Delvinaki ( el, Δελβινάκι) is a former municipality in the Ioannina regional unit, Epirus, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Pogoni, of which it is a municipal unit. The municipal unit has an area of 255.8 km², the community 54.8 km². In 2011 its population was 772 for the village and 2,540 for the municipal unit. Delvinaki is part of the traditional area of Pogoni. Delvinaki lies along the road GR-22/ E853 which links Kalpaki with the Albanian border. The border crossing Kakavia is west of town.

Subdivisions

The municipal unit of Delvinaki is subdivided into the following communities (constituent villages in brackets): * Agia Marina * Argyrochori * Charavgi *Delvinaki *

Farangi Farang ( fa, فرنگ) is a Persian (and Southeast Asian) word that originally referred to the Franks (the major Germanic tribe) and later came to refer to White Europeans in general. The word "Farang" is a cognate and originates from Old F ...

(formerly Gouveri) * Kastani * Kerasovo * Kryoneri *

Ktismata Ktismata ( el, Κτίσματα) is a village and a community in the municipal unit of Delvinaki, Ioannina regional unit, Epirus, Greece. It is situated on a hillside on the right bank of the river Drinos, at 412 m above sea level. It is 3 km ...

(Ktismata, Neochori) * Limni * Mavropoulo (Mavropoulo, Zavrocho, Chrysodouli) * Oreino Xirovaltou (Oreino, Xirovaltos) * Peristeri * Pontikates * Stratinista * Teriachi (Teriachi, Stavrodromi) * Vissani

Population

History

From the 14th century and to beginning of Ottoman rule Delvinaki was among the thriving settlements of the region together with nearby Dipalitsa, Kastaniani and Polytsiani. During the first decades of the 14th century, Albanians settled in the Pogoni region and their presence is evidenced through some place names derived from Albanian such as ''Delvinaki'' 'place of vineyards' and ''Gouveri'' (from ''gouva'' 'hollow'). "όπως και από αλβανικές ονομασίες χωριών: Ρομπάτες (= ρόμπα, ένδυμα), Δελβινακίων (= αμπελότοπος), Γούβερη (Γούβα - Κοίλωμα) κ.λ.π." The town was an important commercial centre during the Ottoman period. The church of the Dormition of the Theotokos in Delvinaki was erected in 1619. In the late 17th century, Ottoman traveler Evliya Çelebi passed through Delvinaki observing that it was a "prosperous" town on the border of the district of Pogoni, "inhabited by infidels all Albanians"; it contained 400 houses, 6000 fertile vineyards, 40-50 shops, 10 churches and 3 inns. "Το 1670 στο Δελβινάκι του Πωγωνιού, κατά τον Εβλιγιά Τσελεμπή (1928, σ. 682), «όλοι οι άπιστοι είναι Αρβανίτες»." Çelebi also noted that Delvinaki was a '' hass'' (revenue estate) of an Ottoman admiral and administered by a '' voivode'' with the settlement being "exempt from taxation and state interference." "We returned by another road, passing through prosperous villages. After 4 hours of travelling westwards, we arrived at Delvinaki. It is a prosperous town on the border of the district of Pogonia and consists of 400 houses inhabited by infidels all Albanians and 6000 fertile vineyards. It has 40 to 50 shops, 10 churches and 3 hans. This town is a has belonging to the admiral of the Ottoman fleet and administered by a voyvoda. It is exempt from taxation and state interference." Those Albanian villagers who settled in the southern part of Pogoni were gradually assimilated by the Greek element."Κατά τις πρώτες δεκαετίες του 14ου αιώνα τοποθετείται χρονικά η αλβανική διείσδυση στο χώρο της Πωγωνιανής, που μαρτυρείται και από ορισμένα τοπωνύμια όπως το Δελβινάκι (αμπελότοπος), το Γκουβέρι (γκούβα = κοίλωμα), αλλά και από τις μετακινήσείς αλβανικόν οικογενειών, οι οποίες εξισλαμήστικαν λόγω των σινθηκών που επικρατούσαν. Όσοι αλβανικοί πλιθυσμοί είηαν εγκατασταθεί στο νότιο τμήμα του Πωγωνίου, αφομοιώθηκαν βαθμιαία από το ελληνικό στοιχείο και εξελληνίστικαν. Όλες οι κοινότητες...." British traveler John Hobhouse noted in early 19th century that Delvinaki consisted of 300 dwellings inhabited by Greeks.Vakolopoulos, 2003, p. 323: "Ο Hobhouse αναφέρει ότι στο Δελβινάκι υπήρχαν 300 ελληνικά σπίτια" Delvinaki joined Greece after the

Balkan Wars The Balkan Wars refers to a series of two conflicts that took place in the Balkan States in 1912 and 1913. In the First Balkan War, the four Balkan States of Greece, Serbia, Montenegro and Bulgaria declared war upon the Ottoman Empire and defe ...

of 1913.

Culture

Delvinaki is home to Greek

polyphonic singing Polyphony ( ) is a type of musical texture consisting of two or more simultaneous lines of independent melody, as opposed to a musical texture with just one voice, monophony, or a texture with one dominant melodic voice accompanied by chords, ho ...

and has a reach music tradition in the wider Pogoni region. It is one of the two main centres of folk music of Pogoni, the other being Parakalamos. An annual festival of polyphonic singing is held in August.

Notable people

* Petroloukas Chalkias, musician. * Hatzimichalis Dalianis, hero of the

Greek War of Independence The Greek War of Independence, also known as the Greek Revolution or the Greek Revolution of 1821, was a successful war of independence by Greek revolutionaries against the Ottoman Empire between 1821 and 1829. The Greeks were later assisted by ...

. * Evangelos Psimmas, (1905–1962), bishop of Ermoupoli. * Konstantinos Iroklis Vasiadis, (1821–1890), scholar.

References

External links

Delvinaki (municipality) on GTP Travel PagesDelvinaki (village) on GTP Travel Pages
{{Delvinaki Populated places in Ioannina (regional unit)