Kalavryta (Greek: Καλάβρυτα) is a town and a municipality in the mountainous east-central part of the regional unit of Achaea, Greece. The town is located on the right bank of the river Vouraikos, 24 kilometres (15 miles) south of Aigio, 40 km (25 miles) southeast of Patras and 62 km (39 miles) northwest of Tripoli. Notable mountains in the municipality are Mount Erymanthos in the west and Aroania or Chelmos in the southeast. Kalavryta is the southern terminus of the Diakopto-Kalavryta rack railway, built by Italian engineers between 1885 and 1895.
At the end of 1943, near Kalavryta, 81 German soldiers, led by Hauptmann Johannes Schober, were captured by Greek partisans. Four Germans were killed on the spot. Three were taken to hospital at Kalavryta but were later shot by the furious partisans. The rest were initially treated as prisoners of war until most were shot dead and some plunged over the cliff near Mazi from the force of the shots. Two German prisoners survived the execution and raised the alarm on the following day 8 December 1943. Following this, the Arvanites of the town, who had been a majority since the 1500s, had fled and formed settlements along the Gulf of Patras and the Ionian Sea. Many of them fled and settled in modern-day Tsoukalaiika and Vrachnaiika.
On 13 December 1943, in retribution for the killing of the captured German soldiers, the Massacre of Kalavryta took place. German troops ordered all male residents of Kalavryta, aged 14 years and up, to gather in a field just outside the village. Some 1 300 women and girls were locked in a school which was then set on fire while the men were looking on from a hill outside the village. Then 696 boys and men were machine-gunned. Only 13 survived.[2] After that, they burnt down the town before they left and the next day they burnt down the monastery of Agia Lavra, the birthplace of the Greek War of Independence. After the war, the federal government of Germany offered gestures of atonement in the form of free school books for the high school, scholarships for orphans of the massacre and the building of a retirement home. However, German commanders, including Major Ebersberger who carried out the destruction of Kalavryta and Hauptmann Dohnert who led the firing party, were never brought to justice for their crimes.
The Kalavryta region also became the site of fighting during the Greek Civil War. On 11 April 1948, Kalavryta was seized by the Democratic Army of Greece (DSE) after the former overpowered the town's garrison. DSE released 17 leftists held in the local gendarmerie building, while also emptying the national guard and United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration warehouses; taking 400 million drachmas and large quantities of food and military equipment in the process.[3]
Historical population
Kalavryta municipality & municipal unit
Year
Community
Municipal unit
Municipality
1981
2,015
-
-
1991
2,111
8,306
-
2001
1,942
8,580
-
2011
1,829
6,011
11,045
Landmarks
The memorial site.
View of the Cathedral.
The railway station.
In Kastria, in the municipal unit of Kleitoria, there is the famous cave system Spilaio ton Limnon ("Cave of the Lakes") which is filled with beautiful lakes and strange rock formations. Kalavryta has a ski centre which is located east of town, on the slopes of Chelmos. The monastery of Agia Lavra is located on a hill 4 km (2 mi) southwest of Kalavryta. Another famous monastery nearby is Mega Spilaio which is located 8 km (5 mi) northeast.
Administration
The municipality Kalavryta was formed at the 2011 local government reform by the merger of the following 4 former municipalities, that became municipal units:[4]
The province of Kalavryta (Greek: Επαρχία Καλαβρύτων) was one of the provinces of Achaea. It had the same territory as the present municipality.[6] It was abolished in 2006.
Notable persons
Asimakis Fotilas (1761–1835), politician and revolutionary leader
^ ab"Απογραφή Πληθυσμού - Κατοικιών 2011. ΜΟΝΙΜΟΣ Πληθυσμός" (in Greek). Hellenic Statistical Authority.
^"TALES OF HORROR TOLD BY GREEKS," page 29, Sunday, October 8, 1944. The New York Times. This report was delayed by 10 months.
^Kamarinos, Aristos (2015). Ο εμφύλιος πόλεμος στη Πελοπόννησο 1946-1949 [The Civil War in the Peloponesse (1946-1949)] (in Greek). Athens: Syghroni Epoxi. pp. 364–366. ISBN9789602248720.
^ ab"ΦΕΚ B 1292/2010, Kallikratis reform municipalities" (in Greek). Government Gazette.
^(PDF) (in Greek). National Statistical Service of Greece. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-09-21.
^(PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-03. (39 MB)(in Greek and French)
kalavryta, greek, Καλάβρυτα, town, municipality, mountainous, east, central, part, regional, unit, achaea, greece, town, located, right, bank, river, vouraikos, kilometres, miles, south, aigio, miles, southeast, patras, miles, northwest, tripoli, notable, moun. Kalavryta Greek Kalabryta is a town and a municipality in the mountainous east central part of the regional unit of Achaea Greece The town is located on the right bank of the river Vouraikos 24 kilometres 15 miles south of Aigio 40 km 25 miles southeast of Patras and 62 km 39 miles northwest of Tripoli Notable mountains in the municipality are Mount Erymanthos in the west and Aroania or Chelmos in the southeast Kalavryta is the southern terminus of the Diakopto Kalavryta rack railway built by Italian engineers between 1885 and 1895 Kalavryta KalabrytaKalavryta as seen from the memorial site KalavrytaLocation within the regionCoordinates 38 2 N 22 7 E 38 033 N 22 117 E 38 033 22 117 Coordinates 38 2 N 22 7 E 38 033 N 22 117 E 38 033 22 117CountryGreeceAdministrative regionWest GreeceRegional unitAchaeaGovernment MayorAthanasios PapadopoulosArea Municipality1 058 2 km2 408 6 sq mi Municipal unit531 8 km2 205 3 sq mi Lowest elevation758 m 2 487 ft Population 2011 1 Municipality11 045 Municipality density10 km2 27 sq mi Municipal unit6 011 Municipal unit density11 km2 29 sq mi Community 1 Population1 829 2011 Time zoneUTC 2 EET Summer DST UTC 3 EEST Postal code250 01Area code s 26940Vehicle registrationAXWebsitehttp www kalavrita gr Contents 1 History 2 Historical population 3 Landmarks 4 Administration 4 1 Subdivisions 4 2 Province 5 Notable persons 6 See also 7 References 8 External linksHistory EditKalavryta is built near the ancient city of Cynaetha During the late Middle Ages the town was the centre of the Barony of Kalavryta within the Frankish Principality of Achaea until it was reconquered by the Byzantines in the 1270s After that it remained under Byzantine control until the fall of the Despotate of the Morea to the Ottoman Turks in 1460 With the exception of a 30 year interlude of Venetian control the town remained under Turkish rule until the outbreak of the Greek War of Independence in 1821 in whose early stages Kalavryta figures prominently it was here that on 21 March 1821 the flag of the revolt was raised at the monastery of Agia Lavra by bishop Germanos III of Old Patras Mt Chelmos near Kalavryta Kalavryta At the end of 1943 near Kalavryta 81 German soldiers led by Hauptmann Johannes Schober were captured by Greek partisans Four Germans were killed on the spot Three were taken to hospital at Kalavryta but were later shot by the furious partisans The rest were initially treated as prisoners of war until most were shot dead and some plunged over the cliff near Mazi from the force of the shots Two German prisoners survived the execution and raised the alarm on the following day 8 December 1943 Following this the Arvanites of the town who had been a majority since the 1500s had fled and formed settlements along the Gulf of Patras and the Ionian Sea Many of them fled and settled in modern day Tsoukalaiika and Vrachnaiika On 13 December 1943 in retribution for the killing of the captured German soldiers the Massacre of Kalavryta took place German troops ordered all male residents of Kalavryta aged 14 years and up to gather in a field just outside the village Some 1 300 women and girls were locked in a school which was then set on fire while the men were looking on from a hill outside the village Then 696 boys and men were machine gunned Only 13 survived 2 After that they burnt down the town before they left and the next day they burnt down the monastery of Agia Lavra the birthplace of the Greek War of Independence After the war the federal government of Germany offered gestures of atonement in the form of free school books for the high school scholarships for orphans of the massacre and the building of a retirement home However German commanders including Major Ebersberger who carried out the destruction of Kalavryta and Hauptmann Dohnert who led the firing party were never brought to justice for their crimes The Kalavryta region also became the site of fighting during the Greek Civil War On 11 April 1948 Kalavryta was seized by the Democratic Army of Greece DSE after the former overpowered the town s garrison DSE released 17 leftists held in the local gendarmerie building while also emptying the national guard and United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration warehouses taking 400 million drachmas and large quantities of food and military equipment in the process 3 Historical population Edit Kalavryta municipality amp municipal unit Year Community Municipal unit Municipality1981 2 015 1991 2 111 8 306 2001 1 942 8 580 2011 1 829 6 011 11 045Landmarks Edit The memorial site View of the Cathedral The railway station In Kastria in the municipal unit of Kleitoria there is the famous cave system Spilaio ton Limnon Cave of the Lakes which is filled with beautiful lakes and strange rock formations Kalavryta has a ski centre which is located east of town on the slopes of Chelmos The monastery of Agia Lavra is located on a hill 4 km 2 mi southwest of Kalavryta Another famous monastery nearby is Mega Spilaio which is located 8 km 5 mi northeast Administration EditThe municipality Kalavryta was formed at the 2011 local government reform by the merger of the following 4 former municipalities that became municipal units 4 Aroania Kalavryta Kleitoria PaionThe municipality has an area of 1 058 147 km2 the municipal unit 531 797 km2 5 Subdivisions Edit The municipal unit of Kalavryta is divided into the following communities 4 Ano Vlasia Ano Lousoi Doumena Drosato Flampoura Flampoura Neochori Ortholithi Goumenissa Kalavryta Kalavryta Avlonas Vrachni Krastikoi Moni Agias Lavras Souvardo Kallifoni Kandalos Kato Lousoi Kato Lousoi Lousiko Kato Vlasia Kato Vlasia Menychtaiika Metochi Kato Zachlorou Kerpini Kertezi Korfes Kouteli Kryoneri Lagovouni Lapanagoi Manesi Kalavryton Manesi Boumpoukas Mikros Pontias Mikros Pontias Karousi Lompokas Megas Pontias Petsakoi Petsakoi Bosi Plataniotissa Plataniotissa Digela Spartinou Priolithos Profitis Ilias Profitis Ilias Mouriki Rogoi Sigouni Sigouni Lefki Skepasto Trechlo Trechlo Lapatheia Valta VilivinaProvince Edit The province of Kalavryta Greek Eparxia Kalabrytwn was one of the provinces of Achaea It had the same territory as the present municipality 6 It was abolished in 2006 Notable persons EditAsimakis Fotilas 1761 1835 politician and revolutionary leader Nikolaos Petimezas military leader Anastasios Charalambis 1862 1949 military officer PM of Greece Andreas ZaimisSee also EditList of settlements in Achaea Chelmos Vouraikos UNESCO Global GeoparkReferences Edit a b Apografh Plh8ysmoy Katoikiwn 2011 MONIMOS Plh8ysmos in Greek Hellenic Statistical Authority TALES OF HORROR TOLD BY GREEKS page 29 Sunday October 8 1944 The New York Times This report was delayed by 10 months Kamarinos Aristos 2015 O emfylios polemos sth Peloponnhso 1946 1949 The Civil War in the Peloponesse 1946 1949 in Greek Athens Syghroni Epoxi pp 364 366 ISBN 9789602248720 a b FEK B 1292 2010 Kallikratis reform municipalities in Greek Government Gazette Population amp housing census 2001 incl area and average elevation PDF in Greek National Statistical Service of Greece Archived from the original PDF on 2015 09 21 Detailed census results 1991 PDF Archived from the original PDF on 2016 03 03 39 MB in Greek and French External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kalavryta Municipality of Kalavryta in Greek Museum of the Sacrificed People of Kalavryta full citation needed Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Kalavryta amp oldid 1116695914, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
