Avdella ( el, Αβδέλλα; rup, Avdhela) is a village and a former

municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...

in Grevena regional unit,

West Macedonia Western Macedonia ( el, Δυτική Μακεδονία, translit=Ditikí Makedonía, ) is one of the thirteen regions of Greece, consisting of the western part of Macedonia. Located in north-western Greece, it is divided into the regional unit ...

Greece Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders with ...

. Since the 2011 local government reform, it has been a municipal unit of

Grevena Grevena ( el, Γρεβενά, ''Grevená'', , rup, Grebini) is a town and municipality in Western Macedonia, northern Greece, capital of the Grevena regional unit. The town's current population is 13,374 citizens (2011). It lies about from Athe ...

. It is a seasonal Aromanian village in the

Pindus mountains The Pindus (also Pindos or Pindhos; el, Πίνδος, Píndos; sq, Pindet; rup, Pindu) is a mountain range located in Northern Greece and Southern Albania. It is roughly 160 km (100 miles) long, with a maximum elevation of 2,637 metres ...

, at 1250–1350 metres altitude. Its summer population is about 3000, but in the winter there are only a few watchmen. The 2011 census recorded 280 inhabitants.Detailed census results 2011
It is notable as the birthplace of the

Manakis brothers The Manaki brothers ( rup, Frats Manachia), Yanaki and Milton ( and ), were Greek photography and cinema pioneers of the Balkan Peninsula and the Ottoman Empire. They were the first to bring a film camera and create a motion picture in the city ...

, and appears in the opening sequence of the film Ulysses' Gaze. The community of Avdella covers an area of 43.243 km².

History

The first foundation of Avdella remains unknown. Perhaps it was connected to the creation of settlements on the mountain range of

Smolikas Mount Smolikas ( el, Σμόλικας; rup, Smolcu) is a mountain in the Ioannina regional unit, northwestern Greece. At a height of 2,637 metres above sea level, it is the highest of the Pindus Mountains, and the second highest mountain in Gre ...

with the delivery of veterinary surgeon activity of region. In the beginning, Aromanian families created small family settlements which were fused and became a single settlement such as current Avdella. The foundation and the growth of Avdella is associated with the rise of livestock-farming taking into account the pastoral habits of the locals. Before 1800, the village was situated in the "Fantines", but the residents, mostly large families of Aromanian shepherds moved to the current position due to better climate. Under Ottoman rule, Avdella was in the

kaza A kaza (, , , plural: , , ; ota, قضا, script=Arab, (; meaning 'borough') * bg, околия (; meaning 'district'); also Кааза * el, υποδιοίκησις () or (, which means 'borough' or 'municipality'); also () * lad, kaza , ...

, Sanjak of Serfice (modern Servia), Vilayet of Monastir (modern Bitola). The first

Romanian Romanian may refer to: *anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Romania **Romanians, an ethnic group **Romanian language, a Romance language ***Romanian dialects, variants of the Romanian language **Romanian cuisine, traditional ...

school in the region of modern Greece was founded in Avdella in 1867 by local Aromanian

Apostol Mărgărit Apostol Mărgărit or Apostolos Margaritis (5 August 1832 in Avdella – 19 October 1903 in Bitola) was an Aromanian school teacher and writer. One of the most important voices of Aromanian emancipation in the 19th century, he conditioned Romania's ...

. Some authors claim that Avdella was a center of pro-Romanian sentiment in the beginning of the 20th century, contributing figures such as Apostol Mărgărit. It was burned in October 1905 by Greek antartes because of this.Христо Силянов. "Освободителните борби на Македония", том IІ, стр.264.
/ref> Contributing leaders such as

Zisis Verros Zisis Verros (Greek: Ζήσης Βέρρος, 16 August 1880 - 10 April 1985) was a notable Greek chieftain of the Macedonian Struggle. Biography Verros was born in Avdella in 1880. He finished school in Avdella and graduated in the famous gy ...

Macedonian Struggle The Macedonian Struggle ( bg, Македонска борба; el, Μακεδονικός Αγώνας; mk, Борба за Македонија; sr, Борба за Македонију; tr, Makedonya Mücadelesi) was a series of social, po ...

were fighting for the Greek cause. On 14 July 1944, the village was burned again by a group of German Nazis, during their retreat.

Population

Notable people

* Ioan D. Caragiani (1841–1921), Aromanian folklorist and translator *

Yanaki and Milton Manaki The Manaki brothers ( rup, Frats Manachia), Yanaki and Milton ( and ), were Greek photography and cinema pioneers of the Balkan Peninsula and the Ottoman Empire. They were the first to bring a film camera and create a motion picture in the c ...

(1872–1954 and 1882–1964), photography and cinema pioneers *

(1832–1903), Aromanian educator and activist *

Pericle Papahagi Pericle Papahagi (1872 – January 20, 1943) was an Aromanian literary historian and folklorist. He was born into an Aromanian family in Avdella (), a village that formed part of the Ottoman Empire's Manastir Vilayet and is now in Greece. Aft ...

(1872–1943), Aromanian historian and folklorist *

Tache Papahagi Tache Papahagi (October 20, 1892 – January 17, 1977) was an Aromanian folklorist and linguist. He was born into an Aromanian family in Avdella (), a village that formed part of the Ottoman Empire's Manastir Vilayet and is now in Greece. He att ...

(1892–1977), Aromanian folklorist and linguist *

Nushi Tulliu Nushi Tulliu (April 23, 1872–April 8, 1941; ro, Nuși Tulliu) was an Aromanian poet and prose writer. He was born into an Aromanian family in Avdella, a village that formed part of the Ottoman Empire's Manastir Vilayet and is now in Greece ...

(1872–1941), Aromanian poet and prose writer *

(1880–1985), Greek chieftain of the Macedonian Struggle

History

Population

Notable people

See also

Notes

See also