Iliochori

Iliochori (Greek: Ηλιοχώρι, Ancient/Katharevousa: -ον - alternate names/ spellings: Iliochóri, Iliochorion, Iliokhorion, Iliokhóri, Ilokhori,), meaning "Town of the Sun", is a village located in the municipality of Tymfi in the northcentral part of the Ioannina prefecture. Until 1926, it was known as Dobrinovo. According to a local legend, the town was first founded as "Rasciana", located on the river of the same name; that site, however, was abandoned because of a lack of drinking water, and the inhabitants scattered to found Iliochori and the nearby town of Laista.Fact|date=February 2007 Iliochori was traditionally an agricultural town, with husbandry and cultivation of barley and vetch being among its primary areas of economic activity. Viticulture was also prominent, and the town produced a wine, Dobrovino, that gave it its original name. Caravans leaving from Iliochori carried products from the region to the Balkans for trade. The town suffered severe damage in both World War II and the Greek Civil War, and lost a large portion of its population during the 1940s as a result.

History

According to the legend the town be constructed in locality "Rasciana`" in the vicinity of the homonym river. But because of the lack of drinking water, the inhabitants constructed the new town of Iliochori where it still stands to this day. But not all the inhabitants moved to Iliochori; some of them settled to Laista (the town that tos be distant 14 km) that was then called called Lisinitza. From 1463 until 1912, Iliochori was under the dominion of the Turks, that had granted to all the towns of Zagoria a governmental autonomy with the payment of taxes. The town has rich the maximum development between 1870 and 1900. In 1916, the population was devastated by Asian flu. The inhabitants of Iliochori lived of breeding of sheep, cows, of agriculture, cultivating grain, barley and vetch. They dedicated great cures also to the viticulture, producing a good wine (the name of the Dobrinovo town derives from the good wine that was produced). But they were also of the traders, in spring left in caravan with mules and horses, carrying of the goods that they above all sold in the countries of the Balkans, where many had constructed true and own economic fortunes. They come back to Iliochori at the end of autumn to spend the winter with the own families.In the winter months the shepherds dedicated to the handicraft, forming itinerant corporations of masons and sculptors in wood that traveling for the Balkans selling their goods. Until 1914, there was the school of the chassis situated over the road of the currently city hall where the girls learned to weave. The building belonged to the Gianussi family that had donated it to the city council; beyond to the webbing school there were the elementary school, the primary and secondary schools that were found in the same building. In these schools there were teachers females for the girls and teachers males for the boys. In 1912, the building was burnt and in 1924 a reconstruction effort was initiated, which led to the completion of the building 1927; first owner was Papasisis. After 1920, the houses inhabited were 160, during the Second World War the Germans arrived to Iliochori in 1943 and burned many houses. In 1926, the town changed its name from Dobrinovo to Iliochori which means "Town of the Sun" in Greek. In 1944, another battalion of Germans entered the town without damaging any property. The town has endured large damages during the Greek Civil War from 1946 to 1949 and many inhabitants emigrated.

Local main events

'20 July: (Prophet Elia)' This holiday was in honour of the Prophet Elia of the Patron Saint of Iliochori. Is an holiday religion and folk-lore, in fact the women of the town few days before they go to the church situated in front of the town, to prepare it suitably for the holiday's day.The folklore holiday, start the evening of the 19 July. At the center of the square the Iliochoriti start the traditional dances of the Epirus, and in particularly (peculiar) of the region of Zagori, with the music of the orchestra ( Ta organa ).The morning of 20 July happens the religion's holiday: The faithfully cover by walking the road that from the town brings to the church of the prophet Elia: at the end of the function; they go to the houses of the people that celebrate the name day for the wishes. Always the same evening on the main square of the town there are again the traditional dances until the first lights of the morning. This holiday is occasion of many people urinary of this place but they live fairway, to go back to Iliochori. The holiday attracts even to many visitors from the towns; eager to teast typical dishes and wines of the region of Zagori.

Other

Iliochori has a small school, a church, a small post office, and a small square ("plateia").

Historical population

External links

* [http://www.iliochori.com iliochori.com] Web Site of Iliochori
* [http://www.summitpost.org/album/243044/iliochori.html Iliochori] Pictures of Iliochori
* [http://www.panoramio.com/photo/1959347 Iliochori] Picture of Iliochori
* [http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?tb=1&city=Iliohori&country=GR Mapquest - Iliochori]