Lixouri

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Lixouri (Greek Ληξούρι (n. sg. ) Formerly also Lissuri ) is the second largest city on the island of Kefalonia and has 3,652 inhabitants. The city has an important port and a Philharmonic and a college for musical instruments. Lixouri is located near the ancient city of Pale ( Πάλη ) on the peninsula Paliki ( Italian: Palacchi ). In a district of Lixouri is the winery Gentilini.

From 1997 to 2010 Lixouri was synonymous and center of the borough ( dimos ) Paliki, which merged with the administrative reform in 2010 in the newly created municipality of Cephalonia, where she has since formed a municipality with 7,138 inhabitants.

• 6.1 Districts

Geography

Lixouri is located on the west side of the Gulf of the same name on the Paliki peninsula, which includes the entire metropolitan area. The main town itself is situated in a valley, the West is very mountainous. North and south of Lixouri sprang sulfur springs, which are now dry. The hilly landscape has been used for centuries for the raisins cultivation.

History

The ancient city of Pali or Pale ( Πάλη ) has already been mentioned by Pausanias, however, attained in antiquity never a great importance. At the gates of Lixouri arose and resolves them in medieval times from complete, since it has a port. The first mention of Lixouri in 1534 in a letter to the Senate of Venice. In 1800, Lixouri was not only Catholic bishopric, but also the headquarters of the district court and the health authority. At that time the town had 5,000 inhabitants and was as large as the town of Argostoli, the administrative center of the island during the Republic of the Ionian Islands was. During this period, the Tertiary deposits and fossil finds were discovered. In 1836, the Philharmonic school Pale, founded which stands in the tradition of the Ionian school.

The town was well known in the 19th century in Greece as the residence of the satirical author Andreas Laskaratos because here playing many of his stories. At the same time she was station numerous Greece tours, such as "A Tour in Greece " by Richard Ridley Farrer or " A History of Greece " by George Finlay 1867.

On September 20, 1867 Lixouri was hit by a tsunami, great destruction, there was also an earthquake on January 23, 1867 A total of 1,000 buildings were destroyed -. A different source after all the houses, down to 12, which are now uninhabitable. 200 people were killed

In Lixouri lived and worked pianist Dora Wihan (nee Weis ) and wife of cellist Hanus Wihan Czech. After a trip to America in 1887, they had settled there and remained until 1891. Richard Strauss had a love affair with her ​​and visited many times the city.

The largest earthquake in recent times was the earthquake of 1953. It destroyed almost the entire fabric of the island ( the northern part remained almost intact ) and led to a mass emigration. Thanks to the strict building codes since taught no earthquake to more severe damage. With a cash and kind donation of the Church of Sweden and a donation of Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie, the hospital was rebuilt.

From 1990, a steady increase in population is recorded after years of emigration and stagnation. In the late 1990s, the city united in stages, with the other towns of the Pali peninsula. Henceforth, the official name of the city Dimos Palikis. In everyday life (such as in correspondence or in shipping ) the name Lixouri is used and also used for the other towns still. Especially in August there are many cultural events and festivals. The best known are the Wine Festival in Mantzavinata

Lixouri in the literature

• Death of a City ( 1954) by Kay Cicellis describes the events of the earthquake of 1953 in Lixouri
• " Iphigenia in Lixourion ", a play (1956 ) by Petros Katsaitis
• "The Varied Airs of Spring" (1969 ) by Ilka Chase ends in Lixouri
• " A la recherche du rameau d'or " ( 1976) by Georges Haldas

Cityscape and Tourist Attractions

The city was rebuilt largely after the last earthquake, contrary to the advice of city planners under the old plan. Churches and some important buildings (which were often only slightly damaged ) were rebuilt. City Hall and Market Building Markato, previously landmark of the city, however, were removed. On the main square with the large rubber tree which plateia, there are coffee houses and pastry Mavroidis, founded in 1922. The eastern narrow side of the square is the harbor and leads to the promenade, in which more cafes and restaurants.

In 2003 the city decided to rebuild the place. The "New Markato " was built and is now a theater and has a few shops on the ground floor. To plateia towards the previous row of shops was demolished in favor of two gatehouses. These represent an architectural transition from theater to lively square forth, who, like, takes the key role in urban life in all Greek cities. This is where friends and strangers, here used for performances and events.

The following attractions are spread all over the city and still often easily reached on foot.

Attractions in the core city

• Iakovatios library. The neo-classical mansion of 1866, the Tirpado / Typaldos family was donated to the state and is open to the public. Exhibits include items from the history of the family and in showcases the library of the church historian Hamilcar S. Alivizatos. Pursuant to the requirements of the founders a public lending library is operated, which is located in the former kitchen and acts as the town library. The building, with its preserved floors and ceilings and the furniture is a prime example of the classicism of the Ionian Islands. On request, a free guided tour in English will take place.

• School building at the harbor: The building with the characteristic bands of windows is an important testimony classical modernism and was built in 1933 under the state school construction program, which was led by the architect Patroklos Karantinos. Use as a public building is no longer allowed due to the lack of seismic safety. It is used for storage of city government and is in poor structural condition.

• Pantokrator Church
• Monument of Andrew Laskaratos and monument of the sailor on the beach promenade
• Few ruins of the ancient city of Pale ( Pali )
• ( under construction: City Museum; finished - currently Interior Finishing )

Attractions in districts

• Church of St. Marina with a richly decorated shrine icon in Soullaroi
• Klassizistisches ancestral home of the family in Danelatos Damoulianata
• In Mantzavinata: Church of St. Spyridon ( nave basilica) and classicist house of Vittoratos family
• Bell tower of the church of St. Paraskevi in Atheras of sandstone, and former monastery St. Spyridon at the local beach
• Baroque church of 1620 of Mary Doloroza ( Ιερός Ναός Παναγίας Ρόγγων ) in Monopolata
• Cave Church of St. Paraskevi in Lepeda

Nature

• Kounopetra (loose stone) at the same chap.
• Beaches XI, Petani and Mania with high steep wall.
• A popular destination is the monastery Kipouria because of its beautiful views and sunsets.

Education

Nationally known is the Philharmonic Orchestra of Lixouri, which regularly gives concerts throughout the year and also went on tour abroad.

The TEI Ionion Nison (FH of the Ionian Islands ) maintains the Lixouri Campus, the faculties economics and acoustic / musical instruments. All major authorities with local branches, so the DMV prefecture, postal, telecommunications and electricity utilities. There is a hospital, a nursing home, a theater and sporting facilities.

Traffic

Even by Greek standards Lixouri is a small town, as a student city in winter season and accommodation during the summer it is very busy. Therefore, there is a good ferry to Argostoli (hour / half hour) and the mainland. KTEL bus connections exist after the Patras and Athens. Since 2006 there is a bypass road, which was also the new sports field.

Sons and daughters of the town

• Elias ( Elie ) Meniates ( 1669-1714 ), polymath and high school teacher in Venice
• Vikentios Damodos (1700-1759), philosopher of the Enlightenment
• Angelo Zulatti (1732-1798) physician and Giovanni Francesco Zulatti (1762-1805), physician and composer.
• Andreas Laskaratos (1811-1901), satirical poet and writer
• Georgios Avlichos (1842-1909), painter
• Georgios Bonanos (1863-1940), sculptor of historicism
• Marinos Geroulanos (1867-1960), surgeon, professor in Greifswald and Kiel
• Hamilcar S. Alivizatos (1887-1969), church historian
• Spyridon Marinatos (1901-1974), an important archaeologist, excavator of the Minoan city of Akrotiri on the island of Santorini
• Antiochus Evangelatos (1903-1981), conductor and composer

Districts

Under the name Dimos Palikis Lixouri and small towns are combined into a district of the municipality of Cephalonia. The highlighted places have also managed the status of a village, the remaining administratively by others, or are sometimes even merged geographically with them.

• Agios Dimitrios
• Agia Thekli
• Agios Vasileios
• Atheras
• Chavdata
• Chavriata
• Damoulianata
• Dellaportata

• Favatata
• Kalata
• Kaminarata
• Kontogenada
• Kouvalata
• Skineas
• Lepeda
• Livadi

• Lixouri ( center )
• Longos
• Loukerata
• Parissata
• Rifi
• Soullaroi
• Skineas
• Mantoukata

• Mantzavinata
• Michalitsata
• Monopolata
• Vlychata
• Vilatoria
• Vóvikes
• Vouni

Note: The district Matzavinata also includes the village Soullaroi, the settlement and the island Kounopetra Vardiani and bears the official name Katogi (eg, lower valley ').