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... REGION: Epirus ... Prefecture: Ioannina
... / Konitsa \ ...

Konitsa appears in history at the time of Kon/nos Pogonatos. In 1453, Konitsa came under the Turkish rule and was liberated in 1913. During Ali Pashas occupation, Konitsa presented economic development as it became the transit center to Balkans and Europe.

In 1940-41 Konitsa was attacked by both Italians and raids of Albanian teams. While the price of the Civil War to Konitsa was rather dear as the town lost whole families.
The entire area of Konitsa comprises remarkable and interesting tourist sights, that combined with the natural environment, the rich and interesting vegetation and the unique local architecture have become the main tourist resources of the region.
The town of Konitsa spreads at the hill of Trapezitsa mountain and lies at the the height of 600m approximately. As far as the bottom of the hill of Konitsa is extended the plain of Konitsa and Klidonia.

This plain is the meeting point of three rivers: Sarantaporos, Aoos and Voidomatis. The area is bordered by the mass volumes of the mountains Grammos on the north, Smolikas on the east, Gamila on the south and Camenic and Nemertzika on the west.
The morphology of the ground as well as the hydrography of the area form four natural ranges:
a. the valley of Sarantaporos (on the north),
b. the valley of Aoos (on the east),
c. the basin of Konitsa (on the south),
d. the alpine zone.
Regarding the origin of the name of Konitsa, there are various assumptions. According to the tradition, the town of Konitsa is built on the ancient Konissos. The historian from Epirus, P.Aravantinos, assumes that the name of the area comes from the name of the ancient town Knossos that was gradually developed into Konitsa. Also, the traveler Poukevil considers that this name comes from the slavic name, Konitza, which means horses place. According to another legend, the nobleman Koni had built a castle whose ruins lie above the chapel of St.Varvara. So, the town might have taken its name by this nobleman.