Kato Pedina Explained

Kato Pedina
Name Local:Κάτω Πεδινά
Type:community
Periph:Epirus
Periphunit:Ioannina
Municipality:Zagori
Population:68
Population As Of:2021
Elevation:940
Coordinates:39.8783°N 60.3°W
Licence:ΙΝ

Kato Pedina (Greek, Modern (1453-);: Κάτω Πεδινά meaning "lower fields", before 1928: Κάτω Σουδενά - Kato Soudena[1]) is a village in the Ioannina regional unit in Epirus, Greece. It is in the municipality of Zagori. Its population was 68 in the 2021 census. Kato Pedina is one of the Zagori villages, also known as Zagorochoria, and is in the municipal unit of Central Zagori. It is situated on a mountainside at 940 m elevation, in the northwestern foothills of the Mitsikeli mountains.

History

The village was once called Kato Soudena (as Ano Pedina was called Ano Soudena). The name is of Slavic origin and either means cold ground or "place of meeting". It is possible that the village was formed after the merging of other villages that existed nearby.[2] Most of the Zagori villages have Slavic names that were given to them during the Slavic raids.

In the location of Gkortzia and Lakkia Spanou, an ancient tomb that dates back to the end of the 2nd millennium BC was discovered. As a settlement, Kato Pedina was famous during the Byzantine era (the oldest written reference of the name was found in the edict of Andronicus II Palaeologus, in 1321 along with the villages of Papingo, Elafotopos and Ano Pedina), it is one of the oldest villages in Zagori.

The settlement, like all Zagori villages, enjoyed great growth after the 16th century.

See also

Notes and References

  1. http://pandektis.ekt.gr/pandektis/handle/10442/170340 1st
  2. A.Kathareios (Inspector of the 1st educational region of Epirus) Report of Inspection of Zagorohoria in 1913