Makrakomi ( el, Μακρακώμη) is a town and a municipality in the western part of the
Phthiotis
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 ...
regional unit, in
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 ...
. The seat of the municipality is the town
Spercheiada
Spercheiada ( el, Σπερχειάδα) is a town and a former municipality in the western part of Phthiotis, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Makrakomi
Makrakomi ( el, Μακρακώμη) is a town an ...
.
Geography
Makrakomi is built on the southern slopes of Western
Othrys
Mount Othrys ( el, όρος Όθρυς – ''oros Othrys'', also Όθρη – ''Othri'') is a mountain range of central Greece, in the northeastern part of Phthiotis and southern part of Magnesia. Its highest summit, ''Gerakovouni'', situated on ...
at an altitude of 280 m. It overlooks the river
Spercheios
The Spercheios (, ''Sperkheiós''), also known as the Spercheus from its Latin name, is a river in Phthiotis in central Greece. It is long, and its drainage area is . It was worshipped as a god in the ancient Greek religion and appears in some c ...
and its valley. Makrakomi is located east of
Karpenisi
Karpenisi ( el, Καρπενήσι, ) is a town in central Greece. It is the capital of the regional unit of Evrytania. Karpenisi is situated in the valley of the river Karpenisiotis (Καρπενησιώτης), a tributary of the Megdovas, in t ...
, ENE of
Agrinio
Agrinio ( Greek: Αγρίνιο, , Latin: ''Agrinium'') is the largest city of the Aetolia-Acarnania regional unit of Greece and its largest municipality, with 106,053 inhabitants. It is the economical center of Aetolia-Acarnania, although its c ...
, south of
Karditsa
Karditsa ( el, Καρδίτσα ) is a city in western Thessaly in mainland Greece. The city of Karditsa is the capital of Karditsa regional unit of region of Thessaly.
Inhabitation is attested from 9000 BC. Karditsa ls linked with GR-30, the ...
, west of
Lamia
LaMia Corporation S.R.L., operating as LaMia (short for ''Línea Aérea Mérida Internacional de Aviación''), was a Bolivian charter airline headquartered in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, as an EcoJet subsidiary. It had its origins from the failed ...
and the
GR-1/
E65 and the
E75 as well as the
GR-3 and WNW of
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 ...
. Makrakomi is linked with the
GR-38 (Agrinio - Evrytania - Lamia).
Municipality
The Municipality of Makrakomi was formed at the 2011 local government reform by the merger of the following 4 former municipalities, that became municipal units (constituent communities in brackets):
[
*]Agios Georgios Tymfristou
Agios Georgios Tymfristou ( el, Άγιος Γεώργιος Τυμφρηστού) is a village and a former municipality in Phthiotis, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Makrakomi
Makrakomi ( el, Μακρ ...
(Agios Georgios, Dikastro Dikastro ( el, Δίκαστρο), meaning "two castles", is a small village in the northwest of Phthiotis Prefecture in Central Greece, very close to the borders with Evrytania and Karditsa. Built on the verdant rocky landscape between Mounts Tymfr ...
, Mavrilo, Megali Kapsi, Merkada, Mesaia Kapsi, Neochori, Palaiokastro, Perivlepto, Pitsiota, Ptelea, Vitoli)
*Makrakomi (Archani, Asvesti, Giannitsou
Giannitsou ( el, Γιαννιτσού) is a semi-mountainous village, altitude of ~300m above the sea level, in western Phthiotis/Central Greece, with fewer than 300 inhabitants. It is located northern of Makrakomi and 36 km northwestern of ...
, Grammeni, Kastri, Litoselo, Makrakomi, Makri, Palaia Giannitsou, Pappa, Platystomo, Rovoliari, Trilofo, Tsoukka
Tsoukka ( el, Τσούκκα) is a village in the municipal unit of Makrakomi in Phthiotis, Greece
Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the B ...
)
*Spercheiada
Spercheiada ( el, Σπερχειάδα) is a town and a former municipality in the western part of Phthiotis, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Makrakomi
Makrakomi ( el, Μακρακώμη) is a town an ...
(Agios Sostis, Anatoli, Argyria, Fteri, Gardiki, Kallithea, Kampia, Kanalia, Kloni, Kolokythia, Kyriakochori, Lefkada, Marmara, Mesopotamia, Nikolitsi, Palaiochori, Palaiovracha, Perivoli, Pitsi, Platanos, Pougkakia, Spercheiada)
*Tymfristos
Tymfristos ( el, Τυμφρηστός) is a mountain in the eastern part of Evrytania and the western part of Phthiotis, Greece. The mountain is a part of the Pindus mountain range. The elevation of its highest peak, Velouchi ( el, Βελούχι ...
The municipality has an area of 836.564 km2, the municipal unit 271.298 km2. In 2011 the population of Makrakomi municipal unit was assessed as 5,617 (2,825 male, 2,792 female).
Historical population
History, monuments and sights
''See Ainis
Ainis (Ancient Greek Αἰνίς, , Modern Greek Αινίδα, ) or Aeniania, was a region of ancient Greece located near Lamia in modern Central Greece, roughly corresponding to the upper Valley of Spercheios.
Name
The region takes its name fro ...
''.
''Makrakomi'': This market town bears the name of the ancient Aenian town "Makra Kome" ong Townwhose ruins can be seen on the small hill Profitis Ilias. "Makra Kome" is mentioned by the historian Livy
Titus Livius (; 59 BC – AD 17), known in English as Livy ( ), was a Ancient Rome, Roman historian. He wrote a monumental history of Rome and the Roman people, titled , covering the period from the earliest legends of Rome before the traditiona ...
(Titus Livius) in his description of the destruction of Sperchias by the Aetolians (198 B.C) (see Macra Come
Macra Come or Makra Kome ( grc, Μακρά κώμη) was a fortress mentioned by Livy along with Sperchiae in Ainis, in ancient Thessaly. It may have been a town of the Aenianes.
Its site is at a place called Varybopi in modern-day Makrakomi
Ma ...
). Sights include the church of Agia Paraskevi (set in an overgrown site with cypress trees), the Acropolis of Makrakomi (which affords a splendid view over the plain) and the hillock of Lavanitsa.
''Platistomo'': A picturesque bath town with natural springs (known to ancient Aenians). The waters of these springs are recommended for stomach and skin ailments.
''Nea and Palea Gianitsou - Papas'': There are traces of two ancient castles in this location.
''Makri'': A town square is located here, as well as the river Spercheios
The Spercheios (, ''Sperkheiós''), also known as the Spercheus from its Latin name, is a river in Phthiotis in central Greece. It is long, and its drainage area is . It was worshipped as a god in the ancient Greek religion and appears in some c ...
. The only station for nursing and protecting animals in Phthiotis is also located in Makri. The Greek Army general Ioannis Zisis Ioannis Zisis ( el, Ιωάννης Ζήσης, 1881-1941) was a Hellenic Army General during World War II.
He was born in village Makri, near to Makrakomi, Fthiotida.
Prior to and during the German invasion of Greece, Major General Zisis was c ...
was born at Makri in 1888.
''Archani'': Close to springs and therapeutic waters.
''Asvestis'
It has a vaulted bridge made of stone.
''Trilofo'': It features a religious museum "I Vivlos" The Bible"
''Kastri'': It has a plane-tree forest on both sides of the Spercheios
The Spercheios (, ''Sperkheiós''), also known as the Spercheus from its Latin name, is a river in Phthiotis in central Greece. It is long, and its drainage area is . It was worshipped as a god in the ancient Greek religion and appears in some c ...
. The Castle is the most prominent building at the village centre.
''Tsouka'': The porch of Western Phthiotis
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 ...
. It features a fountain in the "chalkia gourna" brass basin"while there are huge oak trees at Agios Giannis.
''Litosselo'': There is a folklore museum and a settlement called "Afentika" The Bosses"
''Rovoliari'': There are ancient fir-trees, chestnut-tree woods and oak-tree woods, as well as a folklore museum.
Food and entertainment
Local meat from free range animals and delicious sausages traditionally produced. Wine and raki from the mountainous vineyards
A vineyard (; also ) is a plantation of grape-bearing vines, grown mainly for winemaking, but also raisins, table grapes and non-alcoholic grape juice. The science, practice and study of vineyard production is known as viticulture. Vineyards ...
of Makrakomi, Tsouka and Platistomo. Famous local produce includes kiwi berries from Kastri and shelled peanuts from Makri. The taverns and restaurants in Makrakomi and the surrounding villages serve kokoretsi
Kokoretsi or kokoreç is a dish of the Balkans and Anatolia (Asia Minor), consisting of lamb or goat intestines wrapped around seasoned offal, including sweetbreads, hearts, lungs, or kidneys, and typically grilled; a variant consists of chopp ...
, splinantero, kontosouvli (skewered and grilled meats) and other local specialities.
Cultural and other events
Organized events in commemoration of the Battle of Makrakomi; three-day Carnival festivities in Makrakomi. Traditional festivals in Makrakomi (on Agiou Pnevmatos Day oly Ghost and all the other villages. Music nights, dedicated events, exhibitions and theatricals are also put on in summer.
See also
*List of settlements in Phthiotis
This is a list of settlements in Phthiotis, Greece:
A
* Achinos
* Achladi
* Achladia
* Agia Marina, Stylida
* Agia Marina, Tithorea
* Agia Paraskevi, Lamia
* Agia Paraskevi, Tithorea
* Agia Triada
* Agios Charalampos
* Agios Georgios D ...
References
External links
Municipality of Makrakomi
Makrakomi on line
Municipality of Makrakomi on GTP Travel Pages
(in English and Greek)
Makrakomi (community) on GTP Travel Pages
(in English and Greek)
{{Makrakomi div
Populated places in Phthiotis
Municipalities of Central Greece
Spercheios Valley