Ravenia
Encyclopedia
Ravenia is a village of Epirus
, Greece
located 26 km south of Ioannina
at an altitude of 844 m. It belongs to the county of Dodoni.
It belongs to a group of villages called Katsaounochoria or Katsaounohoria (Κατσαουνοχώρια).
, the population moved from the location Langada Eklissias (Λαγκάδα Εκκλησίας) and resettled to the area of Bogdora (Μπογδορά).
According to oral tradition, the resettlement was made due to geological changes. After an earthquake the mountain water springs ceased as the water found other subterranean paths towards the Arachthos
river.
During the beginning of the Turkish period
, the settlement was moved to its current location next to the monastery of 'Koimisis tis Theotokou' and one of the incentives for the relocation must have been the nearby mountain water spring. The monastery drew the Christian population of the surrounding area and thrived between the 15th-18th centuries.
During the sixteenth century a large proportion of the male population emigrated to Moldovlachia, Moldova and Valachia, for economic reasons and had left their families in Ravenia. Due to some tragic incident between the Muslim Albanian insurgents and the families left behind, the men returned and took their families with them. Their destination is unknown today. According to oral tradition eighty seles left. Sela means saddle and one family was represented by one saddle.
The first primary school was built in 1901 with the help of a local educated man. Georgios Gkazianis had studied in Constantinople
. Gkazianis raised money amongst the Greek population of Ioannina and Istanbul.
The village was burnt down by the Turks during the Balkan Wars
in 1910. The residents fled south to Filippiada
which was already in the hands of the Greek Army. The Greek Army set camp for a short period of time in Ravenia and fought some skirmishes against the Turks in the surrounding rugged mountainous area before it moved ahead for the last battle in Bizani
and the siege of Ioannina. Ravenia became part of Greece in 1911.
In 1943 the village was burnt down by the Italian occupation forces of Mussolini and the inhabitants had to flee one more time to the peaks of Mount Xerovouni and neighbouring villages where they had family ties.
After World War II
and the Greek Civil War
, the school was reopened and remained open until 1982. The population decreased as the younger inhabitants left for a better life in the near by town of Ioannina, Athens and abroad. Ravenia was connected to the national grid in 1964 and the town water system in 1967. The entire water system was renovated in 2010. The dirt track connecting the village to the National road was sealed with asphalt in 1987.
The majority of the old houses have been renovated as holiday/weekend homes.
Due to lack of farm animals the surrounding mountainous terrain which used to be pastures for sheep and cattle has now been reforested partly by the Greek Forestry Commission and partly naturally. Since 1995 we have witnessed the return of wild animals that had disappeared from the area such as the wild boar, the wolf, the dear and the black squirrel.
Despite the lack of organised footpaths, Ravenia and the surrounding area offer a variety of gentle mountain walks and it is an excellent mountain bicycle terrain.
Epirus (periphery)
Epirus , formally the Epirus Region , is a geographical and administrative region in northwestern Greece. It borders the regions of West Macedonia and Thessaly to the east, West Greece to the south, the Ionian Sea and the Ionian Islands to the west and the country of Albania to the north. The...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
located 26 km south of Ioannina
Ioannina
Ioannina , often called Jannena within Greece, is the largest city of Epirus, north-western Greece, with a population of 70,203 . It lies at an elevation of approximately 500 meters above sea level, on the western shore of lake Pamvotis . It is located within the Ioannina municipality, and is the...
at an altitude of 844 m. It belongs to the county of Dodoni.
It belongs to a group of villages called Katsaounochoria or Katsaounohoria (Κατσαουνοχώρια).
Population
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1981 | 174 |
| 1991 | 135 |
| 2001 | 107 |
History
The settlement changed location twice. During the Byzantine EraByzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
, the population moved from the location Langada Eklissias (Λαγκάδα Εκκλησίας) and resettled to the area of Bogdora (Μπογδορά).
According to oral tradition, the resettlement was made due to geological changes. After an earthquake the mountain water springs ceased as the water found other subterranean paths towards the Arachthos
Arachthos
Arachthos is a former municipality in the Arta peripheral unit, Epirus, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Nikolaos Skoufas, of which it is a municipal unit. It is situated along the lower course of the river Arachthos, south of Arta.Population 6,011...
river.
During the beginning of the Turkish period
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...
, the settlement was moved to its current location next to the monastery of 'Koimisis tis Theotokou' and one of the incentives for the relocation must have been the nearby mountain water spring. The monastery drew the Christian population of the surrounding area and thrived between the 15th-18th centuries.
During the sixteenth century a large proportion of the male population emigrated to Moldovlachia, Moldova and Valachia, for economic reasons and had left their families in Ravenia. Due to some tragic incident between the Muslim Albanian insurgents and the families left behind, the men returned and took their families with them. Their destination is unknown today. According to oral tradition eighty seles left. Sela means saddle and one family was represented by one saddle.
The first primary school was built in 1901 with the help of a local educated man. Georgios Gkazianis had studied in Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
. Gkazianis raised money amongst the Greek population of Ioannina and Istanbul.
The village was burnt down by the Turks during the Balkan Wars
Balkan Wars
The Balkan Wars were two conflicts that took place in the Balkans in south-eastern Europe in 1912 and 1913.By the early 20th century, Montenegro, Bulgaria, Greece and Serbia, the countries of the Balkan League, had achieved their independence from the Ottoman Empire, but large parts of their ethnic...
in 1910. The residents fled south to Filippiada
Filippiada
Filippiada is a small town and a former municipality in the Preveza peripheral unit, Epirus, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Ziros, of which it is a municipal unit. Population 8,429 . Filippiada is divided into smaller regions entailing Old Filippiada,...
which was already in the hands of the Greek Army. The Greek Army set camp for a short period of time in Ravenia and fought some skirmishes against the Turks in the surrounding rugged mountainous area before it moved ahead for the last battle in Bizani
Bizani
Bizani is a village and a former municipality in the Ioannina peripheral unit, Epirus, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Ioannina, of which it is a municipal unit. Its 2001 municipal population was 4,241...
and the siege of Ioannina. Ravenia became part of Greece in 1911.
In 1943 the village was burnt down by the Italian occupation forces of Mussolini and the inhabitants had to flee one more time to the peaks of Mount Xerovouni and neighbouring villages where they had family ties.
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...
, the school was reopened and remained open until 1982. The population decreased as the younger inhabitants left for a better life in the near by town of Ioannina, Athens and abroad. Ravenia was connected to the national grid in 1964 and the town water system in 1967. The entire water system was renovated in 2010. The dirt track connecting the village to the National road was sealed with asphalt in 1987.
Ravenia today
Five families of retired people remain today in Ravenia.The majority of the old houses have been renovated as holiday/weekend homes.
Due to lack of farm animals the surrounding mountainous terrain which used to be pastures for sheep and cattle has now been reforested partly by the Greek Forestry Commission and partly naturally. Since 1995 we have witnessed the return of wild animals that had disappeared from the area such as the wild boar, the wolf, the dear and the black squirrel.
Despite the lack of organised footpaths, Ravenia and the surrounding area offer a variety of gentle mountain walks and it is an excellent mountain bicycle terrain.