPG|thumb|St Nicholas church]]
It is recorded as a city in the 6th-century ''[[Synecdemus]]'' and mentioned by the contemporary historian [[Procopius of Caesarea]], who recorded that a movable bridge linked the two shores of the strait.<ref name="ODB">{{cite encyclopedia | last=Gregory | first=Timothy E. | title = Chalkis in Greece | editor-last=Kazhdan | editor-first=Alexander | editor-link=Alexander Kazhdan |year=1991 | encyclopedia =[[The Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium]] | publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-504652-6 | page=407}}</ref> In [[Byzantine]] times, Chalcis was usually called '''Euripos''', a name also applied to the entire island of Euboea, although the ancient name survived in administrative and ecclesiastical usage until the 9th century; alternatively, it is possible that the name was given anew to a settlement that was founded in the 9th century in the location of the ancient city, after the latter had been abandoned in the early Middle Ages.<ref name="ODB"/> The town survived an [[Siege of Euripos|Arab naval raid]] in the 880s and its bishop is attested in the [[Fourth Council of Constantinople (Roman Catholic)|869–70 Church council]] held at [[Constantinople]].<ref name="ODB"/>

By the 12th century, the town featured a [[Republic of Venice|Venetian]] trading station, being attacked by the Venetian fleet in 1171 and eventually seized by Venice in 1209, in the aftermath of the [[Fourth Crusade]].<ref name="ODB"/>

For Westerners, its common name was Negropont or Negroponte. This name comes indirectly from the Greek name of the [[Euripus Strait]]: the phrase στὸν Εὔριπον 'to Evripos', was [[rebracketing|rebracketed]] as στὸ Νεὔριπον 'to Nevripos', and became Negroponte in Italian by [[folk etymology]], the ''ponte'' 'bridge' being interpreted as the bridge of Chalcis<ref name="gibbon">Edward Gibbon, ''[[The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire]]'', J.B. Bury, ed., Methuen, 1898 [https://books.google.com/books?id=FeU7AQAAIAAJ&pg=PA390 p. '''6''':390], footnote 69</ref> to [[Boeotia]].

The town was a condominium between Venice and the [[Verona|Veronese]] barons of the rest of Euboea, known as the "[[triarchy of Negroponte|triarchs]]", who resided there. Chalcis or Negroponte became a [[Latin Church]] [[diocese]], see below. 
A large hoard of late medieval jewellery dating from Venetian times was found in Chalcis Castle in the nineteenth century and is now in the [[British Museum]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/term/x28835?id=x28835&page=4#page-top|title=Collection search: You searched for|website=British Museum|access-date=13 January 2018}}</ref> The synagogue dated to around 1400.{{sfnp|''JE''|1902}}

Negroponte played a significant role in the history of [[Frankokratia|Frankish Greece]], and was attacked by the [[Principality of Achaea]] in the [[War of the Euboeote Succession]] (1257/8), the [[Catalan Company]] in 1317, the Turks in 1350/1, until it was finally captured by the [[Ottoman Empire]] after a [[Siege of Negroponte (1470)|long siege]] in 1470.<ref name="ODB"/> That siege is the subject of the [[Rossini]] opera'' [[Maometto II]]''. The Ottomans made it the seat of the Admiral of the [[Eyalet of the Archipelago|Archipelago]] (the Aegean Islands). In 1688, it was [[Siege of Negroponte (1688)|successfully held]] by the Ottomans against a strong Venetian attack.<ref>[[Kevin Andrews (writer)|Kevin Andrews]], ''Castles of the Morea.'' Gennadeion Monographs 4. Princeton: ASCSA Publications 2006 [1953]. p. 185-6</ref>

===The modern town===
[[File:Νέα Αρτάκη Χαλκίδα Εύβοια - panoramio.jpg|thumb|The city hall]]
[[File:Court house chalkida.jpg|thumb|Courthouse]]

Chalkida became part of the newborn Greek state after the [[Greek War of Independence]]. The modern town received an impetus in its export trade from the establishment of railway connection with Athens and its port Piraeus in 1904. In the early 20th century it was composed of two parts—the old walled town at the bridge over the Euripus, where a number of [[Turkish people|Turkish]] families continued to live until the late 19th century, and a sizeable [[Romaniotes|Jewish community]] lived until World War II, and the more modern suburb that lies outside it, chiefly occupied by Greeks.{{sfn|Chisholm|1911}}

The old town, called the Castro (citadel), was surrounded by a full circuit of defense walls until they were completely razed for urban development around the start of the 20th century.<ref>Andrews, ''Castles of the Morea''. p. 191.</ref><ref>Spyros Kokkinis, "Ἱστορικὰ μνημεῖα καὶ λαϊκὴ ἀρχιτεκτονικὴ στὴν Χαλκίδα". ''Ἀρχεῖον Εὐβοϊκῶν Μελετῶν'',  15 (1969), 149—248.</ref>

The city is served by [[Chalcis railway station|a railway station]] and is the terminus for the [[Athens Suburban Railway]] to Athens.

There is a [[Holocaust memorial]] honoring the Jewish lives lost during World War II outside of the Chalkis Jewish cemetery.<ref>{{cite web |title=Central Jewish Council of Greece, coordinating body of the Jewish Communities of Greece |url=https://en.kis.gr/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3844:-2023&catid=99:2009-06-04-07-06-01&Itemid=76 |website=THE EVENT OF I.K. CHALKIDAS FOR HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL DAY 2023 |access-date=10 June 2024}}</ref>

== Ecclesiastical history ==
=== Greek bishopric ===
[[File:Saint Dimitrios Chankida 1.jpg|thumb|180px|Saint Dimitrios church]]

The Byzantine diocese of Chalkis was initially a [[suffragan]] of the [[Metropolis of Corinth|Archdiocese of Corinth]], but in the 9th century was transferred to the Metropolitan of Athens, remaining in the sway of the [[Patriarchate of Constantinople]]. It was also known as Euripo, like it is mentioned in the Byzantine imperial [[Notitia Episcopatuum]] since emperor [[Leo VI the Wise]] (886-912).

Several of its Greek bishops are recorded, but some are disputed :
* Constantinus, signed in 458 a letter by the bishops of Greece to [[Byzantine emperor]] [[Leo I the Thracian]] after the murder by Coptic mobs of patriarch [[Proterius of Alexandria]].
** Lequien list before him Anatolius (in 363), but he was probably bishop of [[Aleppo|Beroea]] in [[Syria Prima]] (now [[Aleppo]]). 
** next Lequien inserts, by benefit of doubt, Iohannes Damasceno, whom he also lists as bishop of [[Euroea in Phoenicia|Euroea (in Phoenicia) alias Evaria]], in [[Phoenicia]].
* Teodorus and Teofilattus, successive (?) bishops of Euripus, participated in the [[Fourth Council of Constantinople (Roman Catholic)|869–70 Church council]] held at [[Constantinople]].<ref name="ODB"/> viz. the Council of Constantinople of 879–880, both treating the fate of Patriarch [[Photios I of Constantinople]].

=== Latin crusader bishopric ===
At the establishment of the [[crusader state]] [[Lordship of Negroponte]], Chalcis or Negroponte (seat of the central one of its three 'triarchies' constituent baronies) became a [[Latin Church]] [[diocese]], the first bishop being Theodorus, the Greek bishop of the see, who entered [[communion (Christian)|communion]] with the [[Holy See|see of Rome]],<ref>Michel Lequien, [https://books.google.com/books?id=86weAemI-e4C ''Oriens christianus in quatuor Patriarchatus digestus''], Paris 1740, Vol. II, coll. 212-215</ref> installed by [[papal legate]].
 
On 8 February 1314, the Latin see was united ''[[in commendam]]'' (as an 'additional benefice') with the [[Latin Patriarch of Constantinople|Latin Patriarchate of Constantinople]], so that the exiled Patriarch, excluded from Constantinople itself since the [[Byzantine Empire|Byzantine]] reconquest of the city, could have actual jurisdiction on Greek soil and exercise a direct role as head of the Latin clergy in what remained of [[Latin Greece]].<ref>{{cite journal | last = Loenertz | first = R.-J. | title = Cardinale Morosini et Paul Paléologue Tagaris, patriarches, et Antoine Ballester, vicaire du Papae, dans le patriarcat de Constantinople (1332-34 et 1380-87) | journal =  Revue des études byzantines | volume = 24 | year = 1966 | pages =  224–256 | url = http://www.persee.fr/web/revues/home/prescript/article/rebyz_0766-5598_1966_num_24_1_1373 | doi = 10.3406/rebyz.1966.1373 | language = fr }}</ref>

== Main sights ==
The church of [[Paraskevi of Rome|Saint Paraskevi]] (the [[patron saint]] of [[Euboea|the island]]) was the church of the Dominican Priory of Negroponte, one of the first two houses authorized for the Order of Preachers' Province of Greece in 1249. Started about 1250, this is among the oldest examples of early Dominican architecture surviving, and is one of the only early Dominican churches to retain its original form until the present.<ref>Nikolaus Delinikolaos and Vasiliki Vemi, "Αγία Παρασκευή Χαλκίδας. Ένα βενετικό πρόγραμμα ανοικοδόμησης του 13ο αιώνα."  in Chryssa Maltezou and  Christina E. Papakosta eds., ''Venezia-Eubea, Da Egripos a Negroponte'', 2006, 229-266, at pages 248—49.</ref><ref>Pierre MacKay, "St. Mary of the Dominicans: The Monastery of the Fratres Praedicatores in Negropont." in Chryssa Maltezou and  Papakosta eds., ''Venezia-Eubea,'' 125-156.</ref> The central arch over the iconostasis and the ceiling and walls of the south chapel are the best examples of Italian Gothic stone-carving in Greece.<ref>[[Ramsay Traquair (architect)|Ramsay Traquair]], "Frankish Architecture in Greece," ''Journal of the Royal Institute of British Architects Third Series,'' 31, (1923—24) 42—48, fig. 13 ("Italian Gothic", p. 47).</ref> Images of the Dominican saints, Dominic and Peter Martyr, stand at the base of the central arch.<ref>The two first Dominican saints can just be made out at the base of the arch in a photograph in Beata Panagopoulos, ''Cistercian and Mendicant Monasteries in Mediaeval Greece.'' Chicago, 1979, plate 105, p. 133, but not with any detail.</ref> The north chapel holds the tomb of the founder of the senatorial Lippamano family of Venice.  Some of the column capitals are Byzantine.

===The bridges===
[[File:Bridge of Chalcis, Euboea (3).JPG|thumb|The Chalcis' Bridge connecting the island with the mainland of [[Greece]].]]

The town is now connected to mainland Greece by two bridges, the "Sliding Bridge" in the west at the narrowest point of the [[Euripus Strait]] and a suspension bridge.

The [[Euripus Strait]] which separates the city and the island from the mainland was bridged in 411 BC with a wooden bridge. In the time of [[Justinian]] the fixed bridge was replaced with a movable structure. The Turks replaced this once again with a fixed bridge. In 1856, a wooden swing bridge was built; in 1896, an iron swing bridge, and in 1962, the existing "sliding bridge"; the construction works of the 19th century destroyed the most part of the medieval castle built across the bridge. The [[Euripus Bridge]] or Chalcis Bridge, a cable-stayed suspension bridge opened in 1993, joins Chalcis to the mainland to the south.

A special tidal phenomenon takes place in the strait, as strong tidal currents reverse direction once every six hours, creating strong currents and maelstroms.<ref name=EuripusStraits>{{cite journal | url=http://articles.adsabs.harvard.edu/full/1929AN....236..321E | title=The problem of the tide of Euripus | author=Eginitis, D. | journal=Astronomische Nachrichten | year=1929 | volume=236 | pages=321–328|bibcode = 1929AN....236..321E | doi=10.1002/asna.19292361904 | issue=19–20 }} See also the commentary about this explanation in {{cite journal | title=Les marées de l'Euripe | author=Lagrange, E. | journal=Ciel et Terre (Bulletin of the Société Belge d'Astronomie) | year=1930 |language=fr | volume=46 | pages=66–69 | bibcode=1930C&T....46...66L}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.evia.gr/en/node/1250 | title=Evia Island | publisher=Evia.gr | work=Chalkis | access-date=29 June 2013}}</ref>

== Municipality ==
The municipality Chalcis was formed at the 2011 local government reform by the merger of Chalcis city itself with four former municipalities, which also became municipal units:<ref name=Kallikratis>{{Cite web|url=http://www.et.gr/idocs-nph/search/pdfViewerForm.html?args=5C7QrtC22wGYK2xFpSwMnXdtvSoClrL8-SrPzKAEPjjtIl9LGdkF53UIxsx942CdyqxSQYNuqAGCF0IfB9HI6hq6ZkZV96FIukI0UzcPsWCK0LpLhpa7rhiWB4R5ntTnoWw7U8E1Amg.|title=ΦΕΚ A 87/2010, Kallikratis reform law text|language=el|publisher=[[Government Gazette (Greece)|Government Gazette]]}}</ref>
* [[Anthidona]]
* [[Avlida]]
* [[Lilantia]]
* [[Nea Artaki]]

The municipality has an area of 424.766&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>, the municipal unit 30.804&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>.<ref name=stat01>{{cite web |url=http://dlib.statistics.gr/Book/GRESYE_02_0101_00098%20.pdf |publisher=National Statistical Service of Greece |title=Population & housing census 2001 (incl. area and average elevation) |language=el |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150921212047/http://dlib.statistics.gr/Book/GRESYE_02_0101_00098%20.pdf |archive-date=2015-09-21 }}</ref>

== Transportation ==
[[File:20091103-Chalkis.jpg|thumb|[[Chalcis railway station]]]]

*[[Greek National Road 44|GR-44]]
*[[Greek National Road 77|GR-77]]
*[[Greek National Road 1|GR-1]]/[[European route E75|E75]] is south and west about {{convert|10|km|0|abbr=on}} from Chalcis in [[Boeotia]].

In 2003, a bypass of Chalcis was opened from the southern part of the bridge to connect with GR-77, also with access to GR-44.

[[Chalcis railway station|Chalcis station]] is the northern terminus of the [[Oinoi–Chalcis railway]], and is served by Line 3 of the [[Athens Suburban Railway]].

== Historical population ==
{| class=wikitable
! Year !! Town population !! Municipality population
|-
| 1981 || 44,847 || -
|-
| 1991 || 51,646 || -
|-
| 2001 || 53,584 || -
|-
| 2011 || 59,125 || 102,223
|-
| 2021 || 64,490 || 109,256
|}

==Notable residents==
[[File:Aristoteles Statue.jpg|thumb|180px|Bust of philosopher [[Aristotle]], from [[Chalcidice]], ''apoikía'' of Chalkis.]]
[[File:Frizis Chalkida 1.jpg|thumb|180px|A statue of [[Mordechai Frizis]]]]
[[File:Skalkottas.png|thumb|140px|[[Nikos Skalkottas]]]]

* [[Aristotle]] (384–322 BC, ancient philosopher, lived in Chalcis the last year of his life (323–322 BC))
* [[Giovanni Maria Angiolello]] from Vicenza, Italy, 15th century.
* Yiannis Anastasopoulos (1931–present), author
* [[Eva Asderaki]] Professional Tennis Umpire, first woman to umpire the [[US Open (tennis)|US Open tennis]] final
* [[Sotiria Bellou]] (1921–1997), singer
* [[Angelos Basinas]] (1976–present), professional footballer
* [[Nikolaos Christodoulou]], military officer
* [[Mordehai Frizis]] (1893–1940), military officer
* [[Dimitrios Katheniotis]], military officer
* [[Nikolaos Kalogeropoulos]], PM of Greece
* [[Konstantinos Kallias]] (1901–2004), politician
* [[Orestis Makris]] (1898–1975), actor and tenor
* [[Dimitris Mytaras]] (1934–2017), painter
* [[Georgios Papanikolaou]] (1883–1962), physician, [[Pap smear]] test founder
* [[Nikos Skalkottas]] (1901–1949), composer
* [[Giannis Skarimpas]] ([[Agia Efthymia]], 1893–1984), author
* [[Telémachos Alexiou]], Greek-German filmmaker and visual artist
* [[Georgios Papachatzis]] (1905–1991), jurist

== Sports teams ==
Chalcis also has a [[water polo]] team named [[NC Chalkida]], a football (soccer) team named [[Chalkida F.C.]], as well as a junior football team named [[Evoikos]] Chalkida.

The Chalkida football team merged with Lilas Vasilikou for a period of two years (2004–2006). The team was finally dissolved because of financial difficulties. Although there was a team created with the same name (AOX) it does not represent the glorious team of the past.

Chalcis also has a basketball team ([[Chalkida BC|AGEX]]), which previously played in the [[A2 Ethniki|Greek A2 Basketball League]]. For a while, Chalkida hosts the basketball team [[Ikaros Chalkidas BC|Ikaros Chalkidas]] that played in the top [[Greek Basket League]].

{|class="wikitable"
|+Sport clubs based in Chalkida
|-
!width="150"|Club
!Founded
!Sports
!Achievements
|-
|[[NO Chalkida]]||1933||[[Water Polo]]||Earlier presence in A1 Ethniki
|-
|[[Chalkida F.C.]] ||1967 ||[[Association football|Football]] ||Earlier presence in A Ethniki
|-
|[[AGE Chalkida BC]]||1976||[[Basketball]] ||Earlier presence in A2 Ethniki
|}

== Twin towns ==
{{See also|List of twin towns and sister cities in Greece}}
Chalcis is [[Twin towns and sister cities|twinned]] with:

*{{flagicon|PRC}} [[Wuhan]]

== Geography ==

=== Climate ===

Chalcis has a [[mediterranean climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification]]: ''Csa''), closely bordering a [[semi-arid]] climate with hot, dry summers and mild, rainy winters.

{{Weather box
|width = auto
|location= Chalcis
|metric first= Yes
|single line= Yes

|Jan high C= 12.9
|Feb high C= 13.6
|Mar high C= 16.0
|Apr high C= 20.3
|May high C= 25.3
|Jun high C= 29.8
|Jul high C= 32.6
|Aug high C= 32.3
|Sep high C= 28.9
|Oct high C= 23.1
|Nov high C= 18.6
|Dec high C= 14.7
|year high C= 22.3

|Jan mean C = 9.3
|Feb mean C = 9.8
|Mar mean C = 11.7
|Apr mean C = 15.5
|May mean C = 20.2
|Jun mean C = 24.6
|Jul mean C = 27.0
|Aug mean C = 26.6
|Sep mean C = 23.3
|Oct mean C = 18.3
|Nov mean C = 14.4
|Dec mean C = 11.1
|year mean C= 17.7

|Jan low C= 6.5
|Feb low C= 6.9
|Mar low C= 8.4
|Apr low C= 11.6
|May low C= 15.4
|Jun low C= 20.1
|Jul low C= 22.5
|Aug low C= 22.3
|Sep low C= 19.2
|Oct low C= 14.9
|Nov low C= 11.4
|Dec low C= 8.3
|year low C= 14.0
 
|rain colour = green
|Jan rain mm = 44.6
|Feb rain mm = 48.3
|Mar rain mm = 42.6
|Apr rain mm = 28.2
|May rain mm = 17.2 
|Jun rain mm = 9.7
|Jul rain mm = 4.2
|Aug rain mm = 4.6
|Sep rain mm = 11.9
|Oct rain mm = 47.7
|Nov rain mm = 50.6
|Dec rain mm = 66.6

| Jan humidity    =72
| Feb humidity    =71
| Mar humidity    =68
| Apr humidity    =62
| May humidity    =58
| Jun humidity    =52
| Jul humidity    =48
| Aug humidity    =49
| Sep humidity    =56
| Oct humidity    =66
| Nov humidity    =73
| Dec humidity    =73

| Jan sun  =137.9
| Feb sun  =144.5
| Mar sun  =187.5
| Apr sun  =238.9
| May sun  =303.3
| Jun sun  =341.2
| Jul sun  =373.7
| Aug sun  =356.5
| Sep sun  =283.4
| Oct sun  =218.5
| Nov sun  =164.3
| Dec sun  =136.4

|source 1= www.yr.no <ref>{{cite web
|url= http://www.yr.no/place/Greece/Central_Greece/Chalcis/statistics.html
|title= Weather statistics for Chalcis, Central Greece (Greece)
|website= Yr.no
|access-date= 23 March 2015
|archive-date= 2 April 2015
|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150402141107/http://www.yr.no/place/Greece/Central_Greece/Chalcis/statistics.html
|url-status= dead
}}</ref>
|source 2= www.weather.gr <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.weather.gr/en/climate.aspx?s=16714&p=69|title=ATHENS (NAT.OBS.) Climate|website=Weather.gr|access-date=13 January 2018}}</ref>
}}

==See also==
* [[List of Catholic dioceses in Greece]]
* [[Licodia Eubea]], Catania, Sicily Italy - The name ''Eubea'' was given to the place in 1872, to identify with Chalcis, because it is believed to be the colony of [[Leontini]].

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Sources and external links==
{{Commons category|Municipality of Chalkida}}
* {{cite EB9 |mode=cs2 |ref=none|wstitle=Eubœia |volume=8 |pages=647–649|short=x}}
* {{EB1911 |wstitle=Chalcis |volume=5 |page=804 |short=x}}
* [http://www.gcatholic.org/dioceses/former/t0372.htm GCatholic - (former and titular) Latin see]
* [https://www.flickr.com/groups/chalkis-evoia Photos from Chalcis, Evoia]
* [http://www.losttrails.com/pages/Hproject/Chalkis/Chalkis.html Herodotus Project: B+W photo essay of ancient Chalcis]
; Bibliography - ecclesiastical history
* Pius Bonifacius Gams, ''Series episcoporum Ecclesiae Catholicae'', Leipzig 1931, pp.&nbsp;430–431
* Michel Lequien, ''Oriens christianus in quatuor Patriarchatus digestus'', Paris 1740, Vol. II, coll. 212-215
* Gaetano Moroni, ''Dizionario di erudizione storico-ecclesiastica'', vol. 47, pp.&nbsp;262–263
* Konrad Eubel, Hierarchia Catholica Medii Aevi, vol. 1, p.&nbsp;367; vol. 2, p.&nbsp;203; vol. 3, p.&nbsp;259
* Raymond Janin, v. 2. 'Chalcis', in ''Dictionnaire d'Histoire et de Géographie ecclésiastiques'', vol. XII, Paris 1953, coll. 278-279

{{Geographic location 
|Centre =  Chalcis (municipal unit)
|North =    ''[[North Euboean Gulf]]''
|Northeast =  [[Nea Artaki]]
|East =      [[Lilantia]]
|Southeast = 
|South =     ''[[South Euboean Gulf]]''
|Southwest = [[Avlida]]
|West =    [[Anthidona]]
|Northwest = 
}}

{{Kallikratis-Central Greece}}
{{Chalcis div}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Chalcis| ]]
[[Category:Ancient Euboea]]
[[Category:Cities in ancient Greece]]
[[Category:Greek prefectural capitals]]
[[Category:Mediterranean port cities and towns in Greece]]
[[Category:Populated places in Euboea]]
[[Category:Members of the Delian League]]
[[Category:Ancient Greek cities]]
[[Category:Populated places in ancient Euboea]]
[[Category:Greek city-states]]