Tzanata
Encyclopedia
Tzanata is a village in the Eleios-Pronnoi
municipal unit in the southeast of Kefalonia
, one of the Ionian Islands
of Greece
. It sits at the junction of the roads to Argostoli
(36 km W), Sami (25 km N) and Poros
(4 km E).
Along with the neighbouring villages of Agia Eirini and Kabitsata, it is situated in a fertile plain between the hill villages of Agios Giorgios and Pastra (W), Agios Nikolaos (N) and the port of Poros
(E).
The village has a small school, community centre and community clinic; a sports stadium to serve the local area is slowly being completed. A mineral water spring (vrysi) fed from the ‘bottomless’ Avithos lake at Agios Nikolaos feeds a fountain in the plane tree
sheltered plateia
(square) where the village festivals, served by souvlaki
stalls and the adjacent taverna
, are held in the summer months. Water from the surrounding mountains also feeds two reservoirs just outside the village, one completed in 2005 to feed the burgeoning summer demands of nearby Skala
.
In 1991 archaeologist Lazaros Kolonas, excavating in the Broutzi area of Tzanata, discovered a tholos (beehive) tomb from the Mycenaean period measuring 6.80 meters in diameter. Despite a claim that it's the burial place of Odysseus
it is generally believed to be the tomb of later royalty, circa 1400 BC. Nevertheless, it is the most important historical find on Kefalonia (or Ithaca
) to date. The site is signposted from the Tzanata-Poros road.
As the road to Poros enters the impressive Poros gorge there is a rough vehicular track leading 4.5 km up to the oldest monastery, and oldest surviving building, on Kefalonia, the Atros Monastery.
– Poros
bus.
Car and motorcycle/scooter hire available in Poros
Eleios-Pronnoi
Eleios-Pronnoi is a former municipality on the island of Kefalonia, Ionian Islands, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Kefalonia, of which it is a municipal unit. Population 3,840 . The seat of the municipality was in Pastra . The municipal unit contains...
municipal unit in the southeast of Kefalonia
Kefalonia
The island of Cephalonia, also known as Kefalonia, Cephallenia, Cephallonia, Kefallinia, or Kefallonia , is the largest of the Ionian Islands in western Greece, with an area of . It is also a separate regional unit of the Ionian Islands region, and the only municipality of the regional unit...
, one of the Ionian Islands
Ionian Islands
The Ionian Islands are a group of islands in Greece. They are traditionally called the Heptanese, i.e...
of Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
. It sits at the junction of the roads to Argostoli
Argostoli
Argostoli is a town and a former municipality on the island of Kefalonia, Ionian Islands, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Kefalonia, of which it is a municipal unit...
(36 km W), Sami (25 km N) and Poros
Poros (Kefalonia), Greece
Poros , is a picturesque small town located in the municipal unit of Eleios-Pronnoi, some 40 km SE of Argostoli, 28 km SE of Sami and 12 km NE of Skala, in the southeast of Cephalonia, one of the Ionian Islands of Greece.-Geography:...
(4 km E).
Along with the neighbouring villages of Agia Eirini and Kabitsata, it is situated in a fertile plain between the hill villages of Agios Giorgios and Pastra (W), Agios Nikolaos (N) and the port of Poros
Poros (Kefalonia), Greece
Poros , is a picturesque small town located in the municipal unit of Eleios-Pronnoi, some 40 km SE of Argostoli, 28 km SE of Sami and 12 km NE of Skala, in the southeast of Cephalonia, one of the Ionian Islands of Greece.-Geography:...
(E).
The village has a small school, community centre and community clinic; a sports stadium to serve the local area is slowly being completed. A mineral water spring (vrysi) fed from the ‘bottomless’ Avithos lake at Agios Nikolaos feeds a fountain in the plane tree
Platanus
Platanus is a small genus of trees native to the Northern Hemisphere. They are the sole living members of the family Platanaceae....
sheltered plateia
Plateia
Plateia or platia is the Greek word for town square. Most Greek and Cypriot cities have several town squares which are a point of reference in travelling and guiding...
(square) where the village festivals, served by souvlaki
Souvlaki
Souvlaki or souvlakia is a popular Greek fast food consisting of small pieces of meat and sometimes vegetables grilled on a skewer. It may be served on the skewer for eating out of hand, in a pita sandwich with garnishes and sauces, or on a dinner plate, often with fried potatoes...
stalls and the adjacent taverna
Taverna
Taverna refers to a small restaurant serving Greek cuisine, not to be confused with "tavern". The Greek word is ταβέρνα and is originally derived from the Latin word taberna...
, are held in the summer months. Water from the surrounding mountains also feeds two reservoirs just outside the village, one completed in 2005 to feed the burgeoning summer demands of nearby Skala
Skala (Kefalonia), Greece
Skala is a picturesque village located in the municipal unit of Eleios-Pronnoi, some 39 km south from the island's main town of Argostoli and 14 km SW of Poros, in the south of Cephalonia, one of the Ionian Islands of Greece....
.
In 1991 archaeologist Lazaros Kolonas, excavating in the Broutzi area of Tzanata, discovered a tholos (beehive) tomb from the Mycenaean period measuring 6.80 meters in diameter. Despite a claim that it's the burial place of Odysseus
Odysseus
Odysseus or Ulysses was a legendary Greek king of Ithaca and the hero of Homer's epic poem the Odyssey. Odysseus also plays a key role in Homer's Iliad and other works in the Epic Cycle....
it is generally believed to be the tomb of later royalty, circa 1400 BC. Nevertheless, it is the most important historical find on Kefalonia (or Ithaca
Ithaca
Ithaca or Ithaka is an island located in the Ionian Sea, in Greece, with an area of and a little more than three thousand inhabitants. It is also a separate regional unit of the Ionian Islands region, and the only municipality of the regional unit. It lies off the northeast coast of Kefalonia and...
) to date. The site is signposted from the Tzanata-Poros road.
As the road to Poros enters the impressive Poros gorge there is a rough vehicular track leading 4.5 km up to the oldest monastery, and oldest surviving building, on Kefalonia, the Atros Monastery.
Transport
Served by the fairly reliable, but infrequent, ArgostoliArgostoli
Argostoli is a town and a former municipality on the island of Kefalonia, Ionian Islands, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Kefalonia, of which it is a municipal unit...
– Poros
Poros (Kefalonia), Greece
Poros , is a picturesque small town located in the municipal unit of Eleios-Pronnoi, some 40 km SE of Argostoli, 28 km SE of Sami and 12 km NE of Skala, in the southeast of Cephalonia, one of the Ionian Islands of Greece.-Geography:...
bus.
Car and motorcycle/scooter hire available in Poros
Poros (Kefalonia), Greece
Poros , is a picturesque small town located in the municipal unit of Eleios-Pronnoi, some 40 km SE of Argostoli, 28 km SE of Sami and 12 km NE of Skala, in the southeast of Cephalonia, one of the Ionian Islands of Greece.-Geography:...
Nearest places
- Agia EiriniAgia Eirini (Kefalonia), GreeceAgia Eirini is a community located in the municipal unit of Elaios-Pronnoi in the southeastern part of the island of Cephalonia. Distances are 6 km north of Pastra and south-west of Tzanata along with Poros, and south of Sami. It is located on a road connecting Argostoli with Poros and Sami...
and Kabisata, west - PorosPoros (Kefalonia), GreecePoros , is a picturesque small town located in the municipal unit of Eleios-Pronnoi, some 40 km SE of Argostoli, 28 km SE of Sami and 12 km NE of Skala, in the southeast of Cephalonia, one of the Ionian Islands of Greece.-Geography:...
, east
Population
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1991 | 193 |
| 2001 | 174 |
External links
- Basic data on Tzanata – gtp.gr
- Kerameies on GTP Travel Pages (in English and Greek)