Olymbos

Municipality of Olymbos Δημοτική Ενότητα Ολύμπου (Όλυμπος)
Basic data
State :	Greece
Region :	South Aegean
Regional District :	Karpathos
Municipality :	Karpathos
Geographic coordinates :	35 ° 44 ′  N , 27 ° 10 ′  E Coordinates: 35 ° 44 ′  N , 27 ° 10 ′  E
Height above d. M .:	95 m (average)
Area :	104.876 km²
Residents :	556 (2011)
Population density :	5.3 inhabitants / km²
Code No .:	620102
Structure:	1 local community
Located in Karpathos Municipality and Karpathos Regional Unit

Olymbos ( Greek Όλυμπος ( f. Sg. )) Is a village in the north of the Greek island of Karpathos . Together with the port of Diafani on the east coast and other settlements and hamlets, the village has the status of a locality (Τοπική Κοινότητα Topiki Kinotita ) and forms the municipality of the same name (Δημοτική Ενότητα Ολύμπου Dimotiki 556mbouern inhabitants) with Enotita . In addition to Saria, there are other uninhabited islands in the largest area of ​​the municipality of Karpathos . Olymbos is located on a mountain slope that cannot be seen from the coast, surrounded by the two mountain cones Profitis Ilias and Koryfí . The many smaller buildings, mostly in white or yellowish color, are built nested in the hillside, only connected by narrow, winding streets.

administration

Olymbos in 2012

The village of Olymbos formed together with Diafani, Tristomo and the island of Saria from 1948 to 2010 the rural community of the same name (Κοινότητα Ολύμπου Kinotita Olymbou ) and was its administrative seat. Avlona was recognized and incorporated as a settlement in 1951, and the uninhabited archipelagos Astakidonisia , Divounia and Chamili were added to the municipal area in 2001. The administrative reform in 2010 brought the former municipalities of the island together to form the new municipality of Karpathos (Δήμος Καρπάθου Dimos Karpathou ). Since then, the village of Olymbos (Τοπική Κοινότητα Ολύμπου) also forms the municipality of Olymbos (Δημοτική Ενότητα Ολύμπου).

Population development of Olymbos

Surname	1947	1951	1961	1971	1981	1991	2001	2011
Olymbos	1202	1079	0866	0537	0331	0304	0409	0270
Avlona		-	0048	0020th	0046	0024	0016	0007th
Diafani	0196	0246	0313	0254	0198	0247	0312	0228
Tristomo	0009	-	0010	0007th	0002	-	0002	0006th
Saria	0020th	0016	0018th	0013	0004th	-	0022nd	0045
total	1427	1341	1255	831	581	575	761	556

history

Olymbos was built from the 7th century as a refuge for the inhabitants of the former settlements of Vourgounda , Tristomo and the island of Saria and the ancient Vrykous , who fled the mountains from the frequent raids by pirates and Saracens . There, largely isolated from the outside world, not only has the ancient Doric- influenced dialect in the language of the Olympites (the inhabitants of the village) been kept, but also art, culture and customs that can be found everywhere in the village.

Attractions

The most striking building in the village is the parish church Kimisi tis Panagías , built in the 15th century . However, the relief on the bell tower with the Virgin Mary in traditional costume, surrounded by the archangels Michael and Gabriel, was only added in 2002. Inside there is a valuable iconostasis from the first half of the 18th century. In addition to the main church, there are several smaller chapels in and around Olymbos.

In a village that looks like an open-air museum, the residents present Olymbos' old handicrafts and costumes and offer visitors traditional food to eat. Among other things, one of the last operated typical fixed windmills can be visited. The flour is used to bake traditional dark bread in wood-burning ovens.

Infrastructure and economy

There has only been access to the electrical power grid since 1980. Since 2013, the road from the southern part of the island to Olymbos has been paved throughout. After heavy rainfall, stones must be expected on the road. Since the early 1990s, excursion boats have been running regularly from Karpathos to the northwestern port of Diafani. From there a newly built asphalt road leads to the mountain village. Day tourism during the summer season is therefore an important source of income for the residents today. Agriculture has lost a lot of its importance over the decades. Until the middle of the 20th century, when the residents largely had to provide themselves with food, the areas and fields around Olymbos were intensively cultivated. This is how several foreign settlements such as Trístomo , Forókli , Péi , Argóni , Asia or Ahamándia emerged . With over 300 buildings, so-called Stavliá , Avlóna is the largest settlement on Karpathos. In contrast to the hardly cultivated fields of the other outlying settlements, wheat and barley are still harvested on the plateau around Avlóna.

Photo gallery

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  Parish church "Kimisi tis Panagías" in Olymbos

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  Windmill in Olymbos

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  Olymbos village fountain

literature

• Antje Schwab, Gunther Schwab: Karpathos . Verlag Michael Müller, Cologne 2013, ISBN 978-3-89953-762-8 .

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Results of the 2011 census, Greek Statistical Office (ΕΛ.ΣΤΑΤ) ( Memento from June 27, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) (Excel document, 2.6 MB)
2. ↑ Population of Olymbos 1947-2001, Greek Statistical Office ELSTAT, Digital Library (Greek)