Granitsa
Encyclopedia
Granitsa is a mountain village in the Evrytania
prefecture located at 850 meters of altitude. It is built into the forested downhill regions of Mount Liakoura next to the Granitsiotis River
. It also offers views of the Granitsiotis valley and the mountain. Granitsa was the seat of the municipality of Aperantia
. The village preserves its old appearance and it is 82 kilometers northwest from Karpenisi
. It is the birthplace of artists such as Stefanos Granitsas
, Demosthenis Goulas, and Michael Stafylas
. It is also the home of Michael Mavroudis
, who became a martyr after he was killed in 1544. Granitsa had seventeen churches, most of which were destroyed during Ottoman
rule. It is worth visiting the Folklore Museum which contains popular art such as woven objects, carved wooden objects, rural cattle-raising tools, a loom, local clothes and weapons from the Greek Revolution of 1821. The museum also contains portraits and personal belongings of individuals such as Zacharias Papantoniou
and Stefanos Granitsas, paintings of the popular local painters Christos Kagaras
and Lefteris Theodorou
and the personal book collection of Zacharias Papantoniou. Other notable sights are the remaining nine churches of the village. They were built in different time periods.
Houses were stone-built until the 1950s and did not surpass modern-style homes until the 1980s. They were linked with pavement in the 1980s. Most of the homes are abandoned today.
After World War II
and the Greek Civil War
, much of the population left for larger towns and cities. The population declined between the 1981 and the 1991 census but nearly doubled between the 1991 and the 2001 censuses.
Evrytania
Evrytania is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the region of Central Greece. Its capital is Karpenisi .-Geography:...
prefecture located at 850 meters of altitude. It is built into the forested downhill regions of Mount Liakoura next to the Granitsiotis River
Granitsiotis River
Granitsiotis River is a river in the northwestern Evrytania prefecture, tributary of the Acheloos. It flows through the village Granitsa....
. It also offers views of the Granitsiotis valley and the mountain. Granitsa was the seat of the municipality of Aperantia
Aperantia
Aperantia is a former municipality in Evrytania, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Agrafa, of which it is a municipal unit. Population 3,213 . The seat of the municipality was in Granitsa. Ancient Aperantia was a small region of Thessaly, south of...
. The village preserves its old appearance and it is 82 kilometers northwest from Karpenisi
Karpenisi
Karpenisi is a town in central Greece. It is the capital of the peripheral unit of Evrytania. The area around Karpenisi is mountainous while farmlands are mainly in valley areas....
. It is the birthplace of artists such as Stefanos Granitsas
Stefanos Granitsas
Stefanos Granitsas was born in the village of Granitsa in 1880 and died in Athens in 1915. He was a writer and a journalist. His work was historical, about folklore, literary, sociology, and theatre....
, Demosthenis Goulas, and Michael Stafylas
Michael Stafylas
Michalis Stafylas was born in Granitsa, Evrytania in Greece in 1920. He has published biographical and critical work about 50 modern Greek writers, essays, novels, anthologies of stories, poetry anthologies and a theatrical play. His work has been translated into many languages.-External links:*...
. It is also the home of Michael Mavroudis
Michael Mavroudis
Michael Mavroudis was a martyr from Granitsa, who died in 1544.-External links:*...
, who became a martyr after he was killed in 1544. Granitsa had seventeen churches, most of which were destroyed during Ottoman
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
rule. It is worth visiting the Folklore Museum which contains popular art such as woven objects, carved wooden objects, rural cattle-raising tools, a loom, local clothes and weapons from the Greek Revolution of 1821. The museum also contains portraits and personal belongings of individuals such as Zacharias Papantoniou
Zacharias Papantoniou
Zacharias Papantoniou was born in Karpenissi of Evrytania in February 1877 and died in Athens in 1940. He spent the first years of his life in Granitsa, where his father was a teacher. Apart from a writer, he was also a journalist. Papantoniou's work was basically the first to promote Evrytania...
and Stefanos Granitsas, paintings of the popular local painters Christos Kagaras
Christos Kagaras
Christos Kagaras He was born in Granitsa of Evrytania in 1918. He drew landscapes, topics relevant to nature and sacred pictures. Artists, intellectual people, newspapers and magazines have expressed their enthusiasm about his work.-References:...
and Lefteris Theodorou
Lefteris Theodorou
Lefteris Theodorou is a Greek painter.He was born in Granitsa in 1945 where he lives and has a remarkable "Museum - Laboratory". He is a genuine local painter and wood carver. He draws, apart from beautiful landscapes and everyday scenes, topics such as saint pictures, portraits, naked people and...
and the personal book collection of Zacharias Papantoniou. Other notable sights are the remaining nine churches of the village. They were built in different time periods.
Subdivisions
- Ano Potamia
- Armampela
- Kato Potamia
- Soufla
- Managkaria
- Gerokosta
- Pyramida
Information
The main local products are fruits including watermelon, melon, figs and vegetables such as corn, tomatoes, potatoes, onions and cucumbers as well as dairy, livestock, olives and others. The majority of the population work in businesses as well as agriculture.Houses were stone-built until the 1950s and did not surpass modern-style homes until the 1980s. They were linked with pavement in the 1980s. Most of the homes are abandoned today.
After World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and the Greek Civil War
Greek Civil War
The Greek Civil War was fought from 1946 to 1949 between the Greek governmental army, backed by the United Kingdom and United States, and the Democratic Army of Greece , the military branch of the Greek Communist Party , backed by Bulgaria, Yugoslavia and Albania...
, much of the population left for larger towns and cities. The population declined between the 1981 and the 1991 census but nearly doubled between the 1991 and the 2001 censuses.
Population
| Year | Village population | Municipal district population |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 601 | - |
| 1991 | 360 | - |
| 2001 | 474 | 808 |