Kastritsa (Greek: Καστρίτσα, before 1927: Μπαρκμάδι - Barkmadi[2]) is a village in the municipal unit of Pamvotida, Ioannina regional unit in Greece. It is situated on a hillside near the southern shore of Lake Ioannina. It is situated 2 km southwest of Vasiliki, 3 km east of Katsikas and 7 km southeast of Ioannina. The A2 motorway (Alexandroupoli - Thessaloniki - Ioannina - Igoumenitsa) passes south of the village.

Kastritsa
Καστρίτσα
Kastritsa is located in Greece
Kastritsa
Kastritsa
Coordinates: 39°37.9′N 20°55.3′E / 39.6317°N 20.9217°E / 39.6317; 20.9217
CountryGreece
Administrative regionEpirus
Regional unitIoannina
MunicipalityIoannina
Municipal unitPamvotida
Population
 (2021)[1]
 • Community
568
Time zoneUTC+2 (EET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+3 (EEST)
Vehicle registrationΙΝ

Name

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Until 1927 the village was named Barkoumadi or Barkmadi (Greek: Μπαρκουμάδι or Μπαρκμάδι), after the Albanian words bark and madh literally meaning big belly and metaphorically "the good eater".[3] In 1927 it was renamed to Kastritsa after the ruins of a castle located near the village.[2]

Population

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Historical population
YearPop.±%
1981754—    
1991747−0.9%
2001[4]671−10.2%
2011[5]557−17.0%
2021[1]568+2.0%

Archaeology

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Epirus in antiquity

Artifacts found in the vicinity are believed to demonstrate a human presence in the village from the Neolithic age until historic times.

The site of ancient Tecmon is conjectured as being at Kastritsa[6] or that of Eurymenai (Epirus).

West of the village is the height Kastritsa which is rich in artifacts. At the elevation, the following have been found:

On the west bank, there is a cave with evidence of occupation dating back to around 20,000 and 10,000 years ago, the new period of the Paleolithic age in Greece. The cave was reported by English archeologists in 1967. In the north side, another cave with paintings from the late Neolithic age. On the foot of the location, it has a tomb of the Late Helladic period.

East of the village a settlement has been found in 1948-49, which was reported by S. Dakaris in 1951-52. Artifacts (tombs, ceramic) showed it was settled from the Neolithic age until the historic years. North of the hill features the ancient Acropolis Tekmon (Τέκμον) which used the ancient art with a perimeter of about 3,000 m with 5 entrances, the central entrance is in the northeastern side of the hill.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Αποτελέσματα Απογραφής Πληθυσμού - Κατοικιών 2021, Μόνιμος Πληθυσμός κατά οικισμό" [Results of the 2021 Population - Housing Census, Permanent population by settlement] (in Greek). Hellenic Statistical Authority. 29 March 2024.
  2. ^ a b Name changes of settlements in Greece
  3. ^ "Kastritsa". Pamvotida Municipality. Archived from the original on 2011-07-21. Retrieved 20 July 2010.
  4. ^ "Population & housing census 2001 (incl. area and average elevation)" (PDF) (in Greek). National Statistical Service of Greece. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2015-09-21.
  5. ^ "Απογραφή Πληθυσμού – Κατοικιών 2011. ΜΟΝΙΜΟΣ Πληθυσμός" (in Greek). Hellenic Statistical Authority.
  6. ^ An Inventory of Archaic and Classical Poleis: An Investigation Conducted by The Copenhagen Polis Centre for the Danish National Research Foundation by Mogens Herman Hansen, 2005, page 349