Olympos, Karpathos

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Olympos (Greek Όλυμπος ( f sg ) ) is a village in the north of the Greek island of Karpathos. Together with the nearby port town on the east coast Diafani and other settlements and hamlets, the village has the status of a village ( Τοπική Κοινότητα Topiki Kinotita ) and forms the same district ( Δημοτική Ενότητα Ολύμπου Dimotiki Enotita Olymbou ) with a total of 556 residents. To face the largest town in the municipality Karpathos Saria include not only some uninhabited islands. Olympos is situated on a secluded mountainside from the coast, surrounded by the two mountain cones Prophet Elias and Koryfí. The many smaller buildings, mostly kept in white or yellowish color are downright nested built into the hillside, connected only by narrow winding streets.

Management

The village of Olympos formed together with Diafani, Tristomo and the island of Saria from 1948 to 2010 the municipality of the same country ( Κοινότητα Ολύμπου Kinotita Olymbou ) and was its administrative center. Avlona 1951 recognized as a settlement and incorporated into the uninhabited island groups Astakidonisia, Divounia and Chamili 2001 the municipality slammed. Administrative reform 2010, the former municipalities of the island to the new municipality Karpathos ( Δήμος Καρπάθου Dimos Karpathou ) together. The village of Olympos ( Τοπική Κοινότητα Ολύμπου ) the district Olympos now formed simultaneously ( Δημοτική Ενότητα Ολύμπου ).

History

Olympos was built in the 7th century, as a refuge of the inhabitants of the former settlements Vourgounda, Tristomo and the island of Saria and the ancient Vrykous who fled from pirates and Saracens in the mountains from the frequent raids. There, largely isolated from the outside world, not only the ancient Doric dialect has influenced to this day held in the language of Olymbites ( the villagers ), but also art, culture and customs, which are found in place everywhere.

Attractions

• The most striking building in the town is built in the 15th century parish church Kimisi tis Panagías. The relief on the bell tower with the Virgin Mary in local garb, surrounded by the archangels Michael and Gabriel, but was attached until 2002. Inside the church is a valuable iconostasis of the first half of the 18th century. In addition to the main church are several smaller chapels in and around Olympos.
• In a like an open air museum -style village residents present Olympos ' old crafts and costumes and offer visitors traditional food for human consumption. Among other things, one of the last typical fixed -powered aligned windmills to visit. The flour is baked the traditional dark bread in wood-fired ovens.

Infrastructure and economy

Access to the electricity grid, there is only since 1980. Olympos To date, can only be reached via a bumpy dirt road by car from the southern part of the island forth. Since the early 1990s, excursion boats leave regularly from Karpathos to the northwestern port of Diafani. From there, a newly paved road in the mountain village. The day tourism during the summer season is now therefore an important source of income of the residents. Has greatly declined in importance over the decades agriculture. Until the mid-20th century, when the inhabitants are largely had to supply them with food itself, were the territories and its fields farmed intensively far to Olympos. Thus, several settlements outside as Tristomo, Forókli, PEI, Argóni, Asia or Ahamándia emerged. With over 300 buildings, so-called Stavliá, Avlona is the largest settlement outside of Karpathos. In contrast to the hardly more cultivated fields the other outside settlements will continue harvested on the plateau to Avlona wheat and barley.

Photo Gallery

Windmill in Olympos

Village fountain in Olympos