PREFECTURE OF KARDITSA

The prefecture of Karditsa is found in the north-western area of Thessaly and is bordered by the prefectures of Trikala, Larissa, Fthiotida, Evritania and Arta. It is made up of 21 Municipalities. The capital of the prefecture is Karditsa with a population of 129,410 and an area of 2,636 km². Some of the most important products of the prefecture are cotton, grains, corn, clover, tobacco, industrial tomato, vineyards and melons. Vineyards (around 1000 hectares) are concentrated in three particular areas: Daphnospilia, Mouzaki, and the area that is found between Moschato - Mavrovounio - Mesenikola. The vineyards are cultivated on semi-mountainous land, rendering high quality produce.

The Agrafa and the beginning of the South Pindos mountain ranges dominate the landscape. The highest peaks of the ranges are: Karava (2,184 m), Delidimi (2,163 m), Voutsikaki (2,154 m). The most characteristic mountain formation is the 'sleeper' made up of the peaks of Pente Pyrgoi, Flytzani, Plaka and Borlero. Gorges of remarkable beauty include the Kerentan ravine (Belokomiti region), the Aspros river gorge (Karoplesi) and Skylorematos (Vlasi region) in Karava. There is a Ski Centre at "Karamanoli" (1,700 m altitude), above Karitsa.

Many streams and rivulets of the Acheloos River run throughout the mountain ranges south of Karditsa. The Acheloos River has its source at 2,469 m altitude in the South Pindos (Mount Lakmos) and flows into the Ionian Sea after a course of 220 km through the prefectures of Trikala, Karditsa, Arta, Evritania and Aitoloakarnia. This river is famous for its variety of fish as well as the vegetation and forests found along its banks. The north-east foothills of the Pindos and the grasslands of the prefecture are crossed by the rivers Pineios, Enippeas, Kaletzis, Onochonos, etc.

The N. Plastiras Lake (or Megdova or Tavropos), 25 km west of Karditsa with an area of 2,500 hectares at an altitude of 800 m, was created from the waters of the Megdova River, when the plateau of Nevropoli was confined after the dam at "Kakkavakia" was built at the end of the 1950s. There are ten species of fish in the lake (trout, crayfish, eel, carp, etc.), some of which are fished by the fishermen of the 14 lakeside villages. Lake Plastira, although man-made, has been assimilated by the landscape, and beyond the natural environment, it offers a number of opportunities for development and environmental education. In the heart of the Argithea countryside and right next to Stephaniada, the lake of the same name was formed by rock slides. Its water level is at 700 m altitude and it is renowned for the high rate of its water renewal due to the permeability of its rocks. The mountain range of the prefecture of Karditsa is found along the ancient road that connected western Thessalia to the Epirus regions. The presence of Ancient Greek races until the Roman invasion in 168 B.C. is very strong proven by the fact that archaeological digs have uncovered many ancient settlements, cities and fortifications from even prehistoric times. It is unknown when exactly the area became inhabited and when the settlements took on their present form.
         
During the 14th c. the area was dominated by the Holy Emperors Stephanos and Michael Gavriilopoulos while the Byzantine presence in the area was succeeded by the Serbian conquest under Stephano Dousan and his brother, Simeon Ouresi Palaiologos.
Towards the end of the 14th century, the area was afflicted by plague. The area has a plethora of Byzantine and post-Byzantine monuments: churches, monasteries, bridges, much of which have survived in good condition until present. In 1420 it was taken over by the Turkish Marshal Tourahan. With the Agrafa sovereignty treaty which was signed in 1526 in Tamasi (Anavra), the independence of the area was secured with Neochorio as capital.
The episcopate of Fanari and Neochorio emerged during the period of 1530-1540, which in 1600-1601 was proclaimed archdiocese with the first Archbishop being the later Agios Seraphim from Bezoula. During the 18th c. Fanari was united with the Metropolis of Fersala (1767) under the title "Fanariofersala". Many inhabitants of the region took part in the Revolution of 1821, and an important source of information for this period in history is found in the writings of the rebels that descended from this region.
 

Karditsa, the capital of the prefecture, is built near a tributary of the Pinios, in the heart of the rich Thessalian plain. The renovated municipal market, the "Pafsilypo" park, the Greek Orthodox cathedral (metropolis) of Aghios Konstantinos, the church of the Zoodochos Pigi (Life-bearing Source). Located 18 km southwest of Karditsa, 1150 m, is the historic Korona Monastery, a religious and cultural center during the Ottoman period. One of the most important sights in the prefecture is the man-made lake of the river Tavropos or Megdova, known as Lake Nikolaos Plastiras, in honour of the distinguished general and politician from Karditsa who in 1925 conceived the idea of building a dam. The dam was constructed in 1959, at an altitude of 1,000 m, and supplied the whole of Thessaly with water and hydroelectric power. There are tourist amenities in the lake's idyllic surroundings. The medicinal springs at Smokovo and Kaitsas; Philia with ruins of an Early Christian basilica (5th c.) on the site of the sanctuary of Athena Itonia; the Mycenaean tholos tomb (1500 BC) outside Georgiko; ancient Gomphoi near Mouzaki; ancient Kierion near Sofades; the twenty mountain villages of Agrithea with their traditional architecture and stone bridges; the highland town of Rendina which is a characteristic scheduled settlement; the Petra Monastery near Lambero are just some of the many places of interest in the prefecture.