Dhërmi

Dhërmi ( sq-definite, Dhërmiu; el, Δρυμάδες, ''Drymádes'') is a village in Vlorë County, Albania. It is part of the municipality of Himarë. The village lies 42 kilometers south of the city of Vlorë and about the same distance north of the southern city of Sarandë. It is built on a slope of the Ceraunian Mountains at approximately 200 meters in altitude, and comprises three neighborhoods: Gjilek, Kondraq, Kallami, and Dhërmi itself. The mountains descend to the southwest into the Ionian coast and Corfu in the distance to the south. Nearby is the village of Palasë. The local inhabitants of Dhërmi mainly speak a variant of the Greek Himariote dialect, and partly the Tosk Albanian dialect.: "The official Albanian name Dhërmi is mainly used by those inhabitants and seasonal workers who use the southern (Tosk) or the northern (Ghek) Albanian dialects. Many of these newcomers and seasonal workers moved to the village from other parts of Albania during (1945-1990) or after the communist era. In contrast to Dhërmi, the local, Greek name Drimades is mainly used by the inhabitants who are believed to 'originate' from the village and declare themselves to be locals, ''horiani'' or ''Drimadiotes''. They primarily use the local Greek dialect and partly the southern Albanian (Tosk) one in their day to day conversations, as is the case with the neighbouring village Palasa and the municipal town of Himarë/Himara. The people inhabiting the other five villages of the Himarë/Himara area (Ilias, Vuno, Qeparo, Pilur, and Kudhes) mainly speak the southern Albanian dialect." Recently, the coastal area has seen a boom in the construction of accommodation facilities, such as wooden villa complexes.

History

Around 1627-1633 a Greek-language school was founded in Dhërmi. In 1632 an Albanian-language school was founded in Dhërmi. Additional Greek schools operated by 1682 with the support of the local bishopric of Himara. During the 17th century (precise year is unknown) another Greek school (the ''Vizilios School'') opened under the sponsorship of a local benefactor. In the 1898-1899 school season three Greek schools were operating: elementary, secondary and a girls' school.

At November 5, 1912, when the nearby town of Himara was controlled by the Greek forces of the local major Spyros Spyromilios, armed groups from Dhermi declared that they were prepared to assist his movement for the incorporation of the rest of the region into Greece.

In 2015 the demolition of the local church of St. Athanasios by the state authorities caused a storm of reactions and sparked tensions between the Orthodox Church of Albania and the Albanian state.

, Dhërmi has been hosting many music festivals, making it a popular tourist destination.

Demographics

The inhabitants of Dhërmi are primarily Greek-speaking and partly Tosk Albanian-speaking, calling themselves ''horiani'' or ''Drimadiotes'', a term used to denote that they are locals who originate from the village. They speak a variety of the Greek Himariote dialect, which is characterized by archaic features not retained in Standard Modern Greek. There are also some Tosk-speaking and Gheg-speaking newcomers and seasonal workers, who moved to Dhërmi from other parts of Albania during the communist era (1945-1990).

Landmarks

*Dhërmi Beach
*Alevra
*Bay of Grama
*The Pirates' cave
*The harbor of Gjipe
*Hypapante Church, Dhërmi
*Panagia Monastery Church, Dhërmi
*St. Stephen's Church, Dhërmi

Notable people

*Petro Marko, Albanian writer and founding father of modern Albanian prose.
* Pano Bixhili, diplomat

Gallery

File:Albania,_Dhermi.jpg, Dhërmi
File:ALB_20070718_img_1402.jpg, A local beach
File: Dhermi_beach.jpg, Dhërmi beach
File: Dhermi_camp.jpg, Camp of Workers
File: Dhermi_long_beach.jpg, Dhërmi long beach
File: Havana_beach_bar.jpg, A local beach bar
File: Llogara.JPG, The Ceraunian mountains (Llogara)
File: Gogo_Leka.jpg, Gogo Leka

See also

*Albanian Ionian Sea Coast
**Albanian Riviera
*Greeks in Albania
*Tourism in Albania

Footnotes

References

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External links

Region of Himara
Official municipality website

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dhermi
Dhërmi
Populated places in Himara
Villages in Vlorë County
Albanian Ionian Sea Coast
Beaches of Albania
Epirus
Labëria
Greek communities in Albania