Kastania village

• Fast facts

Population  2021: 130 inhabitants
Older Censuses 2011: 148, 2001: 211, 1991: 257, 1933: 800, 1864: 787, 1828: 557 inhabitants
Population density per km²  21 inhabitants
Village altitude  350 m
Region averege altitude 360 m, mountain
Village land area  0,03 km²
Region land area 6,2 km²
Parish church 1 orthodox, Kimisi tis Theotokou (Dormition of the Virgin), vasilica style. It was erected in 1902 and inauguration on September 28, 1924. The parliament of Hegemonic Samos had approved the issuance of a lottery to save financial resources for the construction of the church.
Economy relies mainly on agriculture (mainly viticulture, olives and vegetables).

• Description

Kastania or Kastanea village (Greek: Καστανιά = Chestnut tree) is located to the northwest of the island, lying at the northeast foothills of Kerkis mountain, on the hillside “Ferias”, in dense vegetation.

The distances are:  from Samos town 41 km, from Karlovasi town 10 Km, from Pythagorio town 34 Km and from Marathokampos village 6 Km..

Administratively consists, the local communities of Kastania , which belongs to Karlovasi municipal unit, of West Samos Municipality with Karlovasi capital

The village has a unique beauty, where the square with the big plane tree, the architecture, the lush vegetation and the northeast excellent view that has to offer. Characteristic of the village is the rich and the crystal clear water in the area, so don’t forget to refill your bottles from the  public fountain (public washhouse) in the village square.

• History & name
  

Em. Kritikidis in Topography of Samos (1869), at etymological approach to the name, presumes that the first settlers of the village were either from Kastania, Messinia, Peloponnese, or from Kastania, Agrafa, Thessaly, while he does not rule out, as also Ep. Stamadiadis claims at Samiaka (1886) and the popular tradition, that the first inhabitants came from Epirus and the name of the village came from the many chestnut trees (= in Greek Kastania), that exist in the wider area. This view is reinforced by the fact that the village was originally built higher, in the area “Kalivia” (=huts), 3 Km northwest of the village, on slopes of the hill “Kastri”, whose inhabitants were gradually transferred to Kastania village, so the name could not became from the place of inhabitants origin, since this was basically the settlement of Kalivia.

The first reference that found for the settlement “Kalivia” (=huts) is in a land sale agreement at 1582 and a newer one was in 1804, which concerned the entry in accounting statements. According to the above, “Kalivia” is one of the first settlements in the island, after the recolonization of Samos in the middle of the 16th century. Regarding Kastania village (= Chestnut tree), the first reference found in 1613 in a land sale agreement. From the above we conclude that the village “Kastania” and the settlement “Kalivia” coexisted for about 2 centuries, and the inhabitants of the settlement were gradually transferred to the village until it was completely deserted. At 1869 the author  Em. Kritikidis in his bookTopography of Samos, does not mention Kalivia statements at all, while in 1886 Ep. Stamatiadis in Samiaka book, mentions that there are ruins in the area of ​​the former settlement.

The first population data of the village are recorded by Archbishop Joseph Georgirinis (1666) in his book “Description of Samos current situation”, where he states that Kastania had 50 houses and a church. From his description we conclude that Kastania village were the smallest on the island.

“Kastania” at the second world war (Italian occupation), had the highest death toll of all Samos villages, 17 young men were executed at the area “Flevitsa” by Italian fascist soldiers on 30 August 1943, additional to 10 persons at 29/08 at the surrounding areas. a monument  was erectedin 1981 (next to the village) and on that date that date celebration takes place to honor the memory of the fallen.

• Settlements

Kastania today has no settlements in its region.

Ep. Stamatiadis records at the end of the 19th c., that Kosmadei village was colony of Kastania.

• Tips

• Visit the Church “Kimisi tis Theotokou“ (=the Assumption), build at 1924.
• Visit the the feast of “Kimisi tis Theotokou” at August 24, one of the largest in Samos.

• Video