Thesprotia
Encyclopedia
Thesprotia is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the Epirus
region. Its capital is the town of Igoumenitsa
. It is named after the Thesprotians
, an ancient Greek tribe that inhabited the region in antiquity.
rule until 1913, when it was annnexed by the Greek state after the First Balkan War
. Until 1937, when the separate prefecture of Thesprotia was established, the area was part of the Ioannina Prefecture
.
to the north, the regional unit of Ioannina to the east and Preveza to the south. The Ionian Sea
lies to the west. Much of the prefecture is mountainous. Most farmland is located in the valleys in the central, southern and the western part. Two of Thesprotia's rivers are legendary: the Thyamis and the Acheron
of Greek mythology, lined with reedbeds and plane trees.
Thesprotia's coastal climate is Mediterranean. Cold winters of a semi-alpine climate dominate the eastern part and higher elevations.
in 1937 . As a part of the 2011 Kallikratis government reform, the regional unit Thesprotia was created out of the former prefecture Thesprotia. The prefecture had the same territory as the present regional unit. At the same time, the municipalities were reorganised, according to the table below.
Note: Provinces no longer hold any legal status in Greece
.
. The main economical activities are agriculture and tourism, with agriculture as historically the main economical activity.
The main tourist attractions of the region are its numerous beaches, particularly the resort of Syvota
. Other tourist attractions are the remains of ancient cities such as Gitani.
. The road, which links the Ionian
coast to Thessaloniki
, was fully paved by the early 2000s and opened to traffic in 2009. Other important roads in Thesprotia include the GR-19 and GR-6
.
In 2009, construction began for a new highway that will connect Igoumenitsa
and Saranda, passing by Sagiada
and Konispol
.
The port of Igoumenitsa serves ferry routes to the islands of Corfu and Paxoi (includes Antipaxoi), as well as Italy.
Epirus (region)
Epirus is a geographical and historical region in southeastern Europe, shared between Greece and Albania. It lies between the Pindus Mountains and the Ionian Sea, stretching from the Bay of Vlorë in the north to the Ambracian Gulf in the south...
region. Its capital is the town of Igoumenitsa
Igoumenitsa
Igoumenitsa , is a coastal city in northwestern Greece. It is the capital of the regional unit Thesprotia. Its original ancient name used to be Titani....
. It is named after the Thesprotians
Thesprotians
The Thesprotians were an ancient Greek tribe of Thesprotis, Epirus, akin to the Molossians. The poet Homer frequently mentions Thesprotia which had friendly relations with Ithaca and Doulichi. On their northeast frontier they had the Chaonians and to the north the kingdom of the Molossians...
, an ancient Greek tribe that inhabited the region in antiquity.
History
The territory of Thesprotia remained under OttomanOttoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
rule until 1913, when it was annnexed by the Greek state after the First Balkan War
First Balkan War
The First Balkan War, which lasted from October 1912 to May 1913, pitted the Balkan League against the Ottoman Empire. The combined armies of the Balkan states overcame the numerically inferior and strategically disadvantaged Ottoman armies and achieved rapid success...
. Until 1937, when the separate prefecture of Thesprotia was established, the area was part of the Ioannina Prefecture
Ioannina Prefecture
Ioannina is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the Epirus region. Its capital is the city of Ioannina. It is the largest regional unit in Epirus, and one of the largest regional units of Greece.-Geography:...
.
Geography and climate
Thesprotia borders AlbaniaAlbania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
to the north, the regional unit of Ioannina to the east and Preveza to the south. The Ionian Sea
Ionian Sea
The Ionian Sea , is an arm of the Mediterranean Sea, south of the Adriatic Sea. It is bounded by southern Italy including Calabria, Sicily and the Salento peninsula to the west, southern Albania to the north, and a large number of Greek islands, including Corfu, Zante, Kephalonia, Ithaka, and...
lies to the west. Much of the prefecture is mountainous. Most farmland is located in the valleys in the central, southern and the western part. Two of Thesprotia's rivers are legendary: the Thyamis and the Acheron
Acheron
The Acheron is a river located in the Epirus region of northwest Greece. It flows into the Ionian Sea in Ammoudia, near Parga.-In mythology:...
of Greek mythology, lined with reedbeds and plane trees.
Thesprotia's coastal climate is Mediterranean. Cold winters of a semi-alpine climate dominate the eastern part and higher elevations.
Administration
The regional unit Thesprotia is subdivided into 4 municipalities. These are (number as in the map in the infobox):- FiliatesFiliatesFiliates is a town and a municipality in Thesprotia, Greece. It is located in the northernmost part of the prefecture, bordering western Ioannina Prefecture and southern Albania.-Municipality:...
(3) - IgoumenitsaIgoumenitsaIgoumenitsa , is a coastal city in northwestern Greece. It is the capital of the regional unit Thesprotia. Its original ancient name used to be Titani....
(1) - SouliSouliSouli is a municipality in Epirus, northwestern Greece. It was originally settled by both Greek and Albanian refugees who were hunted by the Ottomans in Thesprotia, Greece and Laberia, Albania. In early modern times, it was inhabited by about 12,000 Souliotes. After their expulsion the population...
(2)
Prefecture
Thesprotia was established as a prefecturePrefectures of Greece
During the first administrative division of independent Greece in 1833–1836 and then again from 1845 until their abolition with the Kallikratis reform in 2010, the prefectures were the country's main administrative unit...
in 1937 . As a part of the 2011 Kallikratis government reform, the regional unit Thesprotia was created out of the former prefecture Thesprotia. The prefecture had the same territory as the present regional unit. At the same time, the municipalities were reorganised, according to the table below.
| New municipality | Old municipalities | Seat |
|---|---|---|
| Filiates Filiates Filiates is a town and a municipality in Thesprotia, Greece. It is located in the northernmost part of the prefecture, bordering western Ioannina Prefecture and southern Albania.-Municipality:... |
Filiates Filiates Filiates is a town and a municipality in Thesprotia, Greece. It is located in the northernmost part of the prefecture, bordering western Ioannina Prefecture and southern Albania.-Municipality:... |
Filiates |
| Sagiada Sagiada Sagiada is a village and a former municipality in Thesprotia, Epirus, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Filiates, of which it is a municipal unit. Its 2001 population was 897 for the village and 2,160 for the municipality. The seat of the municipality... |
||
| Igoumenitsa Igoumenitsa Igoumenitsa , is a coastal city in northwestern Greece. It is the capital of the regional unit Thesprotia. Its original ancient name used to be Titani.... |
Igoumenitsa Igoumenitsa Igoumenitsa , is a coastal city in northwestern Greece. It is the capital of the regional unit Thesprotia. Its original ancient name used to be Titani.... |
Igoumenitsa |
| Margariti Margariti Margariti is a village and a former municipality in Thesprotia, Epirus, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Igoumenitsa, of which it is a municipal unit. Population 3,032 .-History:... |
||
| Parapotamos Parapotamos Parapotamos is a village and a former municipality in Thesprotia, Epirus, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Igoumenitsa, of which it is a municipal unit. Population 1,668 . The village of Parapotamos, the former municipality's seat, was home to Cham... |
||
| Perdika Perdika Perdika is a village and a former community in Thesprotia, Epirus, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Igoumenitsa, of which it is a municipal unit. Population 2,272 .... |
||
| Syvota Syvota Syvota , formerly Mourtos til 1953, is a village and a former municipality in Thesprotia, Epirus, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Igoumenitsa, of which it is a municipal unit. Population 3,010... |
||
| Souli Souli Souli is a municipality in Epirus, northwestern Greece. It was originally settled by both Greek and Albanian refugees who were hunted by the Ottomans in Thesprotia, Greece and Laberia, Albania. In early modern times, it was inhabited by about 12,000 Souliotes. After their expulsion the population... |
Souli Souli Souli is a municipality in Epirus, northwestern Greece. It was originally settled by both Greek and Albanian refugees who were hunted by the Ottomans in Thesprotia, Greece and Laberia, Albania. In early modern times, it was inhabited by about 12,000 Souliotes. After their expulsion the population... |
Paramythia |
| Acherontas Acherontas Acherontas is a former municipality in Thesprotia, Epirus, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Souli, of which it is a municipal unit. It was named after the river Acheron. Population 2,344 . The seat of the municipality was in Gardiki Souli.... |
||
| Paramythia Paramythia Paramythia is a village and a former municipality in Thesprotia, Epirus, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Souli, of which it is the seat and a municipal unit. Population 7,859 .-Name:... |
Provinces
- Province of Thyamida - Igoumenitsa
- Province of FiliatesFiliatesFiliates is a town and a municipality in Thesprotia, Greece. It is located in the northernmost part of the prefecture, bordering western Ioannina Prefecture and southern Albania.-Municipality:...
- Filiates - Province of MargaritiMargaritiMargariti is a village and a former municipality in Thesprotia, Epirus, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Igoumenitsa, of which it is a municipal unit. Population 3,032 .-History:...
- Margariti - Province of SouliSouliSouli is a municipality in Epirus, northwestern Greece. It was originally settled by both Greek and Albanian refugees who were hunted by the Ottomans in Thesprotia, Greece and Laberia, Albania. In early modern times, it was inhabited by about 12,000 Souliotes. After their expulsion the population...
- Paramythia
Note: Provinces no longer hold any legal status in Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
.
Economy
Thesprotia is traditionally one of the poorest and most remote prefectures of GreeceGreece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
. The main economical activities are agriculture and tourism, with agriculture as historically the main economical activity.
The main tourist attractions of the region are its numerous beaches, particularly the resort of Syvota
Syvota
Syvota , formerly Mourtos til 1953, is a village and a former municipality in Thesprotia, Epirus, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Igoumenitsa, of which it is a municipal unit. Population 3,010...
. Other tourist attractions are the remains of ancient cities such as Gitani.
Infrastructure
In 1996, construction began on motorway 2, officially called 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...
. The road, which links the Ionian
Ionian Sea
The Ionian Sea , is an arm of the Mediterranean Sea, south of the Adriatic Sea. It is bounded by southern Italy including Calabria, Sicily and the Salento peninsula to the west, southern Albania to the north, and a large number of Greek islands, including Corfu, Zante, Kephalonia, Ithaka, and...
coast to Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki , historically also known as Thessalonica, Salonika or Salonica, is the second-largest city in Greece and the capital of the region of Central Macedonia as well as the capital of the Decentralized Administration of Macedonia and Thrace...
, was fully paved by the early 2000s and opened to traffic in 2009. Other important roads in Thesprotia include the GR-19 and GR-6
Greek National Road 6
Greek National Road 6 is a highway in north-central Greece. It begins at the port of Igoumenitsa and ends at Larissa. Part of the new road is run under the name Egnatia Odos from Igoumenitsa to east of the tunnel at Metsovo. It has junctions of GR-19GR-5/20/E55, GR-15, GR-30 and finally at...
.
In 2009, construction began for a new highway that will connect Igoumenitsa
Igoumenitsa
Igoumenitsa , is a coastal city in northwestern Greece. It is the capital of the regional unit Thesprotia. Its original ancient name used to be Titani....
and Saranda, passing by Sagiada
Sagiada
Sagiada is a village and a former municipality in Thesprotia, Epirus, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Filiates, of which it is a municipal unit. Its 2001 population was 897 for the village and 2,160 for the municipality. The seat of the municipality...
and Konispol
Konispol
Konispol is the southernmost town in Albania. It sits one kilometer away from the Albanian-Greek border. The municipality consists of the town Konispol and the village Çiflik.The town's main interests are agriculture and viticulture...
.
The port of Igoumenitsa serves ferry routes to the islands of Corfu and Paxoi (includes Antipaxoi), as well as Italy.
External links
- La Toile: Cooperation Network for European Culture: Thesprotia
- HiT.gr - Thesprotia - Lots of photos and historical information about the prefecture of Thesprotia
- Paramythia of Thesprotia - The historical city of Paramythia