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42-771: The river arises in the Pindus mountains of Epirus , Greece, and generally flows northwest. It enters Albania near Çarshovë , and empties into the Adriatic Sea just north of Vlorë . Generally wild and unpolluted, the river is surrounded by the Vikos–Aoös National Park in Greece, and the Vjosa-Narta Protected Landscape near its mouth. In December 2020, the Albanian portion of the river

84-483: A campaign to elevate the status of the Vjosa watershed to Vjosa National Park gained approval from 20 environmental groups under the leadership of EcoAlbania. The effort to create Europe's first wild river park and save 300 km of rivers and streams targeted several projects identified in a February 2021 proposal. In September 2020, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama announced that a protected area will be created around

126-750: A coastal mountain range in southwestern Albania , within the Vlorë County . The mountain range rises on the northeastern bank of the Ionian Sea and protrudes into the Adriatic Sea . It extends for approximately 100 km (62 mi) in a southeast-northwest direction near Sarandë , along the Albanian Riviera , close to Orikum . Geologically, the Karaburun Peninsula belongs to the Ceraunian Mountains, and

168-690: A more conversational (colloquial) language the initial praise to St. Vissarion, which was drafted in 1552 by Pahomios Rousanos  [ el ] , he wrote: “A mountain called by the Greeks Pindos is the same mountain which is called Metzovon in Barbarian” and further down the same text he adds “this mountain, Metzovon, separates the Ioannina region from the Thessaloniki region.” By the eighteenth century, there had been identification of

210-408: Is also a common female Albanian given name. The river arises in the Pindus mountains of Epirus , Greece, near the village of Vovousa . An artificial lake has been constructed at an elevation of 1,350 metres (4,430 ft), where a hydroelectric dam has been in place since 1987. It flows through the canyons of Vikos–Aoös National Park , and then through the town of Konitsa , where it is joined by

252-427: Is called Vjosë or Vjosa , while in Greece it is known by its ancient name (Αώος in modern orthography), in medieval Latin maps was called Viossa as well as Vovousa ( Βοβούσα ) or Aias ( Αίας, Αἴας ). In Greek it is also known as Βοϊούσα (Voioussa, pronounced vo-i-usa), especially in pre-20th century texts. According to historian Ap. Vakalopoulos (1977) the name Voioussa is the common Greek name of Aoos. Vjosa

294-489: Is in a remote area in the northeast of the Pindus mountains, north of the town of Metsovo and south of Perivoli . The park of some 7,000 hectares was established in 1966. There are forests of black pine and beech , and in the higher parts, Bosnian Pine ( Pinus leucodermis ). The park is a refuge for bears , wild cats , and lynxes . The National Park was selected as main motif for two high value euro collectors' coins:

336-523: Is roughly 160 km (100 miles) long, with a maximum elevation of 2,637 metres (8652') ( Mount Smolikas ). Because it runs along the border of Thessaly and Epirus , the Pindus range is known colloquially as the spine of Greece . The mountain range stretches from near the Greek-Albanian border in southern Albania, entering the Epirus and Macedonia regions in northern Greece down to the north of

378-530: Is separated from the rest by the Llogara Pass (1,027 metres (3,369 ft)) forming the western part of the Ceraunian mountain range, called Acroceraunian Mountains ( Albanian : Malet Akrokeraune ). The mountains are about 24 km (15 mi) long and about 4–7 km (2.5–4.3 mi) wide. The highest peak is Çikë with an elevation of 2,044 metres (6,706 ft). In classical antiquity,

420-728: The Peloponnese . Geologically , it is an extension of the Dinaric Alps , which dominate the western region of the Balkan Peninsula . Historically, the name Pindos refers to the mountainous territory that separates the greater Epirus region from the regions of Macedonia and Thessaly. According to John Tzetzes (a 12th-century Byzantine writer), the Pindos range was then called Metzovon. When Anastasios Gordios  [ el ] translated (between 1682/83 and 1689) to

462-583: The Voidomatis . It enters Albania near Çarshovë , where it is joined by the Sarantaporos , and then continues northwest through Përmet , Këlcyrë , and Tepelenë (where it is joined by the Drino ), Memaliaj , Selenicë and Novoselë . It then flows into the Adriatic Sea northwest of Vlorë . The river's mouth is located within the boundaries of the Vjosa-Narta Protected Landscape . In December 2020,

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504-819: The 3,400 hectare park is the Vikos Gorge , carved by the Voidomatis River, while the Aoos Gorge, Mount Tymfi , with its highest peak, Gamila, at 2,497 metres (8,192 ft), and a number of settlements forming the park's peripheral zone. In February 2005, the Albanian government made the Vjose-Narte wetlands a protected area. This legislation followed Albania's ratification of the Kyoto Protocol in December 2004. The river contributes water to

546-477: The Acroceraunian promontory located on the western side of the bay of Vlorë (ancient Aulon) equates to the modern Karaburun Peninsula also known as cape Linguetta. In Latin the name of the mountains was recorded as Ceraunii montes or Acroceraunii montes . In Albanian, the native name of the mountains is Malet e Vetëtimës , while Malet Akrokeraune contains the ancient name. In Modern Greek

588-495: The Albanian portion of the Vjosa was designated a "Managed Nature Reserve" by the government. The main tributaries of Vjosa are the Sarantaporos and Voidomatis in Greece, and the Drino and Shushicë in Albania. The main cities and towns along the river are, in downstream order, Vovousa and Konitsa in Greece; and Çarshovë , Përmet , Këlcyrë , Tepelenë , Memaliaj , Selenicë and Novoselë in Albania. The valley of

630-547: The Balkans, including the Vjosa's channel. Developers have met with opposition from European nature organisations including RiverWatch, EuroNatur , and EcoAlbania . A 2012 study assessed the hydromorphology of the Balkan's rivers, taking into account the structural status of 35,000 river kilometres. The study showed that the region's rivers are largely intact, with 30% deemed pristine and 50% slightly modified. In February 2020,

672-700: The Greek polis of Apollonia , in particular, came from there, perhaps after the conquest of Thronion c. 450 BC. According to Ancient Greek mythology , the Abantes from Euboea who had previously joined the Ancient Greek army in the Trojan War settled in the Ceraunian Mountains. They were later expelled by the forces from Apollonia . The Ceraunian Mountains have been described by ancient writers such as Ptolemy , Strabo and Pausanias . Consequently,

714-521: The Pindus, one of them being Samarina , which boasts one of the highest elevations in Greece. The area had a traditional pastoral economy in which sheep were raised by shepherds who were ethnically Sarakatsani and Aromanian . Many of the villages such as Perivoli and Smixi include communities of Aromanians ( Vlachs ), originally shepherds and farmers. In recent decades, a number of villages, such as Metsovo , have developed into tourist resorts with ski facilities. The A2 motorway (Egnatia Odos) serves

756-503: The Vjosa has provided one of the most important natural routes between the mountainous interior of Epirus into southern Illyria and towards the Adriatic Sea . This natural route must have been used for millennia, and continues to be used to the present day. Hecataeus (550–476 BC) refers to the river as Aias ( Ancient Greek : Αἴας ), the name Anios ( Ἄνιος ) is used by Plutarch in Caesar , while Polybius , Livy and Strabo use

798-479: The Vjosa. In December 2020, the Albanian government designated the Vjosa River as a "Managed Nature Reserve" or nature park. Environmental groups are skeptical of the level of protection afforded by "protected" status. A national park designation would prohibit hydroelectric projects, airports, and other development; a protected area designation would not. In April 2021 a petition signed by Vjosa River scientists

840-600: The Vjosë-Levan-Fier irrigation canal, a canal that was built in the 1950s to irrigate the Myzeqe . In December 2020, the Albanian portion of the river was designated a "Managed Nature Reserve" by the Albanian government. The Vjosa's potential for hydropower has attracted developers to submit proposal to planning authorities for dam projects along the river and its tributaries. By 2017, over 2000 dam projects had gained governmental approval on stretches of river throughout

882-464: The critically endangered Balkan lynx, of which only 15 are estimated to remain. In the Greek section of the Pindus mountains there are two national parks. The Vikos-Aoos National Park is south of the town of Konitsa , in the west part of Zagori region. It includes Mount Tymfi , the Vikos Gorge and the Aoos Gorge. It was created in 1973. The Pindus National Park (also known as Valia Kalda)

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924-565: The folk name for the mountain range from the Middle Ages up to the 19th century was either "Metsovo" or "the mountains of Metsovo". Most probably this name was not meant to indicate the whole range as it is meant today, but only its central part between the area of Aspropotamos and the springs of the Aoös River. This part coincides with the mountainous region which the ancient Greeks used to call Pindos. The most notable mountains in

966-506: The forests. The forests of this region have faced many threats over the course of human history, including overgrazing , agriculture, and deforestation . The greatest threats now come from the development of mountain tourism and ski resorts . Because of the instability of the soil on steep mountains, road-building and clear-cutting operations have led to dangerous landslides and the collapse of mountain slopes. Mining for bauxite , overgrazing, and over-collection of plants are also threatening

1008-410: The great biodiversity of this ecoregion. In the Albanian section of the Pindus mountains is Albania's newest national park. The Vjosa River is Europe's first Wild River National Park that was designated on 15 March 2023. The river valley is considered Albania's biodiversity hotspot, offering ideal aquatic habitats for over 1,100 species of wildlife, including otters, the endangered Egyptian vulture and

1050-576: The lower part and conifers (black pine, spruce, hemlock, etc.) in the upper part. In classical antiquity, the Ceraunian Mountains represented a natural border between the historical and geographical regions of Illyria and Epirus . As a border region to the north of these mountains Illyrian populations were located, while the Epirotes, in particular the Chaonians , were located in the south of these mountains. In Hellenistic times , Çikë formed

1092-525: The mountains are still known under their classical name. Julius Caesar first set foot on Llogara Pass and rested his legion at Palaeste on the Ionian coast during his pursuit of Pompey . During the 15th-16th centuries the warlike community of the region of Himara emerged. Zeus , the central figure of the Greek Pantheon , was associated with the Ceraunian Mountains being a popular deity among

1134-407: The mouth of the river around 600 BC by Greek colonists from Corinth and possibly Corcyra , who established a trading settlement on a largely abandoned coastal site by invitation of the local Illyrians . It developed into an independent polis , and thrived throughout classical antiquity becoming one of the most important urban centres in the wider region, perhaps representing the most important of

1176-482: The name Metsovo with the Pindos mountain range (in a French encyclopedia of 1756). BY 1825, the traveller John Cam Hobhouse was writing that "…the latter mountains, now known by the name of Metzovo, can be no other than Pindus itself…" while a patriarchal document of 1818 states: "Because the high mountain of Pindos in Epirus, that is commonly called Messovon...". The word Pindos was used more in literary sources, while

1218-492: The name of the mountains is Κεραύνια Όρη Keraunia Ori . The range consists of Çikë 2,045 m (6,709 ft) and Qorre 2,018 m (6,621 ft), which are the roughest and most rugged parts of the southwestern relief, due to their extension in the Ionian and Sazan tectonic zones. The mountain range is divided by dry streams and deep abysses, with sparsely covered vegetation, dominated by pine trees (up to 600–800 m) in

1260-483: The name of the mountains was recorded in Ancient Greek as Κεραύνια ὄρη Keraunia ore , meaning "thunder-split peaks". The western part of the mountain chain is called Ἀκροκεραύνια Akrokeraunia , meaning 'Cape Thunder' which referred to the modern Karaburun peninsula . Both names Ceraunia and Acroceraunia illustrate the bad weather and the danger found there by ancient seafarers and travellers. Moreover,

1302-625: The range are Mount Grammos , Mount Smolikas , Mount Vasilitsa , Tymfi or Gamila , Lakmos or Peristeri , the Athamanika or Tzoumerka mountains , Vardousia , and the Agrafa mountains. Some mountains in Southern Greece are also considered part of the extended Pindus range. Its highest peak is on Mount Smolikas at an altitude of 2,637 meters. The main groups of Pindus are Epirotes , Roumeliotes , and Vlachs . There are many villages in

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1344-499: The range. The Pindus region covers a wide range of elevations and habitats, from deep canyons to steep mountains. The wide range in altitude results in two major forest zones: Large breeding colonies of herons , spoonbills , egrets , and pelicans fish the waters of the mountain lakes of the Pindus. This is one of the few areas in Europe where the rare Dalmatian pelican can be found. Wolves , jackals , and bears are found in

1386-576: The region and connects it with the rest of Greece. Besides the imposing mountainous terrain of the range, two significant gorges in Europe are located in the area: the Vikos Gorge and the Aoos Gorge . Together with the mountain valley of Valia Kalda they have been declared protected regions and constitute the National Park of Northern Pindos. Furthermore, many mountain settlements with long history and unique architecture are located throughout

1428-462: The right shore and Amantes on the left shore. Starting from mid-7th century BCE the southern Illyrian area of the lower Aoos experienced the emergence of proto-urban centers, including the fortifications of Kutë , Klos , Mashkjezë , Margëlliç and Strum on the right shore, and those of Amantia , Mavrovë and Treport on the left shore. Apollonia in Illyria was founded on the right bank near

1470-798: The river's banks. In 198 BC, Philip V of Macedon and the Roman Titus Quinctius Flamininus , clashed in the Battle of the Aous . In 170 BC a plot to kidnap Aulus Hostilius Mancinus was foiled by Molossians by mistake. The Vikos–Aoös National Park ( Greek : Εθνικός Δρυμός Βίκου–Αώου Ethnikós Drymós Víkou–Aóou ), created in 1973, is a national park in Epirus in northwestern Greece and UNESCO Geopark . The national park encompasses 126 square kilometres (31,135 acres) of mountainous terrain, with numerous rivers, lakes, caves, canyons, and coniferous and deciduous forest. The core of

1512-463: The river's fishery, and force thousands from their homes. Activists maintain that the government should focus on other less damaging renewable energy sources. Pindus The Pindus (also Pindos or Pindhos ; Greek : Πίνδος , romanized :  Píndos ; Albanian : Pindet ; Aromanian : Pindu ) is a mountain range located in Northern Greece and Southern Albania . It

1554-414: The several classical towns of the same name. The Thesprotian tribe of Parauaioi received their name from the river, as those living beside it. Pausanias writes of "sharks" ( Greek : θηρία ) in the river, as it flows through Thesprotia . It is mentioned as Avos ( Greek : Αύος ) by Stephanus of Byzantium in the sixth century AD. In 274 BC Pyrrhus of Epirus defeated Antigonus II Gonatas near

1596-465: The southern border of the territory of the Greek polis of Oricum . In that period Çika also separated the territory of Oricum from the tribe of the Amantes to the east, who built the fortified settlement of Cerje beyond Shëngjergji Pass. The Akrokeraunian peninsula had the most important stone quarries in Illyria. Most of the quality limestone used for the construction of temples and monuments in

1638-553: The term Aoös . In ancient times the upper course of the river was situated in Epirus, and the lower course in Illyria. Together with the Ceraunian Mountains the first part of the river up to around Tepelenë marked the boundary between the classical regions of Illyria and Epirus, and between the Roman provinces of Epirus Nova and Epirus Vetus . The lower valley was inhabited by the indigenous tribes of Bylliones on

1680-420: The €10 Greek Birds and Flowers and Black Pine Trees commemorative coins, minted in 2007. On the obverse of the latter there is a panoramic view of the common black pine trees that are prevalent in the park. Ceraunian Mountains The Ceraunian Mountains ( Albanian : Malet e Vetëtimës , Albanian pronunciation: [ˈmalet e vetəˈtiməs] , 'Thunderbolt Mountains'; Greek : Κεραύνια Όρη ) are

1722-411: Was delivered to Albanian President Ilir Meta . The scientists immediate concern is a plan by a Turkish-Albanian venture, Ayen ALB , to build a 50-metre high hydroelectric dam. It would be the first development to change the course of Albania's 200 kilometre portion of the river. The dam would flood areas populated with the 1,175 animal and plant species—some endangered. It would inundate farmland, destroy

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1764-761: Was designated a "Managed Nature Reserve" by the government. A campaign by the environmentalist groups to designate the whole Albanian part of the course a national park, to guard against the prospective hydroelectric projects, ultimately resulted in the creation of the Vjosa Wild River National Park on 15 March 2023. The Vjosa is known by a number of different names. In antiquity it was called Aoös ( Ἄωος, Ἀῶος, Ἀῷος ) in Greek (e.g. in Eratosthenes' Geography), and Aous in Latin . In Albanian it

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