Mesopotamia, Greece
Encyclopedia
Mesopotamia is a former municipality
in Kastoria peripheral unit, West Macedonia
, Greece
. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Kastoria
, of which it is a municipal unit. population 4,100 (2001).
The municipality was also known as Aliakmonas, named after the river Aliakmonas. The town of Mesopotamia was the seat of the municipality of Aliakmonas.
. The oldest church is the church of St.Constantine and St.Helen which contains the village cemetery, and the church of Saint Demetrios. The chapel of St. George is a few kilometers outside of the village.
Mesopotamia is also the seat of Greek Macedonian culture. For centuries before the Pontians populated the village, there were Slavic Macedonians that founded Mesopotamia who spoke the local dialect
of Macedonian Slavic. There is a Macedonian cultural center that teaches Macedonian traditional dance and music utilizing traditional brass and woodwind instruments. The Pontian Greeks were brought to the village in the early 20th century during the population exchange with Turkey.
There is a Pontian Greek Cultural Center as well. This center supports and preserves the Pontian culture. It holds annual ceremonies on May 19, a day of remembrance for Pontic Greeks, at the Forest of Mesopotamia near the Aliakmon River. It maintains an active and growing dance group were people can go to learn Pontian dance. In addition, people can also learn how to play traditional Pontian musical instruments like the Pontian lyra, zourna, and tulum at the center. Finally, the town also has bars and nightclubs.
highway.
Communities and Municipalities of Greece
For the new municipalities of Greece see the Kallikratis ProgrammeThe municipalities and communities of Greece are one of several levels of government within the organizational structure of that country. Thirteen regions called peripheries form the largest unit of government beneath the State. ...
in Kastoria peripheral unit, West Macedonia
West Macedonia
West Macedonia is one of the thirteen regions of Greece, consisting of the western part of Greek Macedonia. It is divided into the regional units of Florina, Grevena, Kastoria, and Kozani.-Geography:...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Kastoria
Kastoria
Kastoria is a city in northern Greece in the periphery of West Macedonia. It is the capital of Kastoria peripheral unit. It is situated on a promontory on the western shore of Lake Orestiada, in a valley surrounded by limestone mountains...
, of which it is a municipal unit. population 4,100 (2001).
The municipality was also known as Aliakmonas, named after the river Aliakmonas. The town of Mesopotamia was the seat of the municipality of Aliakmonas.
Sights
Mesopotamia has three Byzantine style churches. The most recent and largest is that of the cathedral of St. Peter and St. PaulPaul of Tarsus
Paul the Apostle , also known as Saul of Tarsus, is described in the Christian New Testament as one of the most influential early Christian missionaries, with the writings ascribed to him by the church forming a considerable portion of the New Testament...
. The oldest church is the church of St.Constantine and St.Helen which contains the village cemetery, and the church of Saint Demetrios. The chapel of St. George is a few kilometers outside of the village.
Mesopotamia is also the seat of Greek Macedonian culture. For centuries before the Pontians populated the village, there were Slavic Macedonians that founded Mesopotamia who spoke the local dialect
Kostur dialect
The Kostur dialect , is a member of the South-Western subgroup of the Southern group of dialects of the Macedonian language. This dialect is mainly spoken in and around the town of Kastoria, known locally in Macedonian as Kostur, and in the surrounding Korešta region which encompasses most of the...
of Macedonian Slavic. There is a Macedonian cultural center that teaches Macedonian traditional dance and music utilizing traditional brass and woodwind instruments. The Pontian Greeks were brought to the village in the early 20th century during the population exchange with Turkey.
There is a Pontian Greek Cultural Center as well. This center supports and preserves the Pontian culture. It holds annual ceremonies on May 19, a day of remembrance for Pontic Greeks, at the Forest of Mesopotamia near the Aliakmon River. It maintains an active and growing dance group were people can go to learn Pontian dance. In addition, people can also learn how to play traditional Pontian musical instruments like the Pontian lyra, zourna, and tulum at the center. Finally, the town also has bars and nightclubs.
Economy
Mesopotamia is a rural residential community. Its economy is entirely dependent on the agriculture of wheat. It also houses small private fur industry that is outsourced from the major fur traders of Kastoria. As the seat of the Aliakmonas municipality, Mesopotamia contains the Aliakmonas Municipal Building. It also contains a pharmacy, and a supermarket. The community of Mesopotamia has recently been linked to a branch of Northern Greece's brand new Egnatia OdosEgnatia Odos (modern road)
Egnatia Odos is the Greek part of the European route. It is a motorway in Greece that extends from the western port of Igoumenitsa to the eastern Greek–Turkish border at Kipoi. It runs a total of...
highway.
