Karpenisi

Karpenisi
Καρπενήσι

View of Karpenisi
Karpenisi

Coordinates: 38°55′N 21°47′E / 38.917°N 21.783°ECoordinates: 38°55′N 21°47′E / 38.917°N 21.783°E
Country Greece
Administrative region Central Greece
Regional unit Evrytania
Government
 • Mayor Nikos Souliotis
Area
 • Municipality 924.1 km2 (356.8 sq mi)
 • Municipal unit 250.9 km2 (96.9 sq mi)
Elevation 960 m (3,150 ft)
Population (2011)[1]
 • Municipality 13,105
 • Municipality density 14/km2 (37/sq mi)
 • Municipal unit 8,575
 • Municipal unit density 34/km2 (89/sq mi)
Time zone EET (UTC+2)
 • Summer (DST) EEST (UTC+3)
Postal code 361 00
Area code(s) 22370
Vehicle registration ΚΗ
Website www.karpenissi.gr

Karpenisi (Greek: Καρπενήσι) is a town in central Greece. It is the capital of the regional unit of Evrytania. Karpenisi is situated in the valley of the river Karpenisiotis (Καρπενησιώτης), a tributary of the Megdovas, in the southern part of the Pindus Mountains. Mount Tymfristos (2,315 m elevation) lies directly to the north of the town, and the foothills of mount Kaliakouda are in the south. Karpenisi has a ski resort and is a popular destination, especially during winter. It is called Switzerland of Greece for the resemblance with the mountainous country and its beauty, atypical for a Mediterranean place.[2]

History

Antiquity

According to Homer, the first known inhabitants of northern Evrytania -Karpenisi- were the Dolopes, who took part in the campaign against Troy around 1100 BC. The ancient capital of the area was Oihalia, situated close to the city of Karpenisi. Ancient Evritanians especially honored Diana, the goddess of hunting and Ulysses for his ability to be cunning and inventive.There are two possible explanations for the origin of the name "Evrytania". The first is that is formed from the Greek word "ev" for "well" and the verb "hreo", for "flow" so that altogether the word "Evrytania" means the place where there is plenty of fresh and "well flown" water. The second explanation for the names origins, comes from the verb "evrio", meaning "stretching the cord of the bow", hence the name of the first king of the area, Evritos, who was an excellent archer.

Roman and Byzantine era

Further information: Roman Greece and Byzantine Greece

In the Roman period, the area became better known, especially after the battle between the Roman and the Aetolian League (Greek) armies, in the location of "Kokalia", which ended in favour of the former. During the Byzantine times, the people of Evritania had the rare privileges of self-government and tax exemption. For this reason the northern part of the district was also called "Agrafa" (unwritten), because the residents were not listed in the Imperial tax registers.

Ottoman era

During the Ottoman rule of Greece, this area remained relatively free, especially the very remote areas in the mountains. For this reason, the population of the villages grew. During the 18th century a famous school was created here by Evgenios Yannoulis the Aetolian, a school which had a great contribution in awakening the ethnic consciousness of the nation. The Turks and Albanians raid the territory many times. However one of the turning points, at the historic site of Kefalovrisso, on the night of 8 August 1823, was when General Markos Botsaris was killed by the Turkish army sent by the Sultan to stop the Greek Rebellion. The Greek troops won the battle and, although the great shock from the death of the hero at first, the soldiers were to fight more bravely from then after.

Second World War

During the Second World War, when German and Italian troops occupied the country, the "Government" was established in the village of Viniani during the Spring of 1944 and it proclaimed elections for a National Council. This Committee was convoked at Korischades, in the school building in 1944 with representatives from all over the country, and made substantial decisions about the Resistance war. These mountains became the stronghold of the Greek freedom fighters (Hellenic Liberation Army – EL.A.S.) against the German occupation during World War II. Through its history, due to warfare, Karpenisi has been ruined and rebuilt many times; the last act of destruction was carried out by Wehrmacht General Hartwig von Ludwiger in 1944 in an effort to annihilate a supposed center of Communist resistance.

Modern Karpenisi

View of Karpenisi

This in an unremarkable market town in the middle of Roumeli, notable less for its own merits than for what's around it. The chief attraction, in fact, is the Karpenisi Ski Centre eight miles out of town on Mount Velouhi, perched nearly 6,000 feet above sea level at a spot called Diavolotopos – literally, Devil's place. This centre has ten pistes, seven ski lifts, the requisite number of restaurants and first aid facilities, and a stunning view of a good part of the central Greek mountain tops that has been compared to the view from near the top of Mont Blanc.Most of Greece is arid and dry but in Karpenisi there is much greenery and forestation. While far away from the sea and the world renowned islands of the Aegean and Ionian, Karpenisi has become an important ski center and an outdoors person's play ground. In fact during the summer it is a great place to escape the heat.

Municipality

The high school

The municipality Karpenisi was formed at the 2011 local government reform by the merger of the following 6 former municipalities, that became municipal units:[3]

Mayor of Karpenisi

Historical population

Year Municipal unit Municipality
1981 5,230 –
1991 8,185 –
2001 9,390 –
2011 8,575 13,105

Sister cities

Notable people

Zacharias Papantoniou

Facts in Karpenisi

References

  1. ↑ "Detailed census results 2011" (in Greek).
  2. ↑ Dana Facaros; Linda Theodorou (2003). Greece. New Holland Publishers. p. 382. ISBN 978-1-86011-898-2.
  3. ↑ Kallikratis law Greece Ministry of Interior (Greek)
  4. ↑ "Karpenisi, Greece". Retrieved 7 October 2010.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Karpenisi.