Neochori (Magnesia), Greece
Encyclopedia
Neochori is a village situated on the peninsula of Pilion, and belongs to the prefecture of Magnesia
, which itself forms the eastern part of Thessaly
. It was the seat of the municipality Afetes
, The village is hidden in the embrace of a vast pine forest 480 meters above sea level, and about 35 km southeast of the prefecture's capital, Volos
.
, and Klossou at the Aegean Sea
side belong to Neohori, as well as the villages on the Pagasitikos Gulf
, like the popular tourist centre Afissos (ancient port of Neohori), and the settlement of Zervohia.
A beautiful village square is situated in the centre of Neochori, adorned by the centuries old plane trees
and a roofed fountain dating from 1807. There are two tavernas and also a small kafenion. The Agios Dimitrios church below the square was constructed in 1768 and is truly remarkable. Externally, the church looks pretty simple, but the inside impresses with its wooden carved icon
screen and the wall paintings
by the Epirote painter Pagonis.
Neochori is famous for the slate of its quarries. Furthermore honey
, apples and olives are typical products of Neochori and its vicinity.
dominates the western part.
side up to the Pagasitikos Gulf
. Neohori however was built in the Middle Ages
by inhabitants of the surrounding settlements as well as by settlers from the Aegean
side and from the north of Greece.
The history of the region around Neohori is very long. It started in the ancient world; we know about the myths of Afetai, the myths of the kingdom of Lai
and reports talking about Minoan settlements, as well as settlers at Agios Dimitrios (Neohori) and Cape Klossou, which is named in many old maps as "Knossou". The historians Strabo
and Herodotus
wrote reports about Afetai.
The population had suffered an enormous loss due to an emigrating and an aging population but it recovered only by 45 inhabitants added to the census.
Magnesia Prefecture
Magnesia Prefecture was one of the prefectures of Greece. Its capital was Volos. It was established in 1899 from the Larissa Prefecture. The prefecture was disbanded on 1 January 2011 by the Kallikratis programme, and split into the peripheral units of Magnesia and the Sporades.The toponym is...
, which itself forms the eastern part of Thessaly
Thessaly
Thessaly is a traditional geographical region and an administrative region of Greece, comprising most of the ancient region of the same name. Before the Greek Dark Ages, Thessaly was known as Aeolia, and appears thus in Homer's Odyssey....
. It was the seat of the municipality Afetes
Afetes
Afetes is a village and a former municipality in Magnesia, Thessaly, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality South Pelion, of which it is a municipal unit. Population 1,838 . The seat of the municipality was in Neochori...
, The village is hidden in the embrace of a vast pine forest 480 meters above sea level, and about 35 km southeast of the prefecture's capital, Volos
Volos
Volos is a coastal port city in Thessaly situated midway on the Greek mainland, about 326 km north of Athens and 215 km south of Thessaloniki...
.
About the village
The villages of Agios Dimitrios, PlakaPlaka
Pláka is the old historical neighborhood of Athens, clustered around the northern and eastern slopes of the Acropolis, and incorporating labyrinthine streets and neoclassical architecture. Plaka is built on top of the residential areas of the ancient town of Athens...
, and Klossou at the Aegean Sea
Aegean Sea
The Aegean Sea[p] is an elongated embayment of the Mediterranean Sea located between the southern Balkan and Anatolian peninsulas, i.e., between the mainlands of Greece and Turkey. In the north, it is connected to the Marmara Sea and Black Sea by the Dardanelles and Bosporus...
side belong to Neohori, as well as the villages on the Pagasitikos Gulf
Pagasetic Gulf
The Pagasetic Gulf is a rounded gulf in the prefecture of Magnesia that is formed by the Mount Pelion peninsula. It is connected with the Euboic Sea...
, like the popular tourist centre Afissos (ancient port of Neohori), and the settlement of Zervohia.
A beautiful village square is situated in the centre of Neochori, adorned by the centuries old plane trees
Platanus
Platanus is a small genus of trees native to the Northern Hemisphere. They are the sole living members of the family Platanaceae....
and a roofed fountain dating from 1807. There are two tavernas and also a small kafenion. The Agios Dimitrios church below the square was constructed in 1768 and is truly remarkable. Externally, the church looks pretty simple, but the inside impresses with its wooden carved icon
Icon
An icon is a religious work of art, most commonly a painting, from Eastern Christianity and in certain Eastern Catholic churches...
screen and the wall paintings
Icon
An icon is a religious work of art, most commonly a painting, from Eastern Christianity and in certain Eastern Catholic churches...
by the Epirote painter Pagonis.
Neochori is famous for the slate of its quarries. Furthermore honey
Honey
Honey is a sweet food made by bees using nectar from flowers. The variety produced by honey bees is the one most commonly referred to and is the type of honey collected by beekeepers and consumed by humans...
, apples and olives are typical products of Neochori and its vicinity.
Geography
The Pelio mountains dominate the area, the valley covers the central part, and farmlands are within the village and it produces fruits, olives and vegetables. The Pagasetic GulfPagasetic Gulf
The Pagasetic Gulf is a rounded gulf in the prefecture of Magnesia that is formed by the Mount Pelion peninsula. It is connected with the Euboic Sea...
dominates the western part.
Population
| Year | Village population | Municipal district population |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | - | 911 |
| 1991 | 341 | - |
| 2001 | 386 | 789 |
History
Neochori is, like the name says, a "new" village, (neo chori = new place). In former times, the region was settled completely from the AegeanAegean Sea
The Aegean Sea[p] is an elongated embayment of the Mediterranean Sea located between the southern Balkan and Anatolian peninsulas, i.e., between the mainlands of Greece and Turkey. In the north, it is connected to the Marmara Sea and Black Sea by the Dardanelles and Bosporus...
side up to the Pagasitikos Gulf
Pagasetic Gulf
The Pagasetic Gulf is a rounded gulf in the prefecture of Magnesia that is formed by the Mount Pelion peninsula. It is connected with the Euboic Sea...
. Neohori however was built in the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
by inhabitants of the surrounding settlements as well as by settlers from the Aegean
Aegean Sea
The Aegean Sea[p] is an elongated embayment of the Mediterranean Sea located between the southern Balkan and Anatolian peninsulas, i.e., between the mainlands of Greece and Turkey. In the north, it is connected to the Marmara Sea and Black Sea by the Dardanelles and Bosporus...
side and from the north of Greece.
The history of the region around Neohori is very long. It started in the ancient world; we know about the myths of Afetai, the myths of the kingdom of Lai
Lai
A lai is a lyrical, narrative poem written in octosyllabic couplets that often deals with tales of adventure and romance.Lais were mainly composed in France and Germany, during the 13th and 14th centuries. A Provençal term for a similar kind of poem is descort.The English term lay is a...
and reports talking about Minoan settlements, as well as settlers at Agios Dimitrios (Neohori) and Cape Klossou, which is named in many old maps as "Knossou". The historians Strabo
Strabo
Strabo, also written Strabon was a Greek historian, geographer and philosopher.-Life:Strabo was born to an affluent family from Amaseia in Pontus , a city which he said was situated the approximate equivalent of 75 km from the Black Sea...
and Herodotus
Herodotus
Herodotus was an ancient Greek historian who was born in Halicarnassus, Caria and lived in the 5th century BC . He has been called the "Father of History", and was the first historian known to collect his materials systematically, test their accuracy to a certain extent and arrange them in a...
wrote reports about Afetai.
The population had suffered an enormous loss due to an emigrating and an aging population but it recovered only by 45 inhabitants added to the census.