Fast facts
Population 2021: 52 inhabitants
Older Censuses 2011: 63, 2001: 84, 1991: 128, 1981: 132, 1961: 202, 1920: 321, 1886: 482, 1864: 436, 1828: 399 inhabitants
Population density per Km² 8 inhabitants
Village altitude 275 m
Region averege altitude 270 m, semi-mountainous
Village land area 0,01 km2
Region land area 6,57 km2
Parish Church 1 orthodox, agios Taxiarchis (Saint Taxiarchis), was founded in 1797. In 1888 a general repair of the church takes place, and in 1897, the bell tower is built.
Economy relies mainly on agriculture (olives trees).
Description
Neochori village (Greek: Νεοχώρι = new village) located to the south of the island, and at the southwest foothills of “Ambelos” mountain (or Karvounis).
The distances are: 13 km from Marathokampos village, 16 Km from Karlovasi town, 23 Km from Pythagorio town and 36,5 Km from Samos town.
Administratively consists the local communities of Neochori, which belongs to Marathokampos municipal unit, of West Samos Municipality with Karlovasi capital.
Neochori village or Nichori or Nichoraki (=litle new village) as the Samians call it, is one of the smallest villages of Samos. It’s built on rugged and steep terrain and has beautiful view to the west and south, to the gulf of Marathokambos and to the islands of Ikaria, Fourni, Patmos, Arki, which today fascinates the visitor, but used to be their way of defending themselves against pirate raids.
The village preserves elements of the local traditional architecture and since 2002, has been characterized by the Greek goverment, as settlement of special natural beauty (4754 / 30-4-2002), with many restrictions on the houses construction and repair.
topHistory & name
The history of the village begins around the beginning of the 17th century, with the creation of “Zoureika” settlement, in the same geographical location, by the family Zoura. Soon followed and other residents from the nearby settlements of “Katsoureika” and “Lazeika” near by Spatharei village, as well from “Kaminia” settlement near by Platanos village. Thus, at the end of the 17th c. a small new village had been created, Neochori (=new village) or according to the Samian dialect Nihourak (= new litle village), which reflects both the small size and the relatively new age of the village.
The village is not mentioned in 1677, at the description of Samos, by author Archbishop Joseph Georgeirinis, but it is mentioned in 1702 at the reference to Samos from the French botanist Joseph Pitton de Tournefort, who toured Samos island at that period.
Remarkable is the record, at the book “Samiaka” by E. Stamatiadis, in , about the financial situation of the village inhabitants of the village at the end of the 19th century, which he writes characteristically : “Unfortunately, poverty and misery destroying the liveliness and hard work of Neochori villagers, who, although they do not have fertile land, could be in a state of relative prosperity, as in previous years, if they had not fallen into the hands of the moneylenders”.
In the area of Neochori village they was a watermill that belonged to the Monastery, Saint John the Theologian at Patmos, which rented. In 1840 the mill was rented by the priest of the village Georgios, but due to inconsistency in thenrents payment, the monastery rend it to Manuel Fragonikolaou from Marathokampos village.
E. Stamatiadis also mentions in his book “Samiaka” (1862), that near by the village, at the place named “Gouva“, there were remains of an ancient settlement, where the farmers when cultivating their lands often found ancient objects and parts of ancient buildings.
The church of the village is dedicated to Archangel Michael (celebrates November 8), and was founded in 1797, with Dimitrios as master builder, while in 1850 the narthex was added. In 1888 a general repair of the church took place, while in 1897, the construction of the bell tower was decided, which was completed after 5 years and at the beginning of 1909 the courtyard was paved.
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