"Konitsa - Prefecture of Ioannnina" Konitsa by StefanosS

Konitsa is sited at the north region of Ioannina prefecture, at a distance of 65 km from Ioannina. To the east are the prefectures of Kozani and Grevena and to the west the Albanian borders. Around it are the mountainous masses of Smolikas (height 2,637m), Tymfi (Gamila, height 2,497m) and Grammos (height 2,520m).

Konitsa is built amphitheatrically over ancient Konissos, on the two slopes of Trapezitsa mountain, at a height of about 600m and has a population of about 7,000 people. In front of it there is the plain of Konitsa and Kleidonia, where Sarantaporos and Voidomatis tributaries join Aoos river. Stone-made houses and paved streets follow the traditional architecture of Epirus dominating the area. There are still some remainings of Hamko's mansion, who was the mother of Ali-pasha. People of Konitsa were famous as popular technicians, stone-builders, wood-engravers and hagiographers.

The area was initially inhabited by groups of hunters, 17,000 years ago. During 12th-13th century BC the tribe of Molossi settled there. At the beginning of Peloponnesian War (431-404 BC) Molossi entered the Athenian alliance and were influenced by the Athenian civilisation. Between 323-168 BC the Common of Epirus was formed, including all tribes of Epirus, from Amvrakikos gulf to Aoos mouth. During 4th century AD invaders start ruining the place: Goths (4th century), Vandals (5th century), Avars and Slaves (6th century). In 1430 it was occupied by the Turks and Konitsa was made the capital of the area, under Ioannina authorities. During Turkish occupation Konitsa was an important commercial centre. During the 16th century Muslims from Albania settled there and 100 years later some "tekes" (Muslim dervish monasteries) were built there. Konitsa was liberated in February 1913 during the 1st Balkan War. After the Population Exchange of 1925, the last Muslim families migrated to Turkey and Greek refugees from Kapadokia took their place.

(GR) Âñßóêåôáé óôï âüñåéï Üêñï ôïõ Íïìïý Éùáííßíùí. ÁíáôïëéêÜ ôçò âñßóêïíôáé ïé Íïìïß ÊïæÜíçò êáé Ãñåâåíþí êáé äõôéêÜ ôçò ç Áëâáíßá. ÁðÝ÷åé 65 km áðü ôá ÉùÜííéíá. Ãýñù ôçò õøþíïíôáé ïé ïñåéíïß üãêïé ôïõ Óìüëéêá ìå õøüìåôñï 2,637m, ôçò Ôýìöçò (ÃêáìÞëáò) ìå õøüìåôñï 2,497m, êáé ôïõ ÃñÜììïõ ìå õøüìåôñï 2,520m.

Ç Êüíéôóá åßíáé êôéóìÝíç áìöéèåáôñéêÜ ðÜíù óôçí áñ÷áßá Êïíéóóü, óå äýï ðëáãéÝò ôïõ âïõíïý Ôñáðåæßôóá, Ý÷åé õøüìåôñï 600m ðåñßðïõ êáé ðëçèõóìü ðåñßðïõ 7,000 êáôïßêïõò. ÌðñïóôÜ ôçò áðëþíåôáé ï êÜìðïò ôçò Êüíéôóáò êáé ôçò Êëåéäùíßáò, üðïõ ï ðïôáìüò Áþïò åíþíåôáé ìå ôïõò ðáñáðüôáìïõò ÓáñáíôÜðïñï êáé ÂïúäïìÜôç. Ôá ðåôñüêôéóôá óðßôéá êáé ôá ëéèüóôñùôá êáëíôåñßìéá áðïôåëïýí äåßãìáôá ôçò ðáñáäïóéáêÞò çðåéñþôéêçò áñ÷éôåêôïíéêÞò ðïõ êõñéáñ÷åß óôçí ðåñéï÷Þ. Óþæïíôáé áêüìá ìåñéêÜ êôßóìáôá áðü ôï óåñÜé ôçò ×Üìêùò, ìçôÝñáò ôïõ ÁëÞ ÐáóÜ. Ïé Êïíéôóéþôåò äéáêñßíïíôáé óáí ëáúêïß ôå÷íßôåò, ìÜóôïñïé ôçò ðÝôñáò (Êïõäáñáßïé), îõëïãëýðôåò êáé áãéïãñÜöïé.

Ç ðåñéï÷Þ ðñùôïêáôïéêÞèçêå áðü ïìÜäåò êõíçãþí 17,000 ÷ñüíéá ðñéí. ÊáôÜ ôïí 12ï-13ï áéþíá ð× åãêáèßóôáôáé óôçí Êüíéôóá ç çðåéñùôéêÞ öõëÞ ôùí Ìïëïóóþí. Óôéò áñ÷Ýò ôïõ Ðåëïðïííçóéáêïý ÐïëÝìïõ (431-404 ð×), ïé Ìïëïóóïß óõììá÷ïýí ìå ôïõò Áèçíáßïõò, ïé ïðïßïé åéóÜãïõí óôçí ðåñéï÷Þ óôïé÷åßá ôïõ áôôéêïý ðïëéôéóìïý. Ôçí ðåñßïäï 323-168 ð× äçìéïõñãåßôáé ôï Êïéíü ôùí Çðåéñùôþí, ìéá êïéíïðñáîßá óôçí ïðïßá óõììåôÝ÷ïõí çðåéñùôéêÜ öýëá áðü ôïí Áìâñáêéêü ìÝ÷ñé ôéò åêâïëÝò ôïõ Áþïõ.

Ôïí 4ï áéþíá ì× ç ðåñéï÷Þ äÝ÷åôáé ôéò êáôáóôñïöéêÝò åðéäñïìÝò ôùí Âçóéãüôèùí. Áêïëïõèïýí ïé ÂÜíäáëïé (5ïò áéþíáò) ïé Áâáñïé êáé ïé ÓëÜâïé (6ïò áéþíáò). Ôï 1430 êáôáëáìâÜíåôáé áðü ôïõò Ôïýñêïõò, ïé ïðïßïé ìå Ýäñá ôçí Êüíéôóá äçìéïõñãïýí ôïí ïìþíõìï "ÊáæÜ" (Åðáñ÷ßá), õðáãüìåíï óôç Äéïßêçóç Éùáííßíùí. Ôïí êáéñü ôçò Ôïõñêïêñáôßáò Þôáí óçìáíôéêü åìðïñéêü êÝíôñï. Óôéò áñ÷Ýò ôïõ 16ïõ áéþíá, åîéóëáìéóìÝíïé Áëâáíïß åãêáèßóôáíôáé óôçí ðåñéï÷Þ. Ôïí 17ï áéþíá éäñýïíôáé óôçí Êüíéôóá ïé ðñþôïé "ôåêÝäåò" (ìïõóïõëìáíéêÜ ìïíáóôÞñéá äåñâßóçäùí). Ç Êüíéôóá áðåëåõèåñþèçêå áðü ôïí ôïõñêéêü æõãü ôïí ÖåâñïõÜñéï ôïõ 1913. Ìå ôçí áíôáëëáãÞ ôùí ðëçèõóìþí, ôï 1925, ïé ôåëåõôáßåò ìïõóïõëìáíéêÝò ïéêïãÝíåéåò ôçò Êüíéôóáò ìåôáíÜóôåõóáí óôçí Ôïõñêßá êáé óôç èÝóç ôïõò åãêáôáóôÜèçêáí ðñüóöõãåò áðü ôçí Êáððáäïêßá.