Gravia ( el, Γραβιά) is a village and a former municipality in the northeastern part of Phocis, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality

Delphi Delphi (; ), in legend previously called Pytho (Πυθώ), in ancient times was a sacred precinct that served as the seat of Pythia, the major oracle who was consulted about important decisions throughout the ancient classical world. The oracle ...

, of which it is a municipal unit. The municipal unit has an area of 161.651 km².

Location

The municipal unit Gravia is situated in the foothills of the mountains Giona and Parnassus. The northeastern part of the municipal unit covers the western end of the wide valley of the river Cephissus. There are farmlands in the valley. The municipal unit borders

Phthiotis Prefecture Phthiotis ( el, Φθιώτιδα, ''Fthiótida'', ; ancient Greek and Katharevousa: Φθιῶτις) is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the administrative region of Central Greece. The capital is the city of Lamia. It is border ...

to the north and northeast. The

Greek National Road 27 National Road 27 ( el, Εθνική Οδός 27, abbreviated as EO27) is a single carriageway road in central Greece. It connects the Greek National Road 3 at Bralos, south of Lamia, with the GR-48 near Itea, passing through Amfissa. It is pa ...

connects Gravia with Itea,

Amfissa Amfissa ( el, Άμφισσα , also mentioned in classical sources as Amphissa) is a town in Phocis, Greece, part of the municipality of Delphi, of which it is the seat and a municipal unit. The municipal unit has an area of 315.174 km2. It l ...

and Lamia. Gravia is located south of Lamia, northwest of Livadia and north of

and Itea.

History

The name is of Slavic origin, pointing to a settlement of the area after the 6th century; initially it was the name of a local river (mod. Koukouvistianos), which was later transferred to a castle some 5 km northwest of the modern settlement, above the

acropolis An acropolis was the settlement of an upper part of an ancient Greek city, especially a citadel, and frequently a hill with precipitous sides, mainly chosen for purposes of defense. The term is typically used to refer to the Acropolis of Athens, ...

of the ancient settlement of Pindus. The castle was most likely built by the Crusaders in the early 13th century, being mentioned for the first time in 1259, when the Prince of Achaea William II of Villehardouin crossed the local pass on his way to the

Battle of Pelagonia The Battle of Pelagonia or Battle of Kastoriae.g. ; . took place in early summer or autumn 1259, between the Empire of Nicaea and an anti-Nicaean alliance comprising Despotate of Epirus, Sicily and the Principality of Achaea. It was a decisive ev ...

. In 1275 it was one of the castles ceded by the ruler of Thessaly, John I Doukas, to the Duchy of Athens, as the dowry of his daughter

Helena Angelina Komnene Helena Angelina Komnene ( el, Ἑλένη Ἀγγελίνα Κομνηνή) was a daughter of the Greek ''sebastokrator'' John I Doukas, ruler of Thessaly in ca. 1268–1289, and a Greek princess of Aromanian origin, known only by her monastic name ...

. The castle's history is unknown thereafter, except for a brief mention in 1304. Gravia is famous for the battle of the Gravia Inn, that took place during the

Greek Revolution of 1821 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 ...

Odysseas Androutsos Odysseas Androutsos ( el, Οδυσσέας Ανδρούτσος; 1788 – 1825; born Odysseas Verousis el, Οδυσσέας Βερούσης) was a Greek military and political commander in eastern mainland Greece and a prominent figure of the ...

along with a group of Greek soldiers successfully repelled an attack from the Turkish army led by

Omer Vryonis Vizier Ömer Pasha Vrioni (in Greek spelling: Ομέρ Βρυώνης, ''Omer Vryonis'') was a leading Ottoman- Albanian figure in the Greek War of Independence. Early life Omer Vrioni was a Muslim Tosk Albanian from the village of Vrioni ne ...

in May 1821.

Municipal districts

Apostolias Apostolias ( el, Αποστολιάς, before 1927: Κάτω Κάνιανη - ''Kato Kaniani'') is a village in the municipal unit of Gravia, in the northeastern part of Phocis, Greece. In 2011 its population was 53. Apostolias is situated at the ...

*Gravia * Kaloskopi *

Kastellia Kastellia ( el, Καστέλλια, before 1979: Καστέλλι - ''Kastelli'') is a village in the municipal unit of Gravia, Phocis, Greece. It is situated at the western end of the wide Cephissus valley, at the foot of the mountains Giona a ...

* Mariolata *

Oinochori Oinochori ( el, Οινοχώρι, meaning "village of wine", before 1927: Άνω Κάνιανη - ''Ano Kaniani'') is a small village (2011 population: 58) in the municipal unit of Gravia, Phocis, Greece. It is located at an altitude of approximate ...

* Sklithro * Vargiani

Population

Sporting clubs

* Androutsos Gravia

References

Sources

External links

Official website of the municipality of Gravia
{{Gravia Populated places in Phocis Delphi Castles in Greece