History
mentions that in the Second Millennium B.C. a pastoral group of
people who spoke Greek lived in this section of Epirus. More specifically,
during the 4th century B.C. the Aithikes and perhaps the Tymphaioi
lived in the region of Metsovo.  The
manners and customs of the inhabitants of Metsovo region do not
differ from those those of Epirus, while many peculiarities obviously,
give them an affinity with practices deriving from as far back
as Homeric times.
Metsovo, because of its position as a central juncture in the
interior system of communications and as an absolutely necessary
stopping point for taking on supplies and the control of the only
pass through the Pindus mountains, must be one of the oldest settlements
in the region. Most probably it was the first set up after the
destruction of the Roman settlement, “Imperatori”. The
inhabitants formed a unique society which has carried over to
our times, ancient experiences from life on the peaks of the Pindus.
The
Roman Empire took the form of “armed association” because
it was primarily interested in the protection and fortification
of the region which for the Romans was above all an important
not to say crucial pass from the southern shores of Epirus to
Thessaly and Macedonia. This “symbiosis” could not overthrow
the “world” of a primitive, untamed, unique and closed
society while it was was natural to cultivate bi-lingualism for
practical purpose that is, for the needs of daily communication
and co-operation with the Roman administration.  The
inhabitants are still bilingual today. They speak Greek and Vlach,
which is a Latinate language with quite a number of ancient Greek
terms, but without its own written form.
The
place name “Metsovo” first appeared in in late Byzantine
times. Many opinions exist concerning the origin of its name.
Some claim that the name of the village has Slav origins (mets+ovo
= bear village) and other believe it is derived from the Greek
(Meso-Vouni= mid - mountain, shortened to Mesovo and hence Metsovo)
because of its location as a passageway being right in the middle
of the region.
It
is worth noting that the inhabitants of Metsovo, throughout its
history, have nearly always lived in a state of autonomy. More
particularly, from the 10th century to the beginning of the 19th
century, Metsovo constituted a privileged region, a condition
successively conferred on it by Constantine Porphyrogennitus in
the 10th century, Andronicus III in the 14th century, Murat II
in 1430 and the Sublime Porte in 1695.
Metsovo
suffered considerable destruction on March 27, 1854 from the Ottoman
troops of Abdi Pasha during the uprising of the Metsovians under
the chieftain Grivas. In spite of all the destruction which took
place , with the help of bequests by prominent Metsovite benefactors
living abroad, Metsovo began a new period of growth whose rhythms
were accelerated by its liberation from the Ottoman yoke on October
31, 1912.
The
establishment of the Baron Michael Tosssizza Foundation in 1948
by the baron himself, with the encouragement and inspiration of
Evangelos Averoff - Tossizza, was the decisive event for the economic
and cultural development of today's Metsovo. Its residents, making
good use of the above privileges, of local traditions and of natural
resources made this community "built of wood and stone"
into a noteworthy location both for the local community and for
all visitors.
Today, Metsovo, is one of the most famed traditional settlements
in Greece. Its fame is largely due to the beauty of the village,
to it's traditional way of life, to the quality and delicacy of
its products and its successful development.
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