Tsepelovo
Encyclopedia
Tsepelovo older form: -on is a village in the Zagori
region (Epirus
region). It stands at a height of 1,200 meters in a panoramic location on the mountain range of Tymfi
. It is the biggest of the 45 villages of Zagori
and it was the seat of Tymfi
municipality. Its name is of Slavic origin.
It lies in the middle of the Vikos–Aoös National Park, 48 km from Ioannina
.
. It remained relatively prosperous until the end of the Ottoman
occupation (1912). The village was a local trade center, and remains so especially because of the trade of timber. In 1820, before the outbreak of the Greek Revolution and the defeat of Ali Pasha
, the poet Ioannis Vilaras and the famous Epirote scholar Athanasios Psalidas
came from Ioannina
to prepare the people for the great national revolt. Psalidas also taught for 2 years at the local school.
The traditional stone architecture is visible in every building, in the village paths, dwellings and churches. The historical church of Agios Nikolaos was renovated at 1753 and decorated with unique wall paintings by exceptional painters of nearby Kapesovo
.
Two kilometers out of the village, in the Vikaki (Greek: small Vikos) canyon
lies the monastery of St John Rogovou. It was founded at 1028 by the sister of Emperor Romanos III Argyros of Byzantium
. It was rebuilt in 1749, possibly after it was damaged by fire, and the frescoes were painted by iconographers from Kapesovo
. Neofytos Doukas wanted to establish there the Higher School of Epirus
, a high level educational institution. Because of the outbreak of the Greek War of Independence
and the military conflicts the idea could not become reality.
The people of Tsepelovo used to emigrate within Greece
to Macedonia
, Thrace
and to areas of southern Greece
. Outside Greece
, they mainly migrated to Asia Minor
and the U.S.A.
Today, the village is a popular destination for tourists during the winter season.
Zagori
Zagori , is a region and a municipality in the Pindus mountains in Epirus, in northwestern Greece. The seat of the municipality is the village Asprangeloi. It has an area of some 1,000 square kilometres and contains 45 villages known as Zagoria , and is in the shape of an upturned equilateral...
region (Epirus
Epirus (region)
Epirus is a geographical and historical region in southeastern Europe, shared between Greece and Albania. It lies between the Pindus Mountains and the Ionian Sea, stretching from the Bay of Vlorë in the north to the Ambracian Gulf in the south...
region). It stands at a height of 1,200 meters in a panoramic location on the mountain range of Tymfi
Tymfi
Tymfi or Mt Tymphe, Timfi, also Tymphi is a mountain in the northern Pindus mountain range, northwestern Greece. It is part of the regional unit of Ioannina and lies in the region of Zagori, just a few meters south of the 40° parallel...
. It is the biggest of the 45 villages of Zagori
Zagori
Zagori , is a region and a municipality in the Pindus mountains in Epirus, in northwestern Greece. The seat of the municipality is the village Asprangeloi. It has an area of some 1,000 square kilometres and contains 45 villages known as Zagoria , and is in the shape of an upturned equilateral...
and it was the seat of Tymfi
Tymfi
Tymfi or Mt Tymphe, Timfi, also Tymphi is a mountain in the northern Pindus mountain range, northwestern Greece. It is part of the regional unit of Ioannina and lies in the region of Zagori, just a few meters south of the 40° parallel...
municipality. Its name is of Slavic origin.
It lies in the middle of the Vikos–Aoös National Park, 48 km from Ioannina
Ioannina
Ioannina , often called Jannena within Greece, is the largest city of Epirus, north-western Greece, with a population of 70,203 . It lies at an elevation of approximately 500 meters above sea level, on the western shore of lake Pamvotis . It is located within the Ioannina municipality, and is the...
.
Nearest places
- SkamneliSkamneliSkamneli is a village in the Zagori region , 54 km north of Ioannina. It is built in the fringes of mountain Tymfi , at a height of 1160 m.- Name :...
, east (distance: 4 km) - VradetoVradetoVradeto , older form: -on is a village in the Greek Zagori region . It lies at a height of 1340m on Mt Tymphe on the Pindus mountainrange. Its location is the highest among the 44 villages of Zagori. It is the middle of the Vikos–Aoös National Park and is about 50 km away from Ioannina...
, west (distance: 7 km)
History
Founded in the 16th century, Tsepelovo became from the 18th century onwards the administrative center of ZagoriZagori
Zagori , is a region and a municipality in the Pindus mountains in Epirus, in northwestern Greece. The seat of the municipality is the village Asprangeloi. It has an area of some 1,000 square kilometres and contains 45 villages known as Zagoria , and is in the shape of an upturned equilateral...
. It remained relatively prosperous until the end of the Ottoman
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
occupation (1912). The village was a local trade center, and remains so especially because of the trade of timber. In 1820, before the outbreak of the Greek Revolution and the defeat of Ali Pasha
Ali Pasha
Ali Pasha of Tepelena or of Yannina, surnamed Aslan, "the Lion", or the "Lion of Yannina", Ali Pashë Tepelena was an Ottoman Albanian ruler of the western part of Rumelia, the Ottoman Empire's European territory which was also called Pashalik of Yanina. His court was in Ioannina...
, the poet Ioannis Vilaras and the famous Epirote scholar Athanasios Psalidas
Athanasios Psalidas
Athanasios Psalidas , was a Greek author, scholar and one of the most renowned figures of the modern Greek Enlightenment.-Early years and diaspora:...
came from Ioannina
Ioannina
Ioannina , often called Jannena within Greece, is the largest city of Epirus, north-western Greece, with a population of 70,203 . It lies at an elevation of approximately 500 meters above sea level, on the western shore of lake Pamvotis . It is located within the Ioannina municipality, and is the...
to prepare the people for the great national revolt. Psalidas also taught for 2 years at the local school.
The traditional stone architecture is visible in every building, in the village paths, dwellings and churches. The historical church of Agios Nikolaos was renovated at 1753 and decorated with unique wall paintings by exceptional painters of nearby Kapesovo
Kapesovo
Kapesovo is a village in the Zagori region , it is 43 km north of Ioannina. The name Kapesovo is slavic and means garden. The village used to be more south near Baya , where lots of vegetables were grown and it was called "Kapouska". It was later moved to its current position for health reasons...
.
Two kilometers out of the village, in the Vikaki (Greek: small Vikos) canyon
Canyon
A canyon or gorge is a deep ravine between cliffs often carved from the landscape by a river. Rivers have a natural tendency to reach a baseline elevation, which is the same elevation as the body of water it will eventually drain into. This forms a canyon. Most canyons were formed by a process of...
lies the monastery of St John Rogovou. It was founded at 1028 by the sister of Emperor Romanos III Argyros of Byzantium
Byzantium
Byzantium was an ancient Greek city, founded by Greek colonists from Megara in 667 BC and named after their king Byzas . The name Byzantium is a Latinization of the original name Byzantion...
. It was rebuilt in 1749, possibly after it was damaged by fire, and the frescoes were painted by iconographers from Kapesovo
Kapesovo
Kapesovo is a village in the Zagori region , it is 43 km north of Ioannina. The name Kapesovo is slavic and means garden. The village used to be more south near Baya , where lots of vegetables were grown and it was called "Kapouska". It was later moved to its current position for health reasons...
. Neofytos Doukas wanted to establish there the Higher School of Epirus
Epirus (region)
Epirus is a geographical and historical region in southeastern Europe, shared between Greece and Albania. It lies between the Pindus Mountains and the Ionian Sea, stretching from the Bay of Vlorë in the north to the Ambracian Gulf in the south...
, a high level educational institution. Because of the outbreak of the Greek War of Independence
Greek War of Independence
The Greek War of Independence, also known as the Greek Revolution was a successful war of independence waged by the Greek revolutionaries between...
and the military conflicts the idea could not become reality.
The people of Tsepelovo used to emigrate within Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
to Macedonia
Macedonia (Greece)
Macedonia is a geographical and historical region of Greece in Southern Europe. Macedonia is the largest and second most populous Greek region...
, Thrace
Thrace
Thrace is a historical and geographic area in southeast Europe. As a geographical concept, Thrace designates a region bounded by the Balkan Mountains on the north, Rhodope Mountains and the Aegean Sea on the south, and by the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara on the east...
and to areas of southern Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
. Outside Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
, they mainly migrated to Asia Minor
Asia Minor
Asia Minor is a geographical location at the westernmost protrusion of Asia, also called Anatolia, and corresponds to the western two thirds of the Asian part of Turkey...
and the U.S.A.
Today, the village is a popular destination for tourists during the winter season.
Notable people
- Konstantinos Rados, merchant and member of Filiki EteriaFiliki Eteriathumb|right|200px|The flag of the Filiki Eteria.Filiki Eteria or Society of Friends was a secret 19th century organization, whose purpose was to overthrow Ottoman rule over Greece and to establish an independent Greek state. Society members were mainly young Phanariot Greeks from Russia and local...
. - Dimitrios Kotopoulis, actor.
- Marika KotopouliMarika Kotopouli-Biography:Kotopouli was born on 3 May 1887 in Athens, to Dimitris and Eleni. Her parents were also actors, and Marika's first stage appearance came during one of their tours, in the play "The Coachman of the Alps"...
(1887–1954), actress. - Dimitrios Myrat, actor.