Zagori
Encyclopedia
Zagori is a region and a municipality in the Pindus
mountains in Epirus
, in northwestern Greece
. The seat of the municipality is the village Asprangeloi. It has an area of some 1,000 square kilometres and contains 45 villages known as Zagoria (or Zagorochoria or Zagorohoria), and is in the shape of an upturned equilateral triangle. The southern corner of the triangle contains the provincial capital, Ioannina
, the south-western side is formed by Mount Mitsikeli
(1,810m), and the Aoos river and Mount Tymfi
constitute the northern side, and the south-eastern side runs along the Varda river to Mount Mavrovouni (2,100m) near Metsovo
. The population of the area is about 6,000, which gives a population density of 6 inhabitants per square kilometre, compared to an average of 73.8 for Greece as a whole.
. The 45 or so villages of Zagori were interconnected by mountain roads and traditional arched stone bridges until modern roads were opened in the 1950s. The stone arched bridges were built by benefactions from expatriate merchants in the 18th century and replaced older wooden bridges.
The region has been historically difficult to access due to its mountainous terrain; this contributed to its security and stability rather than being a disadvantage. The Sarakatsani
people who can be found in this area use several Greek words of a Northern Greek
dialect not commonly found in Greek elsewhere. They are consequently considered by some as indigenous to the area.
artifacts have been unearthed from Kleidi Cave
on the banks of the Voidomatis. In antiquity, the region of Zagori was inhabited by the Tymphaeans and formed a part of the ancient kingdom of the Molossians
, a Greek
tribe of Epirus
that gained control over all of Epirus in classical times. They were known for a breed of huge war-mastiffs they used in military operations. Molossus
, their eponymous ancestor, was said to have been born of a union between Neoptolemus
(son of Achilles
) and Andromache
(the wife of Hector
of Troy
). Neoptolemus, also called Pyrrhus for his blond hair, was first in a line of Epirotan kings leading to the king Pyrrhus
of Hellenistic times who launched several campaigns against the Romans
in Italy
. Olympias
, the mother of Alexander the Great, was from the ancient town of "Molossis" which was located in the area in front of Konitsa
, in the northern boundary of Zagori, where the rivers Voidomatis, Aoös and Sarantaporos come together. Remains of cyclopean walls in Skamneli
also testify to the antiquity of human occupation. During the 9th–4th centuries B.C., a small Molossian
settlement existed between Monodendri
and Vitsa
, including stone houses and two cemeteries which have yielded important findings. However, throughout most of the historical time the local population was sparse while the land provided mainly for pastoralism and firewood for the local needs.
period is testified to by numerous placenames. Under the Byzantine Empire
, Zagori occasionally attracted groups of soldiers who built villages and settled there. Several monasteries were endowed, including the monastery of Votsa near the village of Greveniti and the monastery of the Transfiguration
near Kleidonia, founded in the 7th century by the Byzantine Emperor Constantine IV Pogonatus and the monastery of St John of Rogovou near Tsepelovo
founded in 1028 by the sister of Emperor Romanos III Argyros.
From 1204 to 1337 the region was part of the local Despotate of Epirus
. In the 14th century, when various Albanian
clans made incursions into Epirus
, Zagori formed a bastion of Hellenism in Epirus and was the source of soldiers that served in the Ioannina
garrison. As a result of the campaigns of Andronikos III Paleologos in 1337, the Despotate of Epirus
and, therefore, Zagori along with Ioannina
and the surrounding region came again briefly under Byzantine rule.
The region came under Serbian rule in 1348 and the Despotate of Epirus
was reformed and was under Latin rule by Carlo II Tocco
when Ioannina
and Zagori fell to the Turks
in 1430, at the time of Sultan Murad II
. Zagori (which then only consisted of 14 villages) «bowed the knee», which meant in practice that there were obligations between delegations of the two sides and a sum in tax was agreed upon in exchange for very considerable privileges: autonomy, administrative independence, and a ban on Turks crossing the borders into the area.
(Κοινόν Ζαγορισίων) was formed after the treaty of 1431 with Sinan-Pasha. At that point the arrangement that granted local autonomy was called “Voiniko”. The autonomy guaranteed non-interference in the local affairs by the Ottoman
overlords. Zagorisians had their affairs entrusted to a Council of Elders called Demogerontia (Δημογεροντία), headed by a president or governor called Vekylis (Βεκύλης). They were allowed to maintain an armed security force of Sipahi
(σπαχήδες). The villages of the Eastern Zagori, inhabited by Aromanian Vlachs, entered the Treaty
in 1480. Consequently, many toponyms in northern and eastern Zagori have Aromanian
etymology, while some toponyms with Slavic etymology are present in western and southern Zagori. Nevertheless, Zagori retained much of its Greek character through its system of government and the benefactions of its expatriates that favoured Greek education. The Koinon of the Zagorisians
was reformalised by a treaty signed in 1670, under which Zagori enjoyed considerable privileges called Surutia, which were only rescinded fully by the Sultan in 1868.
This solution suited the conquerors and was also the salvation of Zagori, as it added statutory rules to the geographical factors which had made it a natural refuge. Consequently Zagori was never broken up to be shared out among Turkish landowners. It gained a large population of merchants with links to Romania
, Russia
and Constantinople
, who came to be the ruling class of the area and contributed to the relative prosperity Zagori enjoyed during the period of Turkish rule
.
In the 17th century, the villages of Western Zagori were also admitted to the Treaty
, so that by 1678 the total number of villages in Zagori had increased to 60. During the 18th century schools for both boys and girls were built, watermills to grind the corn and the water supply was decorated with ornamental fountains. Traditional medicine flourished in the form of “Vikos doctors
”, who gathered herbs for their preparations from the Vikos gorge
. The growing prosperity, aided by privileges obtained by Phanariotes of Zagorisian descent and benefactions from expatriates, allowed the building of several schools, some still surviving, for example the Common School of Greek Studies (Greek
: Κοινή Σχολή Ελληνικών Μαθημάτων) in Monodendri built by the brothers Manthos and Georgios Rizaris
(1835). The brothers also funded the building of the Rizareios Ecclesiastical School in Athens
(1844), while Zagori itself was under full Ottoman rule
. The brothers Ioannis and Demetrios Anagnostopoulos from Dilofo
founded the Anagnostopouleios in their home village and contributed to the expenses for the Zosimaia School
in Ioannina
. Michael Anagnostopoulos from Papingo built the Kallineios School in Papingo and the Anagnostopouleios School in Konitsa
. As a result of the numerous schools, the Greek language
was preserved in the area.
As the mountains were outside the direct rule of the Ottoman Empire
, they offered a haven for Greeks on the run from the Ottoman authorities. Several prominent scholars of the Greek Enlightenment, such as Neofytos Doukas and Athanasios Psalidas
sought refuge here, after the Sultan’s army destroyed Ioannina
in 1820. Some among them even made plans to set up a university in the monastery of St John of Rogovou, near Tsepelovo
. In 1820, after the rebellion of Ali Pasha
, a Turkish
force of 1500 under Ismael Pasha arrived in Zagori, part of the total army of 20,000 sent against Ali Pasha
. Alexis Noutsos from Kapesovo
, a member of the Filiki Eteria
, was in command of the force opposing Ismael Pasha. However, the Sultan's armies prevailed. Ismael Pasha removed most privileges other than the right to appoint a local governor (Vekylis), whose powers however became nominal. Ismael Pasha introduced very heavy taxation, amounting to 250 silver coins per person and additional taxation in kind. Albanian and local bandits began looting raids once again. Zagori was liberated in 1913 during the Balkan Wars
.
, emigration to the Greek urban centres depopulated Zagori. Zagori bore the brunt of the Italian attack on Greece in 1940. The area became additionally affected by the conflicts between the Germans and the partisans
of Napoleon Zervas
during the Second World War. At that time several of the villages of Zagori and the monastery of Votsa were burned in German reprisals. The area became almost deserted during the Greek Civil War
of 1946–49. Since the 1980s, state initiatives aim to preserve the traditional character of the villages and the natural landscape.
, pagan or Christian
festivals. The larger churches and monasteries celebrate their nominal saint feast with a festival that can last several days.
Characteristic songs of mourning (moirologia) accompany the lamentation of the dead. Funerary rites include the exhumation of the bones of the deceased following a period of 1–3 years. The bones are washed, perfumed and placed in a wooden larnax and kept in ossuaries
in each village.
tree and a public fountain. Cobbled streets and footpaths interconnect the rest of the village. Each individual neighbourhood has a smaller church.
built of stone with a wooden roof covered by slate
. They are decorated by mainly Epirotan hagiographers in the Byzantine
tradition. The entrance to the church may be protected by a colonnaded arcade
. The campanile
is usually detached from the church.
. Houses are built of local stone and have a slate roof. The roof slates are held together without cement, only by the weight of the slates above them. The slate roof therefore requires continual upkeep, subjected as it is to heavy snowfalls during the winter months.
That older type was developed through the 18–19th centuries into more complex styles all the way to the multi-storied manors
of the wealthier families of the late 18th century. Many houses are fronted by a walled courtyard or garden. The courtyard gate is an edifice in itself, covered by a slate roof and connecting the house to the rest of the village. In addition to the house, there are ancillary buildings, usually a “mageirio” (kitchen), an external toilet at the furthest corner from the kitchen, and stables. The main house is built with walls up to a meter thick that may have an internal sand compartment for insulation against the cold. The house entrance opens into the foyer called “hagiati” which leads to adjoining rooms called “ondas” or “mantzato”. The hagiati originally was and sometimes still is a partially open area in front of the house. The name is probably derived from the Persian
word Hayāt, a style of Persian garden with pavilions or other edifices. The mantzato is the main room for the winter months with a fireplace, a “tavla” (table) and seating areas that can be used as beds, called “basia”. Opposite the fireplace there is a walled closet called “mesantra”. As an aid to its function, the mantzato often has a location in the south of the house.
A usually wooden staircase leads from the hagiati to the upper floor landing called “krevatta”. This is a space between the bedrooms. In rare cases, the krevatta opens into a small balcony covered by a wooden roof. “Glavané” is a small entrance to the attic
. The basement of the house contains cellars and other storage areas that may be used as additional quarters for animals.
Few of the old manors
survive, most having fallen victim to disrepair. In those that survive, the ondas room is the most spacious, has a large fireplace and may have floral fresco
es. It was used for the reception of guests.
As the heart of the Vikos–Aoös National Park, the Vikos Gorge
is the largest and most picturesque among the gorges of Zagori. The Vikos Gorge
collects the waters of a number of small rivers that form the Voidomatis river which flows through the gorge. The Vikos Gorge
at 990m deep is one of the deepest in the world, indeed the deepest in proportion to its width. The Vikos Gorge
is also a site of major scientific interest, because it is in almost virgin condition, is a haven for endangered species and contains many and varied ecosystems.
Pindus
The Pindus mountain range is located in northern Greece and southern Albania. It is roughly 160 km long, with a maximum elevation of 2637 m . Because it runs along the border of Thessaly and Epirus, the Pindus range is often called the "spine of Greece"...
mountains in Epirus
Epirus (region)
Epirus is a geographical and historical region in southeastern Europe, shared between Greece and Albania. It lies between the Pindus Mountains and the Ionian Sea, stretching from the Bay of Vlorë in the north to the Ambracian Gulf in the south...
, in northwestern Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
. The seat of the municipality is the village Asprangeloi. It has an area of some 1,000 square kilometres and contains 45 villages known as Zagoria (or Zagorochoria or Zagorohoria), and is in the shape of an upturned equilateral triangle. The southern corner of the triangle contains the provincial capital, 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...
, the south-western side is formed by Mount Mitsikeli
Mitsikeli
Mitsikeli is a mountain range in the central part of the Pindus mountains, in Epirus, Greece. The mountain is located northeast of Ioannina and Lake Ioannina. Its highest elevation is 1,810 m....
(1,810m), and the Aoos river and Mount Tymfi
Tymfi
Tymfi or Mt Tymphe, Timfi, also Tymphi is a mountain in the northern Pindus mountain range, northwestern Greece. It is part of the regional unit of Ioannina and lies in the region of Zagori, just a few meters south of the 40° parallel...
constitute the northern side, and the south-eastern side runs along the Varda river to Mount Mavrovouni (2,100m) near Metsovo
Metsovo
Metsovo is a town in Epirus on the mountains of Pindus in northern Greece, between Ioannina to the north and Meteora to the south. The largest centre of Vlach life in Greece, Metsovo is bypassed by GR-6 and also by Egnatia Odos Motorway....
. The population of the area is about 6,000, which gives a population density of 6 inhabitants per square kilometre, compared to an average of 73.8 for Greece as a whole.
Geography
Zagori is an area of great natural beauty, with striking geology and two national parks, one including the river Aoos and the Vikos Gorge, the other around Valia Kalda, to the east of the imposing snow-capped Mt TympheTymfi
Tymfi or Mt Tymphe, Timfi, also Tymphi is a mountain in the northern Pindus mountain range, northwestern Greece. It is part of the regional unit of Ioannina and lies in the region of Zagori, just a few meters south of the 40° parallel...
. The 45 or so villages of Zagori were interconnected by mountain roads and traditional arched stone bridges until modern roads were opened in the 1950s. The stone arched bridges were built by benefactions from expatriate merchants in the 18th century and replaced older wooden bridges.
History
Sarakatsani
The Sarakatsani are a group of Greek transhumant shepherds inhabiting chiefly Greece, with a smaller presence in neighbouring Bulgaria, southern Albania and the Republic of Macedonia. Historically centered around the Pindus mountains, they have been currently urbanised to a significant degree...
people who can be found in this area use several Greek words of a Northern Greek
Doric Greek
Doric or Dorian was a dialect of ancient Greek. Its variants were spoken in the southern and eastern Peloponnese, Crete, Rhodes, some islands in the southern Aegean Sea, some cities on the coasts of Asia Minor, Southern Italy, Sicily, Epirus and Macedon. Together with Northwest Greek, it forms the...
dialect not commonly found in Greek elsewhere. They are consequently considered by some as indigenous to the area.
Early history
The first evidence of human presence in the area is dated between 17,000 and 10,000 years ago. Important epipaleolithicEpipaleolithic
The Epipaleolithic Age was a period in the development of human technology marked by more advanced stone blades and other tools than the earlier Paleolithic age, although still before the development of agriculture in the Neolithic age...
artifacts have been unearthed from Kleidi Cave
Kleidi Cave
Kleidi or Klidi Cave is a cave located north of the village of Klidonia in the Ioannina Prefecture, it is located in the north bank of the Voidomatis river...
on the banks of the Voidomatis. In antiquity, the region of Zagori was inhabited by the Tymphaeans and formed a part of the ancient kingdom of the Molossians
Molossians
The Molossians were an ancient Greek tribe that inhabited the region of Epirus since the Mycenaean era. On their northeast frontier they had the Chaonians and to their southern frontier the kingdom of the Thesprotians, to their north were the Illyrians. The Molossians were part of the League of...
, a Greek
Greeks
The Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....
tribe of Epirus
Epirus
The name Epirus, from the Greek "Ήπειρος" meaning continent may refer to:-Geographical:* Epirus - a historical and geographical region of the southwestern Balkans, straddling modern Greece and Albania...
that gained control over all of Epirus in classical times. They were known for a breed of huge war-mastiffs they used in military operations. Molossus
Molossus
Molossus may refer to:*Molossus , genus of bats*Molossus , extinct breed of dog*Molossus , type of metrical foot*Molossus , in Greek mythology, the son of Neoptolemus and Andromache and ancestor of the Molossians...
, their eponymous ancestor, was said to have been born of a union between Neoptolemus
Neoptolemus
Neoptolemus was the son of the warrior Achilles and the princess Deidamia in Greek mythology. Achilles' mother foretold many years before Achilles' birth that there would be a great war. She saw that her only son was to die if he fought in the war...
(son of Achilles
Achilles
In Greek mythology, Achilles was a Greek hero of the Trojan War, the central character and the greatest warrior of Homer's Iliad.Plato named Achilles the handsomest of the heroes assembled against Troy....
) and Andromache
Andromache
In Greek mythology, Andromache was the wife of Hector and daughter of Eetion, and sister to Podes. She was born and raised in the city of Cilician Thebe, over which her father ruled...
(the wife of Hector
Hector
In Greek mythology, Hectōr , or Hektōr, is a Trojan prince and the greatest fighter for Troy in the Trojan War. As the first-born son of King Priam and Queen Hecuba, a descendant of Dardanus, who lived under Mount Ida, and of Tros, the founder of Troy, he was a prince of the royal house and the...
of Troy
Troy
Troy was a city, both factual and legendary, located in northwest Anatolia in what is now Turkey, southeast of the Dardanelles and beside Mount Ida...
). Neoptolemus, also called Pyrrhus for his blond hair, was first in a line of Epirotan kings leading to the king Pyrrhus
Pyrrhus of Epirus
Pyrrhus or Pyrrhos was a Greek general and statesman of the Hellenistic era. He was king of the Greek tribe of Molossians, of the royal Aeacid house , and later he became king of Epirus and Macedon . He was one of the strongest opponents of early Rome...
of Hellenistic times who launched several campaigns against the Romans
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. Olympias
Olympias
Olympias was a Greek princess of Epirus, daughter of king Neoptolemus I of Epirus, the fourth wife of the king of Macedonia, Philip II, and mother of Alexander the Great...
, the mother of Alexander the Great, was from the ancient town of "Molossis" which was located in the area in front of Konitsa
Konitsa
Konitsa is a town in Epirus, Greece, near the Albanian border. It lies amphi-theatre shaped on a mountain slope of the Pindos mountain range, overlooking the valley where the river Aoos meets the river Voidomatis. The valley is used for farming. Konitsa is a regional centre for many small Pindos...
, in the northern boundary of Zagori, where the rivers Voidomatis, Aoös and Sarantaporos come together. Remains of cyclopean walls in Skamneli
Skamneli
Skamneli is a village in the Zagori region , 54 km north of Ioannina. It is built in the fringes of mountain Tymfi , at a height of 1160 m.- Name :...
also testify to the antiquity of human occupation. During the 9th–4th centuries B.C., a small Molossian
Molossians
The Molossians were an ancient Greek tribe that inhabited the region of Epirus since the Mycenaean era. On their northeast frontier they had the Chaonians and to their southern frontier the kingdom of the Thesprotians, to their north were the Illyrians. The Molossians were part of the League of...
settlement existed between Monodendri
Monodendri (Ioannina)
Monodendri is a village in the Ioannina Prefecture in Greece. It is part of the municipal unit of Central Zagori in the Zagori region, and is located 41 km north of the city of Ioannina....
and Vitsa
Vitsa
Vitsa is one of the largest villages of central Zagori. It is situated at an altitude of 955m on a mountain slope near the Vikos gorge with roads linking it to Greek National Road 6. Vitsa is famous for its old double-arched bridge of Missios.-History:...
, including stone houses and two cemeteries which have yielded important findings. However, throughout most of the historical time the local population was sparse while the land provided mainly for pastoralism and firewood for the local needs.
Byzantine period
The passage of the Slavs during the early 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...
period is testified to by numerous placenames. Under the Byzantine Empire
Byzantine 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...
, Zagori occasionally attracted groups of soldiers who built villages and settled there. Several monasteries were endowed, including the monastery of Votsa near the village of Greveniti and the monastery of the Transfiguration
Transfiguration of Jesus
The Transfiguration of Jesus is an event reported in the New Testament in which Jesus is transfigured and becomes radiant upon a mountain. The Synoptic Gospels describe it, and 2 Peter 1:16-18 refers to it....
near Kleidonia, founded in the 7th century by the Byzantine Emperor Constantine IV Pogonatus and the monastery of St John of Rogovou near Tsepelovo
Tsepelovo
Tsepelovo , older form: -on is a village in the Zagori region . It stands at a height of 1,200 meters in a panoramic location on the mountain range of Tymfi. It is the biggest of the 45 villages of Zagori and it was the seat of Tymfi municipality...
founded in 1028 by the sister of Emperor Romanos III Argyros.
From 1204 to 1337 the region was part of the local Despotate of Epirus
Despotate of Epirus
The Despotate or Principality of Epirus was one of the Byzantine Greek successor states of the Byzantine Empire that emerged in the aftermath of the Fourth Crusade in 1204. It claimed to be the legitimate successor of the Byzantine Empire, along with the Empire of Nicaea, and the Empire of Trebizond...
. In the 14th century, when various Albanian
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...
clans made incursions into Epirus
Epirus
The name Epirus, from the Greek "Ήπειρος" meaning continent may refer to:-Geographical:* Epirus - a historical and geographical region of the southwestern Balkans, straddling modern Greece and Albania...
, Zagori formed a bastion of Hellenism in Epirus and was the source of soldiers that served in the 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...
garrison. As a result of the campaigns of Andronikos III Paleologos in 1337, the Despotate of Epirus
Despotate of Epirus
The Despotate or Principality of Epirus was one of the Byzantine Greek successor states of the Byzantine Empire that emerged in the aftermath of the Fourth Crusade in 1204. It claimed to be the legitimate successor of the Byzantine Empire, along with the Empire of Nicaea, and the Empire of Trebizond...
and, therefore, Zagori along with 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...
and the surrounding region came again briefly under Byzantine rule.
The region came under Serbian rule in 1348 and the Despotate of Epirus
Despotate of Epirus
The Despotate or Principality of Epirus was one of the Byzantine Greek successor states of the Byzantine Empire that emerged in the aftermath of the Fourth Crusade in 1204. It claimed to be the legitimate successor of the Byzantine Empire, along with the Empire of Nicaea, and the Empire of Trebizond...
was reformed and was under Latin rule by Carlo II Tocco
Tocco family
The family of Tocco was a noble house from Benevento of Longobard origins, which in the late 14th and 15th centuries came to prominence in western Greece as rulers of the Ionian Islands and the Despotate of Epirus.-History:...
when 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...
and Zagori fell to the Turks
Turkish people
Turkish people, also known as the "Turks" , are an ethnic group primarily living in Turkey and in the former lands of the Ottoman Empire where Turkish minorities had been established in Bulgaria, Cyprus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Greece, Kosovo, Macedonia, and Romania...
in 1430, at the time of Sultan Murad II
Murad II
Murad II Kodja was the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1421 to 1451 ....
. Zagori (which then only consisted of 14 villages) «bowed the knee», which meant in practice that there were obligations between delegations of the two sides and a sum in tax was agreed upon in exchange for very considerable privileges: autonomy, administrative independence, and a ban on Turks crossing the borders into the area.
Ottoman period
The Koinon of the ZagorisiansKoinon of the Zagorisians
The Koinon of the Zagorisians , alternatively Commons of the Zagorisians, League of the Zagorisians, League of Zagori, or Nohaye Zagor in Turkish, was an autonomous region of the Ottoman Empire....
(Κοινόν Ζαγορισίων) was formed after the treaty of 1431 with Sinan-Pasha. At that point the arrangement that granted local autonomy was called “Voiniko”. The autonomy guaranteed non-interference in the local affairs by the 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...
overlords. Zagorisians had their affairs entrusted to a Council of Elders called Demogerontia (Δημογεροντία), headed by a president or governor called Vekylis (Βεκύλης). They were allowed to maintain an armed security force of Sipahi
Sipahi
Sipahi was the name of several Ottoman cavalry corps...
(σπαχήδες). The villages of the Eastern Zagori, inhabited by Aromanian Vlachs, entered the Treaty
Koinon of the Zagorisians
The Koinon of the Zagorisians , alternatively Commons of the Zagorisians, League of the Zagorisians, League of Zagori, or Nohaye Zagor in Turkish, was an autonomous region of the Ottoman Empire....
in 1480. Consequently, many toponyms in northern and eastern Zagori have Aromanian
Aromanian language
Aromanian , also known as Macedo-Romanian, Arumanian or Vlach is an Eastern Romance language spoken in Southeastern Europe...
etymology, while some toponyms with Slavic etymology are present in western and southern Zagori. Nevertheless, Zagori retained much of its Greek character through its system of government and the benefactions of its expatriates that favoured Greek education. The Koinon of the Zagorisians
Koinon of the Zagorisians
The Koinon of the Zagorisians , alternatively Commons of the Zagorisians, League of the Zagorisians, League of Zagori, or Nohaye Zagor in Turkish, was an autonomous region of the Ottoman Empire....
was reformalised by a treaty signed in 1670, under which Zagori enjoyed considerable privileges called Surutia, which were only rescinded fully by the Sultan in 1868.
This solution suited the conquerors and was also the salvation of Zagori, as it added statutory rules to the geographical factors which had made it a natural refuge. Consequently Zagori was never broken up to be shared out among Turkish landowners. It gained a large population of merchants with links to Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
and 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:...
, who came to be the ruling class of the area and contributed to the relative prosperity Zagori enjoyed during the period of Turkish rule
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...
.
In the 17th century, the villages of Western Zagori were also admitted to the Treaty
Koinon of the Zagorisians
The Koinon of the Zagorisians , alternatively Commons of the Zagorisians, League of the Zagorisians, League of Zagori, or Nohaye Zagor in Turkish, was an autonomous region of the Ottoman Empire....
, so that by 1678 the total number of villages in Zagori had increased to 60. During the 18th century schools for both boys and girls were built, watermills to grind the corn and the water supply was decorated with ornamental fountains. Traditional medicine flourished in the form of “Vikos doctors
Vikos doctors
Vikos doctors were folk healers or practical medical practitioners from the Greek area of Zagori in the 18-19th century. - Etymology :The Greek word ἰατρός is often translated as physician...
”, who gathered herbs for their preparations from the Vikos gorge
Vikos Gorge
The Vikos Gorge is a gorge in the Pindus Mountains of northern Greece. It lies on the southern slopes of Mount Tymfi, with a length of about 20 km, depth ranging from 450 m to 1600 m and width from 400 m to some meters at its narrowest part....
. The growing prosperity, aided by privileges obtained by Phanariotes of Zagorisian descent and benefactions from expatriates, allowed the building of several schools, some still surviving, for example the Common School of Greek Studies (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;...
: Κοινή Σχολή Ελληνικών Μαθημάτων) in Monodendri built by the brothers Manthos and Georgios Rizaris
Manthos and Georgios Rizaris
Manthos Rizaris and Georgios Rizaris were Greek benefactors, merchants and members of the organization Filiki Eteria.Rizari brothers were born in the village of Monodendri of Zagori region . They lost both parents at an early age. Manthos Rizaris, the elder brother, moved to Moscow, in order to...
(1835). The brothers also funded the building of the Rizareios Ecclesiastical School in Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
(1844), while Zagori itself was under full Ottoman rule
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 brothers Ioannis and Demetrios Anagnostopoulos from Dilofo
Dilofo
Dilofo or Dilofos , may refer to several places in Greece:*Dilofos, a village in the Evros Prefecture*Dilofo, Ioannina, a village in the Ioannina Prefecture, in the municipality Central Zagori...
founded the Anagnostopouleios in their home village and contributed to the expenses for the Zosimaia School
Zosimaia School
The Zosimaia School of Ioannina has been one of the most significant Greek middle-level educational institutions during the last period of Ottoman rule in the region...
in 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...
. Michael Anagnostopoulos from Papingo built the Kallineios School in Papingo and the Anagnostopouleios School in Konitsa
Konitsa
Konitsa is a town in Epirus, Greece, near the Albanian border. It lies amphi-theatre shaped on a mountain slope of the Pindos mountain range, overlooking the valley where the river Aoos meets the river Voidomatis. The valley is used for farming. Konitsa is a regional centre for many small Pindos...
. As a result of the numerous schools, the Greek language
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;...
was preserved in the area.
As the mountains were outside the direct rule of the Ottoman Empire
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...
, they offered a haven for Greeks on the run from the Ottoman authorities. Several prominent scholars of the Greek Enlightenment, such as Neofytos Doukas and Athanasios Psalidas
Athanasios Psalidas
Athanasios Psalidas , was a Greek author, scholar and one of the most renowned figures of the modern Greek Enlightenment.-Early years and diaspora:...
sought refuge here, after the Sultan’s army destroyed 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...
in 1820. Some among them even made plans to set up a university in the monastery of St John of Rogovou, near Tsepelovo
Tsepelovo
Tsepelovo , older form: -on is a village in the Zagori region . It stands at a height of 1,200 meters in a panoramic location on the mountain range of Tymfi. It is the biggest of the 45 villages of Zagori and it was the seat of Tymfi municipality...
. In 1820, after the rebellion of Ali Pasha
Ali Pasha
Ali Pasha of Tepelena or of Yannina, surnamed Aslan, "the Lion", or the "Lion of Yannina", Ali Pashë Tepelena was an Ottoman Albanian ruler of the western part of Rumelia, the Ottoman Empire's European territory which was also called Pashalik of Yanina. His court was in Ioannina...
, a Turkish
Turkish people
Turkish people, also known as the "Turks" , are an ethnic group primarily living in Turkey and in the former lands of the Ottoman Empire where Turkish minorities had been established in Bulgaria, Cyprus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Greece, Kosovo, Macedonia, and Romania...
force of 1500 under Ismael Pasha arrived in Zagori, part of the total army of 20,000 sent against Ali Pasha
Ali Pasha
Ali Pasha of Tepelena or of Yannina, surnamed Aslan, "the Lion", or the "Lion of Yannina", Ali Pashë Tepelena was an Ottoman Albanian ruler of the western part of Rumelia, the Ottoman Empire's European territory which was also called Pashalik of Yanina. His court was in Ioannina...
. Alexis Noutsos from Kapesovo
Kapesovo
Kapesovo is a village in the Zagori region , it is 43 km north of Ioannina. The name Kapesovo is slavic and means garden. The village used to be more south near Baya , where lots of vegetables were grown and it was called "Kapouska". It was later moved to its current position for health reasons...
, a member of the Filiki Eteria
Filiki Eteria
thumb|right|200px|The flag of the Filiki Eteria.Filiki Eteria or Society of Friends was a secret 19th century organization, whose purpose was to overthrow Ottoman rule over Greece and to establish an independent Greek state. Society members were mainly young Phanariot Greeks from Russia and local...
, was in command of the force opposing Ismael Pasha. However, the Sultan's armies prevailed. Ismael Pasha removed most privileges other than the right to appoint a local governor (Vekylis), whose powers however became nominal. Ismael Pasha introduced very heavy taxation, amounting to 250 silver coins per person and additional taxation in kind. Albanian and local bandits began looting raids once again. Zagori was liberated in 1913 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...
.
Modern period
Following the union with Greece after the Balkan WarsBalkan 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...
, emigration to the Greek urban centres depopulated Zagori. Zagori bore the brunt of the Italian attack on Greece in 1940. The area became additionally affected by the conflicts between the Germans and the partisans
Greek Resistance
The Greek Resistance is the blanket term for a number of armed and unarmed groups from across the political spectrum that resisted the Axis Occupation of Greece in the period 1941–1944, during World War II.-Origins:...
of Napoleon Zervas
Napoleon Zervas
Napoleon Zervas was a Greek general and resistance leader during World War II. He organized and led the National Republican Greek League , the second most significant , in terms of size and activity, resistance organization against the Axis Occupation of Greece.-Early life and army career:Zervas...
during the Second World War. At that time several of the villages of Zagori and the monastery of Votsa were burned in German reprisals. The area became almost deserted during 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...
of 1946–49. Since the 1980s, state initiatives aim to preserve the traditional character of the villages and the natural landscape.
Folklore
Unique customs are associated with ancient GreekAncient Greek
Ancient Greek is the stage of the Greek language in the periods spanning the times c. 9th–6th centuries BC, , c. 5th–4th centuries BC , and the c. 3rd century BC – 6th century AD of ancient Greece and the ancient world; being predated in the 2nd millennium BC by Mycenaean Greek...
, pagan or Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
festivals. The larger churches and monasteries celebrate their nominal saint feast with a festival that can last several days.
Characteristic songs of mourning (moirologia) accompany the lamentation of the dead. Funerary rites include the exhumation of the bones of the deceased following a period of 1–3 years. The bones are washed, perfumed and placed in a wooden larnax and kept in ossuaries
Ossuary
An ossuary is a chest, building, well, or site made to serve as the final resting place of human skeletal remains. They are frequently used where burial space is scarce. A body is first buried in a temporary grave, then after some years the skeletal remains are removed and placed in an ossuary...
in each village.
Traditional architecture
Villages are built around a central square, also called mesochori (village centre) with a large church, a planePlatanus
Platanus is a small genus of trees native to the Northern Hemisphere. They are the sole living members of the family Platanaceae....
tree and a public fountain. Cobbled streets and footpaths interconnect the rest of the village. Each individual neighbourhood has a smaller church.
Churches
Most churches in Zagori date from the 17–18th centuries onwards, although some older foundations survive. In most villages the main church consists of a sizeable basilicaBasilica
The Latin word basilica , was originally used to describe a Roman public building, usually located in the forum of a Roman town. Public basilicas began to appear in Hellenistic cities in the 2nd century BC.The term was also applied to buildings used for religious purposes...
built of stone with a wooden roof covered by slate
Slate
Slate is a fine-grained, foliated, homogeneous metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low-grade regional metamorphism. The result is a foliated rock in which the foliation may not correspond to the original sedimentary layering...
. They are decorated by mainly Epirotan hagiographers in the Byzantine
Byzantine
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...
tradition. The entrance to the church may be protected by a colonnaded arcade
Arcade (architecture)
An arcade is a succession of arches, each counterthrusting the next, supported by columns or piers or a covered walk enclosed by a line of such arches on one or both sides. In warmer or wet climates, exterior arcades provide shelter for pedestrians....
. The campanile
Campanile
Campanile is an Italian word meaning "bell tower" . The term applies to bell towers which are either part of a larger building or free-standing, although in American English, the latter meaning has become prevalent.The most famous campanile is probably the Leaning Tower of Pisa...
is usually detached from the church.
Houses
Houses until the 18th century were simple rectangular dwellings, often with only a ground floor and with ancillary areas in the basement used as stables. Indeed this appears to be the style of construction of the dwellings in the excavated Molossian site near VitsaVitsa
Vitsa is one of the largest villages of central Zagori. It is situated at an altitude of 955m on a mountain slope near the Vikos gorge with roads linking it to Greek National Road 6. Vitsa is famous for its old double-arched bridge of Missios.-History:...
. Houses are built of local stone and have a slate roof. The roof slates are held together without cement, only by the weight of the slates above them. The slate roof therefore requires continual upkeep, subjected as it is to heavy snowfalls during the winter months.
That older type was developed through the 18–19th centuries into more complex styles all the way to the multi-storied manors
Manor house
A manor house is a country house that historically formed the administrative centre of a manor, the lowest unit of territorial organisation in the feudal system in Europe. The term is applied to country houses that belonged to the gentry and other grand stately homes...
of the wealthier families of the late 18th century. Many houses are fronted by a walled courtyard or garden. The courtyard gate is an edifice in itself, covered by a slate roof and connecting the house to the rest of the village. In addition to the house, there are ancillary buildings, usually a “mageirio” (kitchen), an external toilet at the furthest corner from the kitchen, and stables. The main house is built with walls up to a meter thick that may have an internal sand compartment for insulation against the cold. The house entrance opens into the foyer called “hagiati” which leads to adjoining rooms called “ondas” or “mantzato”. The hagiati originally was and sometimes still is a partially open area in front of the house. The name is probably derived from the Persian
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
word Hayāt, a style of Persian garden with pavilions or other edifices. The mantzato is the main room for the winter months with a fireplace, a “tavla” (table) and seating areas that can be used as beds, called “basia”. Opposite the fireplace there is a walled closet called “mesantra”. As an aid to its function, the mantzato often has a location in the south of the house.
A usually wooden staircase leads from the hagiati to the upper floor landing called “krevatta”. This is a space between the bedrooms. In rare cases, the krevatta opens into a small balcony covered by a wooden roof. “Glavané” is a small entrance to the attic
Attic
An attic is a space found directly below the pitched roof of a house or other building . Attic is generally the American/Canadian reference to it...
. The basement of the house contains cellars and other storage areas that may be used as additional quarters for animals.
Few of the old manors
Manor house
A manor house is a country house that historically formed the administrative centre of a manor, the lowest unit of territorial organisation in the feudal system in Europe. The term is applied to country houses that belonged to the gentry and other grand stately homes...
survive, most having fallen victim to disrepair. In those that survive, the ondas room is the most spacious, has a large fireplace and may have floral fresco
Fresco
Fresco is any of several related mural painting types, executed on plaster on walls or ceilings. The word fresco comes from the Greek word affresca which derives from the Latin word for "fresh". Frescoes first developed in the ancient world and continued to be popular through the Renaissance...
es. It was used for the reception of guests.
The Vikos Gorge
Vikos Gorge
The Vikos Gorge is a gorge in the Pindus Mountains of northern Greece. It lies on the southern slopes of Mount Tymfi, with a length of about 20 km, depth ranging from 450 m to 1600 m and width from 400 m to some meters at its narrowest part....
is the largest and most picturesque among the gorges of Zagori. The Vikos Gorge
Vikos Gorge
The Vikos Gorge is a gorge in the Pindus Mountains of northern Greece. It lies on the southern slopes of Mount Tymfi, with a length of about 20 km, depth ranging from 450 m to 1600 m and width from 400 m to some meters at its narrowest part....
collects the waters of a number of small rivers that form the Voidomatis river which flows through the gorge. The Vikos Gorge
Vikos Gorge
The Vikos Gorge is a gorge in the Pindus Mountains of northern Greece. It lies on the southern slopes of Mount Tymfi, with a length of about 20 km, depth ranging from 450 m to 1600 m and width from 400 m to some meters at its narrowest part....
at 990m deep is one of the deepest in the world, indeed the deepest in proportion to its width. The Vikos Gorge
Vikos Gorge
The Vikos Gorge is a gorge in the Pindus Mountains of northern Greece. It lies on the southern slopes of Mount Tymfi, with a length of about 20 km, depth ranging from 450 m to 1600 m and width from 400 m to some meters at its narrowest part....
is also a site of major scientific interest, because it is in almost virgin condition, is a haven for endangered species and contains many and varied ecosystems.
Municipality and villages
The municipality Zagori was formed at the 2011 local government reform by the merger of the following 5 former municipalities, that became municipal units (constituent communities in brackets):- Central ZagoriCentral ZagoriCentral Zagori is a former municipality in the Ioannina regional unit, Epirus, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Zagori, of which it is a municipal unit. Its population was 1601 in 2001. The seat of the municipality was in Asprangeloi....
(Agios Minas, Ano PedinaAno PedinaAno Pedina , previously known also as Ano Kampos and Ano Soudena , is one of the villages in Central Zagori in the Ioannina Prefecture, Greece. It is located on the western slopes of Mt Tymphe.- History :...
, Aristi, Asprangeloi, VitsaVitsaVitsa is one of the largest villages of central Zagori. It is situated at an altitude of 955m on a mountain slope near the Vikos gorge with roads linking it to Greek National Road 6. Vitsa is famous for its old double-arched bridge of Missios.-History:...
, Dikoryfo, Dilofo, Dipotamo, Elati, Elafotopos, Kaloutas, Kato PedinaKato PedinaKato Pedina is a village in the Ioannina Prefecture in Epirus, Greece. It is in the municipality of Zagori and its population was counted as 87 in the 2001 census.-Location:...
, Manassis, Mesovouni, Monodendri - East ZagoriEast ZagoriEast Zagori is a former municipality in the Ioannina regional unit, Epirus, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Zagori, of which it is a municipal unit. Population 2,402 . The seat of the municipality was in Miliotades....
(Agia Paraskevi, Anthrakitis, Greveniti, Demati, Doliani, Elatochori, Itea, Kavallari, Karyes, Kastanon, Makrino, Petra, Potamia, Tristeno, Flambourari) - PapigkoPapigkoPapingo is a former community in the Ioannina regional unit, Epirus, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Zagori, of which it is a municipal unit. It is located in the Vikos–Aoös National Park....
- TymfiTymfi, GreeceTymfi is a former municipality in the Ioannina peripheral unit, Epirus, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Zagori, of which it is a municipal unit. Population 1,493...
(VradetoVradetoVradeto , older form: -on is a village in the Greek Zagori region . It lies at a height of 1340m on Mt Tymphe on the Pindus mountainrange. Its location is the highest among the 44 villages of Zagori. It is the middle of the Vikos–Aoös National Park and is about 50 km away from Ioannina...
, Vrysochori, IliochoriIliochoriIliochori is one of the Zagori villages of Greece. It is located in the municipal unit of Tymfi in the northern part of the Ioannina prefecture. It is also known as Dobrinovo . According to a local legend, the village was founded as Rasciana, on the river of the same name...
, KapesovoKapesovoKapesovo is a village in the Zagori region , it is 43 km north of Ioannina. The name Kapesovo is slavic and means garden. The village used to be more south near Baya , where lots of vegetables were grown and it was called "Kapouska". It was later moved to its current position for health reasons...
, Kipoi, Koukouli, Laista, Leptokarya, Negades, SkamneliSkamneliSkamneli is a village in the Zagori region , 54 km north of Ioannina. It is built in the fringes of mountain Tymfi , at a height of 1160 m.- Name :...
, TsepelovoTsepelovoTsepelovo , older form: -on is a village in the Zagori region . It stands at a height of 1,200 meters in a panoramic location on the mountain range of Tymfi. It is the biggest of the 45 villages of Zagori and it was the seat of Tymfi municipality...
, Frangades) - VovousaVovousaVovousa is a village and a former community in the Ioannina regional unit, Epirus, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Zagori, of which it is a municipal unit. It is one of the original Zagori villages. Population 179...
Art
- John CassavetesJohn CassavetesJohn Nicholas Cassavetes was an American actor, screenwriter and filmmaker. He acted in many Hollywood films, notably Rosemary's Baby and The Dirty Dozen...
,actor and director. - Marika KotopouliMarika Kotopouli-Biography:Kotopouli was born on 3 May 1887 in Athens, to Dimitris and Eleni. Her parents were also actors, and Marika's first stage appearance came during one of their tours, in the play "The Coachman of the Alps"...
, actress. - Alekos SakellariosAlekos SakellariosAlekos Sakellarios was a Greek writer and a director.He was born in Athens and began to learn journalism and acting at a young age. He wrote his first theatrical play in 1935 called The King of Halva...
, director. - Dimitrios Kotopoulis, actor.
- Dimitrios Myrat, actor
Commerce and Philanthropy
- Manthos and Georgios RizarisManthos and Georgios RizarisManthos Rizaris and Georgios Rizaris were Greek benefactors, merchants and members of the organization Filiki Eteria.Rizari brothers were born in the village of Monodendri of Zagori region . They lost both parents at an early age. Manthos Rizaris, the elder brother, moved to Moscow, in order to...
, benefactors, merchants, members of Filiki EteriaFiliki Eteriathumb|right|200px|The flag of the Filiki Eteria.Filiki Eteria or Society of Friends was a secret 19th century organization, whose purpose was to overthrow Ottoman rule over Greece and to establish an independent Greek state. Society members were mainly young Phanariot Greeks from Russia and local...
and founders of the Rizarios Hieratical School in AthensAthensAthens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
. - Konstantinos and Pavlos Paschalis, benefactors from Kapesovo.
- Aggeliki Papazoglou, benefactor.
- Alexios Plakidas, merchant and benefactor.
- Konstantinos Rantos, merchant and member of the Filiki Eteria.
Education and Literature
- Methodios AnthrakitesMethodios AnthrakitesMethodios Anthrakites was a Greek scholar, priest and director of the Gioumeios and Epiphaneios Schools in Ioannina. He made a significant contribution in the growth of Greek Enlightenment during the Ottoman occupation of Greece....
(1660–1736), scholar and priest. - Neophytos DoukasNeophytos DoukasNeophytos Doukas was a Greek priest and scholar, author of a large number of books and translations from ancient Greek works, and one of the most important personalities of modern Greek Enlightenment during the Ottoman occupation of Greece...
(1760–1845), scholar. - Georgios GennadiosGeorgios GennadiosGeorgios Gennadios was a Greek man of letters who helped considerably in the foundation of some of the first educational establishments of modern Greece...
(1786–1854), scholar. - Anastasios Sakellarios, director of Zosimea School (1833–1862) of Ioannina.
- Angelos KitsosAngelos KitsosAngelos Kitsos was the president of Rizarios Foundation .He was a Greek from Monodendri, Zagori. He was member of the Councils of the Foundation for the Restoration of Greeks from Albania and the Foundation of Research of the Ionian and Adriatic space...
(1934–2008), f. president of Rizarios Foundation - Konstantinos Lazarides, scholar and botanologist.
Politics
- Manthos OikonomouManthos IconomouManthos Oikonomou was a Greek scholar, chancellor and advisor of Ali Pasha in Ioannina.Born at 1754 in the village of Koukouli . After completing ground level studies in his village he continued his studies in Ioannina. He was already a scholar at 1800...
, chancellor of Ali PashaAli PashaAli Pasha of Tepelena or of Yannina, surnamed Aslan, "the Lion", or the "Lion of Yannina", Ali Pashë Tepelena was an Ottoman Albanian ruler of the western part of Rumelia, the Ottoman Empire's European territory which was also called Pashalik of Yanina. His court was in Ioannina...
, member of Filiki EteriaFiliki Eteriathumb|right|200px|The flag of the Filiki Eteria.Filiki Eteria or Society of Friends was a secret 19th century organization, whose purpose was to overthrow Ottoman rule over Greece and to establish an independent Greek state. Society members were mainly young Phanariot Greeks from Russia and local...
. - Michael DukakisMichael DukakisMichael Stanley Dukakis served as the 65th and 67th Governor of Massachusetts from 1975–1979 and from 1983–1991, and was the Democratic presidential nominee in 1988. He was born to Greek immigrants in Brookline, Massachusetts, also the birthplace of John F. Kennedy, and was the longest serving...
, US politician and Democratic presidential nominee in 1988 - Louca Katseli, member of the Greek Parliament
- Lefteris ZagoritisLefteris ZagoritisLefteris Zagoritis is a Greek politician and the former New Democracy party secretary. He was born in Zagorohoria of Epirus, and is of Sarakatsani origin....
, member of the Greek Parliament and secretary of the New DemocracyNew Democracy (Greece)New Democracy is the main centre-right political party and one of the two major parties in Greece. It was founded in 1974 by Konstantinos Karamanlis and formed the first cabinet of the Third Hellenic Republic...
party.
External links
- http://www.zagori.info Zagori Tourist, travel and hotels guide
- http://www.e-zagori.gr Zagori topology, agrotourism, ecology
- http://www.zagoroxoria.gr Everything about Zagori:Tourist guide & Reservations