Iliochori

Iliochori Ηλιοχώρι
Settlement
Country	Greece
Administrative region	Epirus
Time zone	UTC+2 (EET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+3 (EEST)
Postal code	GR-440 10
Area code(s)	+11+30-26530

Iliochori (Greek: Ηλιοχώρι, "Village of the Sun"), is one of the Zagori villages of Greece. It is located in the municipality of Tymfi in the northern part of the Ioannina prefecture. It is also known as Dobrinovo, that is a Bulgarian name . According to a local legend, the village was first founded as Rasciana, located on the river of the same name; that site, however, was abandoned because of a lack of drinking water, and the inhabitants scattered to found Iliochori and the nearby town of Laista. Iliochori was traditionally an agricultural village, with husbandry and cultivation of barley and vetch being among its primary areas of economic activity. Viticulture was also prominent, and the village produced a wine, Dobrovino, that gave it its original name. Caravans leaving from Iliochori carried products from the region to the Balkans for trade. The town suffered severe damage in both World War II and the Greek Civil War, and lost a large portion of its population during the 1940s as a result.

History

According to the legend the village be constructed in locality "Rasciana`" in the vicinity of the homonym river. But because of the lack of drinking water, the inhabitants constructed the new village of Iliochori where it still stands to this day. But not all the inhabitants moved to Iliochori; some of them settled to Laista that was then called called Lisinitza. From 1463 until 1912, Iliochori was under the dominion of the Turks, that had granted to all the villages of Zagoria a governmental autonomy with the payment of taxes. The town has rich the maximum development between 1870 and 1900. In 1916, the population was devastated by Asian flu. The inhabitants of Iliochori lived of breeding of sheep, cows, of agriculture, cultivating grain, barley and vetch. They dedicated great cures also to the viticulture, producing a good wine (the name of the Dobrinovo village derives from the good wine that was produced). But they were also of the traders, in spring left in caravan with mules and horses, carrying of the goods that they above all sold in the countries of the Balkans, where many had constructed true and own economic fortunes. They come back to Iliochori at the end of autumn to spend the winter with the own families.

In the winter months, the shepherds dedicated to the handicraft, forming itinerant corporations of masons and sculptors in wood that traveling for the Balkans selling their goods. Until 1914, there was the school of the chassis situated over the road of the currently city hall where the girls learned to weave. The building belonged to the Gianussi family that had donated it to the city council; beyond to the webbing school there were the elementary school, the primary and secondary schools that were located in the same building. In these schools there were female teachers for the girls and male teachers for the boys. In 1912, the building was burnt and in 1924 a reconstruction effort was initiated, which led to the completion of the building 1927; first owner was Papasisis. After 1920, the houses inhabited were 160, during the Second World War the Germans arrived to Iliochori in 1943 and burned many houses. In 1926, the town changed its name from Dobrinovo to Iliochori which means "Town of the Sun" in Greek. In 1944, another battalion of Germans entered the town without damaging any property. The town has endured large damages during the Greek Civil War from 1946 to 1949 and many inhabitants emigrated.

Till World War II, most Iliochorcians used to emigrate mainly to Thessaly. Outside Greece, Iliochorians used to emigrate to Bulgaria, Wallachia and the U.S.

Local main events

'20 July: (Prophet Elia)' This holiday was in honour of the Prophet Elia of the Patron Saint of Iliochori. Is an holiday religion and folk-lore, in fact the women of the town few days before they go to the church situated in front of the town, to prepare it suitably for the holiday's day. The folklore holiday, start the evening of the 19 July. At the center of the square the Iliochoriti start the traditional dances of the Epirus, and in particularly (peculiar) of the region of Zagori, with the music of the orchestra. The morning of 20 July happens the religion's holiday: The faithfully cover by walking the road that from the town brings to the church of the prophet Elia: at the end of the function; they go to the houses of the people that celebrate the name day for the wishes. Always the same evening on the main square of the town there are again the traditional dances until the first lights of the morning. This holiday is occasion of many people urinary of this place but they live fairway, to go back to Iliochori. The holiday attracts even to many visitors from the towns; eager to teast typical dishes and wines of the region of Zagori.

Location and climate

The village is located in the municipality of Tymfi in the northern part of the Ioannina prefecture at 71 km from Ioannina, after the locality Gyftokambos, built on a steep slope between a very tall trees in a green area with lots of running water and stone bridges.

Transportation

The village of Iliochori is connected from Ioannina by the transit communications company KTEL (Greece), that is prequently operate and also from the other main greek cities like Athens and Thessaloniki with the Via Egnatia highway passes by Ioannina. The closer airport is the Ioannina National Airport going out from Ioannina in direction of Coniza after 19 km; on the right we can find the cross-roads that after 50 km will bring at the town of Iliochori.

Tourism

• From Iliochori, following the path builded by the Iliochorites (habitants of Iliochori), after 2 km in locality "Balta Stringa" you can admire 3 big waterfall the big one is hight 25 m. In october 2009 the ITV Ioannina, one of the television of Ioannina has shot a documentary about this main attraction and in the village.
• In locality Gyftocambos, every year, on the first weekend of August the descendants of the ancient tribe of Sarachazani, great breeders, meet up for a great festivity that begins on friday afternoon. They come from all Greece and other nations of the Balkans like Romania, Bulgaria etc. On their arrival they set up the tents and light large bonfires for the preparation of the roasts and in order to warm themself because at night temperature goes down.

Other

Iliochori also has a small school and a small post office.

External links

• iliochori.com Web Site of Iliochori (English, Italian)
• iliochori.eu Web Site of Iliochori (Greek)
• Iliochori Pictures of Iliochori
• Iliochori Picture of Iliochori
• Panoramic photos 360° of Iliochori (Greek)