Komnina (Kozani), Greece
Encyclopedia
Komnina is a town in the Kozani peripheral unit, West Macedonia
, Greece
. It was the seat of the municipality of Vermio. As of 2001, it had a population of 1120 permanent residents. The town's altitude is 688 meters (2260 feet) above sea level
.
In the square of the village exists a splendid park with the Monument of the Fallen and the Municipal School.
The vast majority of the population is Pontian. The predominant language of the area is the Pontian language, a dialect of ancient Greek
that was spoken in Pontus
. Between the 1950s and 1990s about half of the population emigrated abroad, mostly to Germany
, Australia
, and the United States
.
The name Komnina refers to the residents, who are considered descendants of Emperor Komninos of Trapezounta (Trabzon). Previously, Komnina was referred to as Paleohori in the Byzantine era, before it was destroyed after the conquest of region
by the Ottoman Turks
. During the Ottoman rule, Komnina was known as Utsena or Üçane, from the Turkish
words üç(three) and ane(mother).
times and a marble bas-relief, in which is pictured a feminine form with tunic
, helmet, spear and shield.
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....
. It was the seat of the municipality of Vermio. As of 2001, it had a population of 1120 permanent residents. The town's altitude is 688 meters (2260 feet) above sea level
Sea level
Mean sea level is a measure of the average height of the ocean's surface ; used as a standard in reckoning land elevation...
.
In the square of the village exists a splendid park with the Monument of the Fallen and the Municipal School.
The vast majority of the population is Pontian. The predominant language of the area is the Pontian language, a dialect of ancient Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
that was spoken in Pontus
Pontus
Pontus or Pontos is a historical Greek designation for a region on the southern coast of the Black Sea, located in modern-day northeastern Turkey. The name was applied to the coastal region in antiquity by the Greeks who colonized the area, and derived from the Greek name of the Black Sea: Πόντος...
. Between the 1950s and 1990s about half of the population emigrated abroad, mostly to Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
The name Komnina refers to the residents, who are considered descendants of Emperor Komninos of Trapezounta (Trabzon). Previously, Komnina was referred to as Paleohori in the Byzantine era, before it was destroyed after the conquest of region
Macedonia (region)
Macedonia is a geographical and historical region of the Balkan peninsula in southeastern Europe. Its boundaries have changed considerably over time, but nowadays the region is considered to include parts of five Balkan countries: Greece, the Republic of Macedonia, Bulgaria, Albania, Serbia, as...
by the Ottoman Turks
Ottoman Turks
The Ottoman Turks were the Turkish-speaking population of the Ottoman Empire who formed the base of the state's military and ruling classes. Reliable information about the early history of Ottoman Turks is scarce, but they take their Turkish name, Osmanlı , from the house of Osman I The Ottoman...
. During the Ottoman rule, Komnina was known as Utsena or Üçane, from the Turkish
Turkish language
Turkish is a language spoken as a native language by over 83 million people worldwide, making it the most commonly spoken of the Turkic languages. Its speakers are located predominantly in Turkey and Northern Cyprus with smaller groups in Iraq, Greece, Bulgaria, the Republic of Macedonia, Kosovo,...
words üç(three) and ane(mother).
Archeological sites
In the top of the mountain Mavro Pouli is a small cave, called the Crypt of Kara-Ali'. Traces of the walls of two fortresses and settlements exist in the vicinity of Komninos. The first is the hill DELTA and the second is Ovon (Pontian for egg). Their existence is testified to by objects such as shells of vessels, copper coins, the base of a pillar, various marbles from buildings, two rings made of glass, a small cupbearer from ByzantineByzantine
Byzantine usually refers to the Roman Empire during the Middle Ages.Byzantine may also refer to:* A citizen of the Byzantine Empire, or native Greek during the Middle Ages...
times and a marble bas-relief, in which is pictured a feminine form with tunic
Tunic
A tunic is any of several types of clothing for the body, of various lengths reaching from the shoulders to somewhere between the hips and the ankles...
, helmet, spear and shield.