Agios Germanos
Encyclopedia
Agios Germanos, is a village in the Prespes
Municipality in West Macedonia
, Greece
. Agios Germanos is located at an altitude of approximately 1,100 meters (3,606 feet), on a hillside, part of the Varnoundas Mountains. It is 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) from the Prespes lakes, which can be seen from a panorama location of the village. Agios Germanos lies 45 km (28 mi) from Florina
, and 44 km (27.3 mi) from Kastoria
.
The village is the only village in the Prespes region that has preserved all of the old stone houses. The Byzantine church that forms the nucleus of the present village dates to the beginning of the 11th century. It has very interesting frescos painted in three different phases. Nearby, the church of Agios Athanasios was built at the end of the 18th century. The village is especially known among tourists for hiking, bird watching and the Agios Germanos river with falls, which has the endangered species of the Salmo trutta peristericus trout. Agios Germanos river is on the northeast of the village. One can also see the restored water mills along the river.
Following the paths, one can reach the impressive mixed fir-beech forests,and the summits of Kitsevo or Despotiko (2,177m). The Sarakatsani, nomadic shepherds from Thessaly, have the tradition of bringing their herds to graze on these mountains every year from May to October.
There are two hotels; the Agios Germanos hotel, run by the women's cooperative, and the Les Pelicans on the main square. Lefteris Taverna has exceptional food at a great village price.
Just north of the village is an early 20th century church built by Steven Doinidis. This church is kept up by the villagers, who number just over 200 as of 2008.
. In 1905 the population had gone down to 1250 with 90 of them being Arnauts
(Albanians
) and the rest - Bulgarians.
Today, the village has a mixed population of Macedonian-speaking Slavophones
, Aromanians
and Pontic Greeks
.
Prespes
Prespes is a municipality in the Florina peripheral unit, Greece. Population 1,851 . The seat of the municipality is in Laimos.-Municipality:...
Municipality in West Macedonia
West Macedonia
West Macedonia is one of the thirteen regions of Greece, consisting of the western part of Greek Macedonia. It is divided into the regional units of Florina, Grevena, Kastoria, and Kozani.-Geography:...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
. Agios Germanos is located at an altitude of approximately 1,100 meters (3,606 feet), on a hillside, part of the Varnoundas Mountains. It is 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) from the Prespes lakes, which can be seen from a panorama location of the village. Agios Germanos lies 45 km (28 mi) from Florina
Florina
Florina is a town and municipality in mountainous northwestern Macedonia, Greece. Its motto is, 'Where Greece begins'. It is also the Metropolitan seat for the region. It lies in the central part of Florina peripheral unit, of which it is the capital. Florina belongs to the periphery of West...
, and 44 km (27.3 mi) from Kastoria
Kastoria
Kastoria is a city in northern Greece in the periphery of West Macedonia. It is the capital of Kastoria peripheral unit. It is situated on a promontory on the western shore of Lake Orestiada, in a valley surrounded by limestone mountains...
.
The village is the only village in the Prespes region that has preserved all of the old stone houses. The Byzantine church that forms the nucleus of the present village dates to the beginning of the 11th century. It has very interesting frescos painted in three different phases. Nearby, the church of Agios Athanasios was built at the end of the 18th century. The village is especially known among tourists for hiking, bird watching and the Agios Germanos river with falls, which has the endangered species of the Salmo trutta peristericus trout. Agios Germanos river is on the northeast of the village. One can also see the restored water mills along the river.
Following the paths, one can reach the impressive mixed fir-beech forests,and the summits of Kitsevo or Despotiko (2,177m). The Sarakatsani, nomadic shepherds from Thessaly, have the tradition of bringing their herds to graze on these mountains every year from May to October.
There are two hotels; the Agios Germanos hotel, run by the women's cooperative, and the Les Pelicans on the main square. Lefteris Taverna has exceptional food at a great village price.
Just north of the village is an early 20th century church built by Steven Doinidis. This church is kept up by the villagers, who number just over 200 as of 2008.
Demographics
According to Bosnian ethnographer Stephan Verkovic, in 1889 the village had 213 households and a population of 1016 BulgariansBulgarians
The Bulgarians are a South Slavic nation and ethnic group native to Bulgaria and neighbouring regions. Emigration has resulted in immigrant communities in a number of other countries.-History and ethnogenesis:...
. In 1905 the population had gone down to 1250 with 90 of them being Arnauts
Arnauts
Arnaut is the Turkish word for the people of Albania. Arnauts in modern Turkey are people of Albanian descent...
(Albanians
Albanians
Albanians are a nation and ethnic group native to Albania and neighbouring countries. They speak the Albanian language. More than half of all Albanians live in Albania and Kosovo...
) and the rest - Bulgarians.
Today, the village has a mixed population of Macedonian-speaking Slavophones
Slavic speakers of Greek Macedonia
Slavic speakers are a linguistic minority population in the northern Greek region of Macedonia who are mostly concentrated in certain parts of the peripheries of West and Central Macedonia, adjacent to the territory of the Republic of Macedonia. A smaller group exists in East Macedonia adjacent to...
, Aromanians
Aromanians
Aromanians are a Latin people native throughout the southern Balkans, especially in northern Greece, Albania, the Republic of Macedonia, Bulgaria, and as an emigrant community in Serbia and Romania . An older term is Macedo-Romanians...
and Pontic Greeks
Pontic Greeks
The Pontians are an ethnic group traditionally living in the Pontus region, the shores of Turkey's Black Sea...
.