Zagoria (Monodendri)

Zagoria (villages):

In Zagori there are 45 villages that are characterized by their traditional architecture and architectural style, which in most cases also has to be kept according to the law. These are (gray) stones from the region used for the construction of the houses, buildings and stables.

One of the villages is Monodendri where, among other things, the bus stops and you also have a number of restaurants and hostels where you can stay overnight.This seems to be the transport and touristhub of the region. 

Vikos gorge

Of the many gorges in Zagori, the Vikos gorge is the largest and most photogenic of the region. This impressive gorge begins between the villages of Monodendri and Koukouli and ends close to the village of Vikos.

It forms the heart of the Vikos-Aoös National Park and collects the water from a few small rivers that together form the Voidomatis river. The gap has been worn over millions of years by this tributary of the Aoös.

According to the Guinness Book of Records, the Vikos Gorge is the deepest gorge in the world and is the most popular and best known in Greece after the Samaria gorge in Crete.

Bridges

The region is known for the presence of dozens of ancient stone arch bridges. These are one of the main tourist attractions of Zagori. A clock was often hung from the bridges, which was ringing in strong winds as a warning that crossing was not safe.

The Plakida or Kalogeriko bridge near the village of Kipoi, a very striking bridge with three arches, is the most visited by tourists and is depicted on many a postcard. The Kokoris bridge is nowadays also a tourist attraction.

At the time of the Byzantine Empire, the relative safety of Zagori ensured that groups of soldiers occasionally built villages and settled there. In the 14th century Zagori was protected from attacks from Albania thanks to its location near Ioannina, the center of Greek resistance in the region.

Although influenced by the Albanian language, the Greek language was still preserved in the region. When Epirus fell into Turkish hands in 1430, reciprocal agreements were made with the occupiers, leading to autonomy, administrative independence and a ban on Turkish people entering the area. In 1431, a treaty with Sinan Pasha stipulated that the Ottomans would not interfere with the region. They even had their own armed army. In 1670 the treaty was ratified once again and the Zagori were given many privileges, called Surutia, which were only taken back in 1868 by the Sultan. 

This solution was the salvation of Zagori, because it never fell into the hands of Turkish landowners and thus continued to exist as a whole. Many merchants came to live here with ties to Romania, Russia and Constantinople. They became the most powerful class in the area and contributed to the relative richness of Zagori during the Turkish occupation. In 1820 an army of 1,500 men arrived in Zagori under the direction of Ismael Pasha. They were part of the 20,000 soldiers who were sent after Ali Pasha.

Ismael Pasha attracted the most privileges; only the right to appoint a local governor remained, but the power of this governor was kept to a minimum. Ismael Pasha also introduced a very heavy load of 250 silver pieces per person. Zagori was liberated in 1913 during the Balkan Wars.