Koumani

Koumani or Koumanis (Greek: Κούμανι), older forms: -o and -on is a village near Andritsaina, its 2001 population was 101 for the village and is ranked 2th in the municipality and is ranked before Nemouta and after Lalas. Koumani is built at 600 m above sea level. Its climate is cool during the summer and wet during the winter. Koumani is connected with the road linking Panopoulo along with the GR-33 (Patras - Tripoli), the 111 and Olympia together with the old and the new GR-74 (Tripoli - Olympia - Pyrgos).

ubdivisions

*Ai Giannakis, also Ai Yiannakis or Ai Yannakis (Άι Γιαννάκης) [2001 pop: 13]
*Kastania

Nearest places

*Antroni, west

Location

Koumani is located 50 km from Pyrgos, 70 km south of Patras and 90 km west-northwest of Tripoli.

Population

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Geography

Matesi is situated on a mountain slope, much of the area are forested, farmlands are founded within most of the valley areas and within the village. The Foloi Mountains dominate the southern portion and its municipal boundary with Lasiona lies a few kilometres to the northwest.

Information

Koumani has approximately 10 km of paved roads and 10 km of gravel roads. Theisoa also has approximately 10 km of hydro lines as well as phone lines.

It is located in a forested area, the field of Foloi (famous in the ancient times from the Centaur Pholos) which covers spruce forests, founded in a rocky mountain, around the area features large ravine which has two wivers, Gkoura (Γκούρα) and Koumaneiko (Κουμανέικο).

The village had a large development between the Turkish rule until the 1950s. Its residents knew the area with all of the games of their fathers. In 1821, it had that myth in the Greek Revolution of its residents in which still and in the todays areas says in a phrase. This and the only which taught from the revolution by its inhabitants. During the war of independence, Greeks brought in 100 men from Lalas, many fighter combatants fled. It had only 8 men and roughly battled, it battled until all of them fell. Even the battle had no victory, Koumani later ended its Ottoman rule and did not count the villagers which also battled. Koumani during World War II brought to their relatives with new men.

In recent years, it had a downfall in population and its residents moved to larger towns and cities as well as other developed countries. The population fell to only 300 today. The villages are visited during the summer months.

After World War II and the Greek Civil War, much of the population left for larger towns and cities especially Patras and started its population trend to fall. The population remained steady since the mid to late 20th century. Houses were stone-built until the 1950s and did not surpass modern-style homes until the 1980s. It was linked with pavement in the 1980s. The fall ended when the population exploded from 97 to 200 not enough to recover to 254 and returned to over 200 since the 1950s. The restoration of the village's population lasted briefly, it plummeted below again to a lower 44 and the population recovery was not to be seen in the village.

The village escaped those fires in 2007. Flames on Monday August 27 and Tuesday August 28 did not reach the area and no harm had been done to the village especially on the other side of the Foloi ranges or with another fire 15 km north in the south of Tritaia.

Economy

Its residents live off in agriculture and many of these are art workers and hotel services.

Persons

*Panagiotis Vourloumis (1867-1950), a politician

Other

Koumani has a school, a lyceum (middle school), a church, and a square ("plateia"). Its nearest gymnasium (secondary school) and banks are in Andritsaina and its nearby hospital is in Pyrgos.

ee also

*List of places in the Elis prefecture

External links

* [http://www.antroni.gr/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=40&Itemid=72 The Koumani Homepage]