Kato Kleines
Encyclopedia
Kato Kleines is a village and a former municipality
in Florina peripheral unit, West Macedonia
, Greece
. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Florina
, of which it is a municipal unit. It is 7 km north of the city of Florina
. The population was 3,963 in 2001.
The village was first mentioned in an Ottoman defter
of 1468, where it is listed under the name of Kleshtino and described as having ninety-seven households. In 1481, the village possessed two hundred and thirteen households, a church, mills, and a kiln. The Turkish documents suggest a prosperous place, noting the production of vines, walnuts, onions, garlic, cabbage, peas, flax, honey, pigs, and silkworms
.
In 1845 the Russian slavist Victor Grigorovich recorded Kleshtina as mainly Bulgarian
village. Johann Georg von Hahn
in his map from 1861 marked the village as Bulgarian, too. Besides Slav-speaking population there were 150 Albanians
in Kato Kleines in the end of 19th century.
After Greco-Turkish War (1919–1922) and Population exchange between Greece and Turkey
a number of Pontic Greeks
were settled in the village of Kato Kleines and in some other villages in the minucipality - Kato Kaliniki, Poliplatano, Mesokambos and in the new-founded Neos Kavkasos.
Communities and Municipalities of Greece
For the new municipalities of Greece see the Kallikratis ProgrammeThe municipalities and communities of Greece are one of several levels of government within the organizational structure of that country. Thirteen regions called peripheries form the largest unit of government beneath the State. ...
in Florina peripheral unit, West Macedonia
West Macedonia
West Macedonia is one of the thirteen regions of Greece, consisting of the western part of Greek Macedonia. It is divided into the regional units of Florina, Grevena, Kastoria, and Kozani.-Geography:...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Florina
Florina
Florina is a town and municipality in mountainous northwestern Macedonia, Greece. Its motto is, 'Where Greece begins'. It is also the Metropolitan seat for the region. It lies in the central part of Florina peripheral unit, of which it is the capital. Florina belongs to the periphery of West...
, of which it is a municipal unit. It is 7 km north of the city of Florina
Florina
Florina is a town and municipality in mountainous northwestern Macedonia, Greece. Its motto is, 'Where Greece begins'. It is also the Metropolitan seat for the region. It lies in the central part of Florina peripheral unit, of which it is the capital. Florina belongs to the periphery of West...
. The population was 3,963 in 2001.
History
Defter
A Defter was a type of tax register in the Ottoman Empire. The information collected could vary, but tahrir defterleri typically included details of villages, dwellings, household heads , ethnicity/religion , and land use.The defter-i hakâni was a land registry, also used for tax...
of 1468, where it is listed under the name of Kleshtino and described as having ninety-seven households. In 1481, the village possessed two hundred and thirteen households, a church, mills, and a kiln. The Turkish documents suggest a prosperous place, noting the production of vines, walnuts, onions, garlic, cabbage, peas, flax, honey, pigs, and silkworms
Sericulture
Sericulture, or silk farming, is the rearing of silkworms for the production of raw silk.Although there are several commercial species of silkworms, Bombyx mori is the most widely used and intensively studied. According to Confucian texts, the discovery of silk production by B...
.
In 1845 the Russian slavist Victor Grigorovich recorded Kleshtina as mainly Bulgarian
Bulgarians
The Bulgarians are a South Slavic nation and ethnic group native to Bulgaria and neighbouring regions. Emigration has resulted in immigrant communities in a number of other countries.-History and ethnogenesis:...
village. Johann Georg von Hahn
Johann Georg von Hahn
Johann Georg von Hahn was an Austrian diplomat, philologist and specialist in Albanian history, language and culture....
in his map from 1861 marked the village as Bulgarian, too. Besides Slav-speaking population there were 150 Albanians
Albanians
Albanians are a nation and ethnic group native to Albania and neighbouring countries. They speak the Albanian language. More than half of all Albanians live in Albania and Kosovo...
in Kato Kleines in the end of 19th century.
After Greco-Turkish War (1919–1922) and Population exchange between Greece and Turkey
Population exchange between Greece and Turkey
The 1923 population exchange between Greece and Turkey was based upon religious identity, and involved the Greek Orthodox citizens of Turkey and the Muslim citizens of Greece...
a number of Pontic Greeks
Pontic Greeks
The Pontians are an ethnic group traditionally living in the Pontus region, the shores of Turkey's Black Sea...
were settled in the village of Kato Kleines and in some other villages in the minucipality - Kato Kaliniki, Poliplatano, Mesokambos and in the new-founded Neos Kavkasos.