Mantzavinata

Mantzavinata (. Μαντζαβινάτα Greek (n. pl) previously transcribed: Manzavinata ) is a village on the peninsula Paliki the island of Kefalonia. Since 2010 it is part of the village in the municipality of Katogi Paliki the municipality Kefalonia. After incorporation of the town after Paliki in 2000 the municipality was turned into a club that organizes once a year a wine festival, which is popular with locals and tourists. The center is named Lemonato.

Geography

The town is located south of Lixouri and tangent to its southern side the sea. In the 1960s, the construction of holiday homes and hotels later began near the beaches Xi, Mania and the Cape Kounopetra. These are about 2 km south of the town center Lemonato, which is the highest elevation at the same time. Also to place the island Vardiani is counted, however, is located in the land of the monastery Petani.

History

Until the Second World War the town was an important production site for raisins and wine ( with its own vine Mantzavino ). The population was 1944, 758 inhabitants. The Greek Civil War and the destruction in the earthquake of 1953 also inhibited the reconstruction of the economy of the town. In the 1980s, wines from the winery Mantzavino were very successful, later, the firm was acquired by creditors and sold in parts. Today there are about half a dozen wineries, of which only two have national significance.

Origin of the name

The name derives from the Italian mangiare words, eat ' and vino, wine ' from. The ending- ata is a common Kefalonia local extension and means roughly, the totality of something '. Some inhabitants had the last name Mantzavinatos of which donated a Mantzavinateio the hospital in Lixouri, another founded the district Matzavineika in Patras.

Attractions

The earthquake of 1953 have survived only a few houses in the village, so that not a closed historic townscape longer exists. Low construction but has led to a new building of mostly smaller homes. Of the three churches, Agios Spiridon and Panagia still survive largely original, major structural changes were made to the Agia Sophia. All three churches from the 17th century. Is especially the landscape, which consists of many clay hills and ends at the southern end of the impressive cliffs of interest to the visitor. This is the most impressive (because not signposted at the request of the locals ) on the beach Mania, which is also the least visited.

Maspali

The hill Maspali was used until the 20th century as a quarry. Its limestone was much appreciated to build houses. There also some remains of an ancient acropolis are visible. 1889, the hill was first explored by Max baldness, scientific excavations are still to be made ​​.

Kounopetra

A curiosity of the place is the Kounopetra (, rocking stone '). It is a rock which is broken out of the rock, and is displaced by the waves in a slight movement. Probably it is not a special phenomenon, but it is the visitors liked to show, especially the view from Cape Kounopetra is very nice also. Louis de Bernières writes in his novel Captain Corelli's Mandolin, that the inhabitants of Mantzavinata like to tell and mention of this phenomenon, which was not hit this rock of a British warship without moving from the spot. After the earthquake of 1953, another chunk of rock broke, the similar properties are attributed.