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Administrative Region : Thessaly
Regional unit : Trikala

Trikala

Kalampaka (Greek: Καλαμπάκα, Kalabáka, alternative transliteration Kalabaka) is a municipality in the Trikala peripheral unit, part of Thessaly in Greece. The population 11,841 (2001). The Meteora monasteries are located in the town. Kalabaka is the northwestern terminal of the old Thessaly Railways, now part of OSE. Kalabaka was voted as one of the most beautiful places in Greece by the Skai TV show I LOVE GR.[1]

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Municipality

Kalampaka and Meteora [Source]

Kalampaka

Kalampaka / Δ.δ. Καλαμπάκας [ 7721 ]
- Kalampaka / η Καλαμπάκα [ 7392 ]
- Agia Paraskevi / η Αγία Παρασκευή [ 130 ]
- Vitoumas / ο Βιτουμάς [ 199 ]
Avra / Δ.δ. Αύρας [ 613 ]
- Avra / η Αύρα [ 472 ]
- Nea Zoi / η Νέα Ζωή [ 141 ]
Vlachava / Δ.δ. Βλαχάβας -- η Βλαχάβα [ 305 ]
Diava / Δ.δ. Διάβας [ 754 ]
- Diava / η Διάβα [ 754 ]
- Koromilia / η Κορομηλιά [ 0 ]
Kastrakion / Δ.δ. Καστρακίου -- το Καστράκιον [ 1203 ]
Krya Vrysi / Δ.δ. Κρύας Βρύσης [ 349 ]
- Krya Vrysi / η Κρύα Βρύση [ 250 ]
- Trifyllia / τα Τριφύλλια [ 99 ]
Megali Kerasea / Δ.δ. Μεγάλης Κερασέας [ 316 ]
- Megali Kerasea / η Μεγάλη Κερασέα [ 204 ]
- Mourgkani / η Μουργκάνη [ 112 ]
Orthovounion / Δ.δ. Ορθοβουνίου -- το Ορθοβούνιον [ 143 ]
Sarakina / Δ.δ. Σαρακήνας -- η Σαρακήνα [ 437 ]

Diava is a village 3.5 km SW of Kalampaka, it was known in the past as Prevent.

Agios Nikolaos Anapaphsas Monastery near Kastraki, Meteora

Meteora Gallery

Kastraki., Kalampaka

Kastraki (older form Kastrakion )is a village with a developed tourism infrastructure due to its vicinity to the Meteora .

Krya Vrysi is a mountain village, known in the past as Vanakoulia

Sarakina is a village known from a nearby stone bridge from the 14th century. The village is around 8 km from Kalampaka.

Vitoumas is a settlement of Kalampaka district. An attraction is the monastery Koimisis tis Theotokou, with buildings from the 17th century (although it was founded in the 12th century)

Vlachava is a mountain village (alt. c. 820 m). North of the village some 7 km are the remains of the monastery of Panagias Mykanis.

History
Kalabaka's suburb village of Kastraki.
View of Meteora from Kastraki.

The town is built on the location of the ancient city of Aiginion. It is attested since the 10th century, when it was known as Stagoi (Στάγοι), a Byzantine fortress and bishopric. Of its medieval monuments, only the cathedral, the Church of the Dormition, survives. It is a late 11th/early 12th century building, built on the remains of an earlier, late antique church.[3]

The name "Kalabaka" was given 6-7 centuries ago. It is of Turkish origin and means "powerful fortress". It has been Anglicized variously as Kalampaka, Kalambaka, Kalabaki, and Kalabak.

On the 27 August 1881, Kalabaka left Ottoman rule to join the Kingdom of Greece.

On Thursday 23 April 1943, a battle took place in Kalabaka between Greeks and Italians in which 70 Italian soldiers died.[CN]

In 1995 an ancient tomb was found in Kalabaka dating from the 20th century BC.

Twin town

Kalabaka is a twin town with Schwabach, Germany.

References

^ http://www.ilovegr.gr/node/309
^ Kallikratis law Greece Ministry of Interior (Greek)
^ Kazhdan, Alexander, ed. (1991), Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium, Oxford University Press, p. 1941, ISBN 978-0-19-504652-6