Veria is a city in Greece. It is build in the eastern slopes of the Vermion mountain. The city is a rich, lively town and is a fairly large town. Veria constitutes an important cross road connecting the region of Eastern Macedonia with the region of Western Macedoni.
Television arrived in the 1970s and the 1980s for the rural area.
It is mainly based on agriculture and trading. The main exported goods being fresh and preserved agricultural products, threads and cotton. Many of the goods exported through Veria come from other regions of Greece. It is complemented by Tripotamos, an estuary of Aliakmon, which traverses it and divides it into two.
Still visible today in Veria, is part of the Roman road the Egnatia Way. Veria is known for its Revani dessert.
Veria is renowned for its fruits and vegetables abundant with almond, peach, kiwi and pear orchards. The jam Naousa is the main and famous production of agriculture and jams here.
Veria has one of the largest and most complete public libraries in Greece. Originally a small single-room library with limited funds and material, it exploded into a four-stories building offering multimedia, special and rare editions. The Library belongs to the Hellenic Ministry of Education and Religious affairs. Veria Central Public Library has today more than 21.000 active members.
The area experiences cold wet winters and hot dry summers. Towns like Veria are ski resorts and have been for many years, and guarantee snow for many months during the year. It is one of the largest ski centres in Greece.
There are more than 50 Byzantine and post-Byzantine churches with interesting frescoes Some of the churches date back to the 11th century, making Veria an important centre of Byzantine ecclesiastic architecture. Many of the churches contain wonderful wall paintings. The bema of St. Paul, was where Paul stood and preached the gospel to the people of Veria, as well as the beautiful white marble monument built in honour of St. Paul.
Not far from Veria lies the village of Kastanies, which is usually snowed-in during the winter. This is the site of the monastery of the Panagia Soumela, founded by refugees from the Pontos. The Monastery of Soumela, which had been founded in the 4th century by a Pontian Monk Christopher of Trepizond, During the First World War the Monastery was destroyed. The monastery had the famous icon of Panagia brought from the monastery of Our Lady of Mount Melas, in the mountains of Trapezounta district.