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41-448: Paxos lies some 15 km from the southern tip of Corfu and at about the same distance from the town of Parga on the mainland. It is connected by ferry lines from Igoumenitsa and Corfu with Gaios. The island is hilly, the highest point having an elevation of 230 m. In Greek mythology , Poseidon created the island by striking Corfu with his trident , so that he and his wife Amphitrite could have some peace and quiet. Paxos

82-689: A group of 20 Muslim families petitioned for their planned exchange to be annulled. This small group was eventually allowed to remain in Parga via mediation by the League of Nations which made their status "non-exchangeable". During the Axis Occupation of Greece , in August 1943, Parga was targeted by the German anti-guerilla operation named 'Augustus'. The Wehrmacht units were actively assisted by units of

123-656: A part of the inhabitants in of the municipality which includes a much broader area than the immediate vicinity of Parga itself. In the settlements of the Fanari plain, Albanian is still spoken by a few people, while in some settlements like Anthousa and Kanallaki , the closest existing variants of Souliotic Albanian are still spoken by a few people in modern times. Various cultural and educational foundations in Parga were erected due to bequests by prominent locals, such as Athanasios Deskas. The modern town in general preserves its traditional architectural features. The Castle

164-548: A result of protests, a Mixed Commission under the League of Nations with representatives from Greece and Albania was formed. On February 2, 1926, Qenan Mesare, the Albanian representative protested against the forced relocations to Turkey from the region of Chameria , the worsening of the living conditions for the Cham community and specifically referred to the village of Parga, where the majority were transferred to Turkey. In 1927,

205-641: Is a historical island that has been inhabited since prehistoric times. According to tradition, the Phoenicians were the first settlers on Paxos, and it is believed that the name "Paxos" originated from the Phoenician word "Pax," meaning "trapezoidal." In ancient times, Paxos played a significant role, especially during the First Illyrian War in 229 BC when the Battle of Paxos was fought between

246-515: Is a town and municipality located in the northwestern part of the regional unit of Preveza in Epirus , northwestern Greece . The seat of the municipality is the village Kanallaki . Parga lies on the Ionian coast between the cities of Preveza and Igoumenitsa . It is a resort town known for its natural environment. The present municipality of Parga was formed at the 2011 local government reform by

287-528: Is found on the top of a hill overlooking the town and was used to protect the town from invasions from the mainland and the sea. It was initially built in the 11th century by the residents of Parga to protect their town from pirates and the Ottomans. In the 13th century, as their control of the region increased, the Venetians rebuilt the castle to fortify the area. In 1452, Parga and the castle were occupied by

328-409: Is linked with direct suburban buses ( KTEL ) to other Greek cities and towns such as Igoumenitsa and Preveza . There are also indirect connections with Athens , Thessaloniki and Ioannina Tourists arriving in Parga fly in from Aktio (65 km) with seasonal direct flights connecting Parga with Athens, Thessaloniki and other domestic and international destinations. Tourists also arrive via

369-590: Is part of a European network called Cultural Village of Europe . The annual Paxos Festival was founded by John Gough, and is now organised by the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, and attracts some of Europe's finest young performers. This festival events usually take place between June and September and are usually held in the disused school of Longos . The island is serviced by combined passenger and vehicle ferries which operate year-round from

410-442: Is situated across the bay. Lichnos Beach, one of the beaches of Parga, is located in western Greece 3 km from Parga and Spread in the area of 2 hectares. Agios Sostis is a small beach on the northwest side of Anthoussa village. A small church, built in the 14th century, stands nearby. Sarakiniko is a well-known beach, located on the west side of Agia village, near a small river and olive trees, approximately 12 km from

451-547: The Agnelli family (of FIAT fame) have built a palatial holiday home—complete with faux medieval tower—on a small island of ( Kaltonisi ) situated near the southernmost tip ('the heel') of Paxos, close to the beach of Mongonissi . The presence of such residents, and the development of the coastal area (mostly by Italian nationals) explains why Paxos has now become one of the most expensive pieces of real estate in Greece. Paxos

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492-837: The Napoleonic Wars , the Ionian Islands were occupied by the French and the Russo-Turkish alliance. However, Paxos surrendered to the Royal Navy frigate HMS Apollo and 160 troops from the 2nd Greek Light Infantry from Cephalonia and the 35th Regiment of the Royal Corsican Rangers on February 13, 1814. The United Kingdom established the Ionian Union in 1815, and in 1864, Paxos, along with

533-455: The 16th century, Parga was part of the Venetian holdings in coastal Epirus. In 1570, anti-Ottoman rebels commanded by Emmanuel Mormoris that temporarily managed to overthrow Ottoman rule from the coastal regions of Epirus used Parga as a base of operations. Venetian-controlled Parga was in this period in frequent property-related conflict with neighboring, Ottoman-controlled Margariti and

574-532: The Byzantine emperor Andronikos III Palaiologos , Parga remained loyal to the emperor. The town came under the control of Albanian ruler Gjin Bua Shpata of Arta in the 1390s. Vonko , who was also vassal of the Venetians in Fanari , was the governor Parga at this time. After Shpata's death, he tried to carve his own fiefdom in 1400. The townspeople considered his rule tyrannical, overthrew him and asked

615-634: The Italian army and armed Cham Albanian groups under Nuri Dino, Mazar Dino and Abdul Qasim resulting in several Greek settlements to being burnt to the ground and the murder of civilian Greek population. On August 10, 1943, the National Republican Greek League (EDES) and the Cham Balli Kombëtar (BK) held a meeting in Parga, attended by representatives of the two organizations including Mazar Dino. EDES asked for

656-568: The Muslim community were saved by units of EDES. In general violent incidents in Summer-Autumn 1944 were quite limited and the civilian Muslim community was not found in danger. During the conflicts that resulted in the German retreat, the Axis troops around Parga had the armed support of Cham units. At the end of the war, the remaining Muslim Chams fled to Albania. Albanian is still spoken by

697-584: The Ottomans for two years; part of the castle was demolished at that time. In 1537, Ottoman admiral Hayreddin Barbarossa burned and destroyed the fortress and the houses within. Before the reconstruction of the castle in 1572 by the Venetians, the Turks demolished it once again. The Venetians rebuilt it for the third and last time creating a stronger fortress that stayed impregnable until 1819, despite attacks, especially by Ali Pasha of Ioannina . Provisions for

738-474: The Venetians for protection. The town passed under Venetian control in 1401, and was administered as a mainland exclave of the Venetian possession of Corfu , under a castellan. Ottoman raids were particularly heavy in the mid 15th century, as the senate gave the citizens of the town a 10-year tax exemption in 1454. A Romaniote Jewish community was recorded in 1496 in Venetian Parga. Throughout

779-576: The ancient Greek and Illyrian fleets. The account of this battle is documented in The Histories, a work by the ancient historian Polybius . Paxos has been ruled by various conquerors, including the Romans in the 2nd century BC, pirates during the Byzantine era and Middle Ages , and by Crusaders . Eventually, the Venetians gained control of the island at the end of the 14th century. During

820-627: The area around Parga itself. In the 17th century, their relations worsened and Parga was a frequent target of attacks by the beys of Margariti, in particular in 1640-42. During these two years, the representative ( bailo ) of Venice in the Ottoman court submitted an official note of protest for the attacks of Margariti against Venetian Parga. During Ottoman rule in Epirus, the inhabitants of Parga displayed continuous support for Greek revolutionary activities. Apart from brief periods of Ottoman possession,

861-742: The capital of the Paxiot demos (community). The province of Paxoi ( Greek : Επαρχία Παξών ) was one of the provinces of the Corfu Prefecture. Its territory corresponded with that of the current municipality Paxoi. It was abolished in 2006. Among well known semi-permanent British inhabitants were Audrey Good , former commander of the UN refugee bases in Epirus following the Greek Civil War , actor Peter Bull (author of It Isn't All Greek to Me ) and actress Susannah York . Some members of

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902-488: The castle of Parga. Because of its clear waters and proximity to the town it attracts many tourists. Kastro Point, which is located in the same beach, is popular among surfers due to its excellent surfing conditions. However, the level of skill required is high and the spot is best suited to more advanced surfers. Krioneri Beach, the main beach of Parga, lies a short distance from the town centre. The small island of Virgin Mary

943-592: The castle were transported via two bays at Valtos and Pogonia. When Parga was sold to the Ottomans , Ali Pasha made structural additions to the castle, including a Turkish bath and his harem quarters which he built at the top of the fortress. On the arched gate at the wall of the castle entrance, the winged lion of Agios Markos is visible. Other entrance details include, the name “ANTONIO BERVASS 1764”, emblems of Ali Pasha, two-headed eagles and related inscriptions. The city of Parga, built amphitheatrically, stands between

984-399: The coast of Paxos: Agios Nikolaos and Panagia protect the harbor of Gaios, while Mongonisi and Kaltsonisi lie off the southeastern tip. Antipaxos lies some 5 km further southeast. The production of olive oil, soap manufacture and fishing were supplanted by tourism as the main industry in the mid-1960s, resulting in a construction boom, which has greatly altered the coastline around Gaios,

1025-734: The disarmament of the Cham units and for their activity to pass under EDES command. These demands were met with refusal by the Cham BK. After orders by the British Allied Command the EDES undertook operations around the coast of Parga. Control of the region was vital for logistical reasons. On 28 June 1944, EDES took the village and killed 52 Cham Albanians. The following month the left wing National Liberation Front (EAM) arrested 40 local Muslims and executed them. The remaining members of

1066-477: The following siege against Parga. In 1815, with the fortunes of the French failing, the citizens of Parga revolted against French rule and sought the protection of the British. In 1819, the British ceded control the city to Ali Pasha of Ioannina (the subject of Francesco Hayez 's later painting The Refugees of Parga ) in exchange for a monetary settlement, and it later passed to full Ottoman rule. This decision

1107-469: The harbour community in the north, through Magazia to Gaios, the capital. Coastal communities of Gaios, Lakka and Longos on the east coast are the three main settlements, while the interior features numerous scattered hamlets. The west coast is dominated by steep white, chalky cliffs that are greatly eroded at sea level, and harbour many "blue caves". The highest point of the island is Agios Isavros at an elevation of 231 m. Several islets lie very close to

1148-536: The locals of the village who according to Venetian reports harassed Parga on a daily basis. Relations between the two factions oscillated depending on political interests. The General Commander of the Venetian Fleet, Sebastiano Vernier (d. 1578) preferred a cautious policy of conflict resolution with the inhabitants of Margariti , as well as friendly relations with the Albanians loyal to Venice who controlled

1189-552: The merger of the former municipalities of Fanari and Parga that became municipal units. The municipality has an area of 274.796 km , the municipal unit 68.903 km . In antiquity the area was inhabited by the Greek tribe of the Thesprotians . Mycenean tholos tombs have been discovered in the vicinity of Parga. The ancient town of Toryne was located there during the late Hellenistic Age . It owes its name due to

1230-400: The mountainous coastal region of Preveza and Igoumenitsa. It is known as the "Bride of Epirus". In the summer, tourists arrive from Paxos, Antipaxos, and Corfu by boat. Parga attracts thousands of tourists. In its vicinity there are beaches including Valtos, Kryoneri, Piso Kryoneri, Lichnos, Sarakiniko and Ai Giannaki. Valtos Beach is one of the longest beaches of Parga. It is located near

1271-432: The port of Igoumenitsa on the mainland of Greece (1.5 hours). In the tourist season hydrofoils, passenger ferries and sea-taxis operate from Corfu (1–2 hours). A hydrofoil passenger service operates outside the tourist season, but is infrequent and weather dependent. Winter visitors should anticipate occasional periods of isolation. Parga Parga ( Greek : Πάργα , Párga , pronounced [ˈpaɾɣa] )

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1312-502: The predominant language in Parga was Greek since even the local Muslim element spoke Greek, while some of them also spoke Albanian. In the early 20th century, apart from Albanian speakers, a considerable part of the Parga Muslims were Greek speakers and Romani, many of whom had immigrated to the area from southern Greece after the Greek war of independence in 1821. Ottoman rule in Parga and the rest of Epirus ended in 1913 following

1353-595: The region, invited the people of Parga to return to their homeland. During the first year of the Greek War of Independence (1821) the Ottoman garrison of Parga was unsuccessfully attacked by a small force of Souliotes and men of the local diaspora. In 1831 some Muslim refugee families from the Peloponnese were resettled in Parga by Reşid Mehmed Pasha According to a 1877 report by the Greek vice-consul, in Parga lived 365 Christian and 180 Muslim families. In 1877

1394-417: The rest of the Ionian Islands, was ceded to Greece. Paxos lies some 15 km from the southern tip of Corfu, and at about the same distance from the town of Parga on the mainland. The island is approximately 10 kilometres (6 mi) long and up to 3 kilometres (2 mi) wide, stretching in northwest–southeast direction. Much of the hilly landscape is covered in olive groves. These stretch from Lakka ,

1435-716: The shape of its beach ( Greek : Τορύνη ladle in Greek). Parga itself is mentioned for the first time in 1318; the name is most likely of Slavic origin. Two years later, the town and its sugarcane plantation proceeds were unsuccessfully offered by Nicholas Orsini , the Despot of Epirus , to the Republic of Venice in exchange for Venetian aid against the Byzantine Empire . During the Epirote rebellion of 1338/39 against

1476-428: The town centre. Small boats connect the beach with the port of Parga. Parga experiences a hot-summer mediterranean climate ( Köppen Csa ). Precipitation falls mainly in the winter months, with little in the summer. The town experiences mild winters and hot, dry summers. The average annual temperature is 16.5 °C or 61.8 °F, with about 1219 mm or 48.0 inches of precipitation annually. The town of Parga

1517-534: The town remained in Venetian hands until the Fall of the Republic of Venice in 1797. It then passed to France. As the relations of France with Ali Pasha deteriorated over his ambitions against the mainland exclave of Parga, the French twice considered using the men of their Albanian regiment against the mainland, but nothing came of these plans. The leading figure of political life of Parga in this transitional period

1558-620: The victory of Greece in the Balkan Wars , and the town became part of Greece. As a result of the Population exchange between Greece and Turkey , the state of Greece in November 1924 transported to Turkey, 1,500 Albanian-speaking Muslims from Parga, as not being of Albanian origin. The Muslims of Parga had acquired Ottoman citizenship in 1913, but had later renounced it. On this basis, the Greek government considered them to be Turkish. As

1599-415: Was Hasan Çapari, strong adversary of Ali Pasha and very wealthy landowner from nearby Margariti , who in 1807 sought Russian support, claiming that the Royal Navy "were harassing the residents of Parga". In 1812 the adjacent settlement of Agia that belonged to Parga was captured by Ottoman general Daut Bey, the nephew of Ali Pasha. He then massacred and enslaved the local population. Daut was killed during

1640-573: Was highly unpopular among the population of Parga, a predominantly Greek inhabited and extremely pro-Venetian settlement. Parga then ceased to provide a refuge for Klephts and Souliotes and many residents of Parga moved to nearby Corfu rather than live under Ottoman rule. As such Parga was completely abandoned by its inhabitants after the British departure and its handover to Ali Pasha in 1819. Ali Pasha brought local Albanian speakers from Chameria to repopulate Parga. In 1830, Ottoman general Kutahi pasha, in his attempt to restore rule and justice in

1681-400: Was the target of constant raids. The cause of friction has to do with the conflicting interests of the Venetians and the Albanian beys of Margariti for the control of the agricultural territory between the town of Parga and the inland territory. Such an attack against the coastal port was organized in 1558 by the formerly Christian spahi of Agia (today part of the municipality of Parga) and

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