| Kerameies Κεραμειές |
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| Location | |
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Kerameies
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| Coordinates | |
| Government | |
| Country: | Greece |
| Region: | Ionian Islands |
| Regional unit: | Kefalonia |
| Municipality: | Kefalonia |
| Municipal unit: | Leivathos |
| Population statistics (as of 2001) | |
| Village | |
| - Population: | 381 |
| Other | |
| Time zone: | EET/EEST (UTC+2/3) |
| Auto: | KE |
Kerameies (Greek: Κεραμειές, also Keramies) is a community located in the southwest part of the island of Kefalonia. It was the seat of the municipality of Leivathos. In the village is the largest school in the area, from kindergarten to high school.
Contents |
The nearest places are ordered clockwise
Kerameies are surrounded by farmlands that are mainly pastures, fruits, vegetables, groves and some others as well as some forests. The hills dominate the north. Kerameies is linked with a road linking Dorizata, Pessada and Metaxata, Keramies also links roads with Travliatata.
The village is divided (locally by the residents) into the upper village (ανωχώρι), where the great shipowner family Lykiardopoulos (Λυκιαρδπουλος) lived, and the lower village (κατοχώρι), home to another great shipowning family of Vallianos (Βαλλιάνος). The Vallianos family is considered a great benefactor of Greece as a result of their donations made to the country, and particularly for the funding of the building of the National Library of Greece in Athens (1888 - 1903) received from the three brothers Andreas, Panagis and Marinos. It is rumoured that this money was given in order to seek forgiveness from the Queen for their clandestine imports of Russian gold to Greece. The village as well as almost the entire island (excluding the Fiskardo area) was struck by the 1953 Ionian Earthquake that shook and destroyed every building in the village, and caused emigration to other parts of Greece and the world. Buildings were being rebuilt years later, up to near the late-1950s. The population recovered between the 1980s and the 2000s. Tourism and hotels are now its main industry but agriculture still maintains its importance.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1981 | 141 |
| 1991 | 202 |
| 2001 | 374 |
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