UNESCO adds Zagorochoria to its world heritage list

The Zagorochoria of Mount Pindos, in north-west Greece, has been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, it was announced at the 45th session of the World Heritage Committee held in Riyadh.

The expanded session takes place in Saudi Arabia from September 10 to 25.

“This is the first time that a cultural area of ​​Greece that constitutes an exceptional example of our modern cultural heritage has been included in the list,” said Culture Minister Lina Mendoni. “So far, all Greek inscriptions are linked to ancient Greece or Byzantium,” she added.

Mendoni said UNESCO “recognized the exceptional ecumenical value of the architecture of the Zagorochoria (Zagori villages), as an excellent example of the survival and mutual influence of Byzantine and Ottoman architecture. He recognized the authenticity and integrity of the area as key elements for inclusion on the World Heritage List.

She also thanked all those who contributed to this effort, adding that the inscription “is an invitation and an obligation of Greece to maintain and protect intact this heritage, which from today becomes global.”

In its description of the villages of Mount Pindus, UNESCO states: “Located in an isolated rural landscape in northwestern Greece, small stone villages known as Zagorochoria stretch along the western slopes of the northern part of the Pindus mountain range. These traditional villages, typically organized around a central square housing a plane tree and surrounded by sacred forests maintained by local communities, present traditional architecture adapted to the mountainous topography. A network of stone arch bridges, paved paths, and stone staircases connecting villages formed a system that served as a political and social unit connecting the communities of the Voidomatis River basin.

SOURCE; ANA-MPA