Pyrgos, Ileia in the 19th century

After the Greek War of Independence in 1821, Pyrgos was designated the capital of the Ileia Province. The population had significantly decreased compared to the pre-revolutionary years, and many of the city's houses were in ruins. As part of the city's revitalization, the town's leaders requested an architect be sent in 1830 to design its urban planning, as well as a breakwater at the port of Katakolo. To connect Pyrgos with the port of Katakolo, the country's second railway line was constructed on September 22, 1878. The Pyrgos-Katakolo railway line was the first railway line in Greece outside of Athens and Attica and also the first municipal railway in the country. The construction process began during the mayoralty of Petros Avgerinos, and the engineering work was overseen by Al Strayt. These projects, along with the cultivation of currants, which grew particularly in Western Greece, and primarily in Ileia and Achaea, brought significant development to the city of Pyrgos during the 19th century. Pictured: View of the main commercial street of Pyrgos in 1896. ©Municipal Photography Museum of Kalamaria ‘Christos Kalemkeris’.