Koumanis , Ilia

Koumanis (Κούμανης) Ilia

Koumani (or Koumanis) is a village in mountainous Ilia. The 2011 census found that it had 498 permanent residents, while the homonymous municipal district had a total of 506 [1].

Location

It is 50 km from Pyrgos, 70 km from Patras and 90 km from Tripoli. It is located on the road that connects Olympia with the highway that connects Patras and Tripoli. Its altitude is about 650 meters. The climate is cool in summer and mild in winter. Administratively it belongs to the Municipality of Ancient Olympia [2].

It is built in the center of the green plateau of Foloi (known since antiquity by the centaur Folos, to whom it owes its name), which is covered by the largest natural forest of broadleaf oak, not only in Greece but in the Balkans (its area). is about 45,000 acres), which has made the area protected by the Natura 2000 Community Network. The forest is flat and passable with rich and rare fauna and flora. It thus gives the visitor the opportunity for pleasant and interesting walks. The village is surrounded by barren rocky mountains, surrounded by two large ravines that are crossed by two rivers, the Gura and the Cumane River. Right next door is the large oak forest, the so-called Kapeli.

History

According to local tradition, the village was created in the 13th century when Ioannis Kantakouzinos came to the area with his army that included men from the Kumana tribe [3]. Some of these soldiers settled permanently in Achaia, in present-day Koumani, Achaia, and then in the area where they settled the village, giving it its current name.

There was great growth during the Turkish occupation and then until the late 1950s. The inhabitants took part in all the struggles of the homeland. In 1821, the militancy of the inhabitants created such a myth that even today's generations say the proverb: "God save Koumani and Antroni." This proverb alone shows the militancy of the inhabitants. From Koumani was also the well-known chief of Kapeli Papa-Kosmas Zoras Koumaniotis [4]. During the Second World War, Kuman also offered brave men to the homeland.

In recent years there has been a decline and residents have been forced to migrate internally and externally. Its population has declined significantly and so today there are only 450 permanent residents. Migrant villagers regularly visit the village. The inhabitants are engaged in animal husbandry, agriculture and many of them are craftsmen, builders.
See also

Koumani of Achaia

References

"EL.STAT. - Permanent population of Greece. 2011 Census ”(PDF). It was archived (PDF) from the original on May 17, 2017. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
Ε.Ε.Τ.Α.Α. - Administrative changes in the settlement of Koumani, Ilia, eetaa.gr. Retrieved: 07/09/2016.
Kanellakis 2010, pp. 398-399.

"Koumani and Androni, may God save you." Proini newspaper. 02-03-2009. Retrieved on 16-08-2012. [Dead link]

Sources

Results of the 2011 Population-Housing Census concerning the Permanent Population of the Country, Government Gazette of the Hellenic Republic, vol. 2, p. 3465 (December 28, 2012)
Joseph Arg. Argyriou, "Koumani and Androni, God save you", Proini Newspaper, sheet 02/03/2009.
Christos Th. Kanellakis, The Moral from 1461 until today. Etymological dictionary of the former Municipalities of Mesatidos, Farra, Tritaia, Lassionos, Ilia, Peri Technon Publications, Patras 2010. ISBN 978-960-6684-64-7.

External links

Ε.Ε.Τ.Α.Α. - Administrative changes in the settlement of Koumani, Ilia, eetaa.gr. Retrieved: 07/09/2016.
Ε.Ε.Τ.Α.Α. - Administrative changes of the Community of Koumani, Ilia, eetaa.gr. Retrieved: 07/09/2016.
Koumani Cultural Association, koumani.gr
Union of Koumaniotes of Ilia, ekh-sto-koumani.com
Website for Koumani, antroni.gr

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