Aneza, Arta

Aneza (Ανέζα) Arta

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Aneza is a village in the Municipality of Arta, in the Arta plain, with an area of ​​28.242 km2[1] and is approximately 12 km from the city of Arta. According to the Kapodistrias Plan, Aneza was a municipal district and seat of the Municipality of Amvrakikos.[2] The law was in force until the end of 2010, when it was replaced by the new administrative division provided for in the Kallikratis Plan, resulting in Aneza being incorporated into the Municipality of Arta.[3] Two settlements, Apomero and Mytikas, also belong to Aneza administratively.

History

The present-day Aneza comes from the merger of two villages, Genitsari (Psarades) and Aneza. There is no precise information about its foundation, since the first written testimonies begin in 1696, from which it emerges that Aneza was a large village, with leading activity in the region. The first source that informs us of the existence of the village is the archives of Venice, in which we learn that in the year 1696, Aneza together with Mytikas, Genitsari and Maratou paid 43 reales per year (reale = Spanish gold coin) in exchange for protection from pirate raids.[4]

Based on the work of Kon. Diamantis entitled "Arta and its surroundings during the times of the revolution", Aneza was a settlement with 45 families at the time of the outbreak of the Greek Revolution of 1821, while Genitsari was inhabited by approximately 20 families.[5]

Another important piece of information we have comes from the "Historical Essay on Arti & Preveza" (ed. 1884), by Seraphim Xenopoulos, Metropolitan of Arta. According to this source, Aneza, Gavria, Kalogeriko, Apomero, Mytikas and Genitsari numbered a total of about 180 families. Also, the inhabitants of the village attended church in the church of Agios Nikolaos Aneza. In front of the church, a mutual school operated, in which one teacher taught and about 180 students from Aneza, Gavria and neighboring villages attended.[6]

An equally valuable source is the Ottoman census of 1895.[7] According to the relevant Ottoman law, the primary division of the empire was the Vilayet. Each Vilayet was divided into Sanjakia and these into Kazades. According to this census, the village belonged to Kaza Lourou, who was in the Sanjak of Preveza, which in turn belonged to the Vilayet of Ioannina. Based on these data, 26 families (hanedes) lived in Aneza with a total population of 152 people (66 men, 86 women) while 32 families lived in Genitsari with a total population of 200 people (95 men, 105 women).

Turkish Rule and Liberation

The people of Aneza provided great help both in the Struggle of 1821 and much later, during the Occupation, in terms of human resources and material aid. According to information, two residents of Aneza, Christos Nikolaou and Georgios Nikolaou, who were born in Aneza, one in 1808 and the other in 1809, fought during the Revolution of 1821.[8] During the years of Turkish rule, Aneza was a bey's estate and before the village was even liberated, it was sold by the bey to Artinos Konstantinos Karapanos.[9] During the Greco-Turkish War of 1897, Aneza was temporarily liberated along with the neighboring villages, without any resistance from the Turks.[10] Finally, with the mediation of the European powers and Russia, peace was signed on 20 September. Greece was forced to pay a large sum in war reparations, as well as to give a small part of Thessaly to Turkey. Aneza was finally liberated in 1912 along with the rest of the plain, which was under Turkish occupation. Aneza was the seat of a community from 1919 and included the settlements of Apomero, Mytikas and Gavria, which was seceded in 1920 and united with Kostakios. At the same time, it was united with Aneza and Psathotopi, which had until then been part of the community of Agia Paraskevi.[11] In 1910, the Metropolis of Nikopolis and Preveza published the census data that it carried out that same year throughout the ecclesiastical region and informed us that Aneza was part of the Louros district and that 236 people lived in the village, while 370 people lived in Genitsari.[12]

World War II

During World War II, thousands of Greek soldiers fought and lost their lives. Among them were several residents of Aneza, whose names are on the monument erected in the village.[13] In 1943, and specifically after the massacre of Kommenos by the Germans on August 16, the residents abandoned their homes. About a hundred families went and hid on the islets located in the Tsoukalio lagoon. Around the same time, the Germans surrounded Aneza and searched the houses and burned two houses in which ammunition was found. In 1944, according to a report from the 8th Division to the general headquarters of ELAS, Aneza was looted by EDES guerrillas.[14]

Location and access

Aneza is located near the Amvrakikos Gulf and is adjacent to other villages such as Rachi, Psathotopi, Gavria, Kalogeriko and Polydroso. It is connected by road to Arta via the Arta–Koronesia Provincial Road. The village is served by the Peta-Aneza line as well as the Arta-Mytika line of the Arta Urban Bus Service.[15]

Demographics

Today the population stands at 946 residents according to the 2021 Census, down from 1,109 permanent residents in 2011 (2011 census)[16]. This represents a further decrease compared to the 2001 and 1991 censuses, when the population was 1,211 and 1,238 residents respectively.[17]

Population fluctuations are reflected in the table below.[18]

Production and employment

The residents' main occupations are fishing, poultry farming and agriculture.[19] The cultivable areas cover an area of ​​12,500 sq.m. and correspond to 7.8% of the total cultivable areas of the former Municipality of Amvrakikos.[20]
Events

The Sardine Festival has been organized for the last 30 years every August 8 by the fishermen of the area. It is a festive event that takes place in the Aneza stadium and aims to honor the sardine and at the same time the local fishermen and organizations want to highlight the great importance that the Amvrakikos Gulf has for the region and to urge the residents to protect it. At the Sardine Festival, free grilled sardines and white wine are offered, while a traditional orchestra entertains the attendees. In recent years, the event had been discontinued.
Sports

The village's football team is PAS Aneza.[21]

References

"Municipal districts of Amvrakikos". Archived from the original on 11 September 2011. Retrieved 10 November 2012.
"Organization of Amvrakikos". Archived from the original on 11 September 2011. Retrieved 10 November 2012.
"Administrative division of the Municipality of Arta with the Kallikrates Plan". Archived from the original on 22 September 2020. Retrieved 10 November 2012.
Arta in the archives of Venice, "Skoufas" magazine of Arta, issues of 1955-56.
Arta and its surroundings during the times of the Revolution, Skoufas Magazine/ Year 5th/ 1960 – Volume 2 p.266
Historical Essay on Arta and Preveza (published 1884).
The Turkish statistics of Epirus in the 1895 yearbook, M. Kokolakis
Arta in the 1821 revolution: sacrifices and struggles / Dimitrios Phot. Karatzenis, Athens 1978.
"The History of Aneza". Archived from the original on 31 October 2012. Retrieved 10 November 2012.
HISTORY OF THE GREEK NATION, VOLUME XIV, MODERN HELLENISM FROM 1861 TO 1913, ATHENS PUBLISHING, ISBN 960-213-110-1.
The settlement of Gavria is detached from the community of Anezis and annexed to the community of Kostakia, while the settlement of Alimbei is annexed to the community of Anezis, Official Gazette 1A - 02/01/1921.[1][dead link]
The late Gianniotiko Pasaliki: area, administration and population in Turkish-occupied Epirus (1820-1913), Michalis Kokolakis, p.492 [2]
Fights and deaths 1940-1945, Directorate of Military History.
"VIII DIRECTORATE to the General Staff of ELAS/No. 3460". Archived from the original on 13 November 2012. Retrieved 10 November 2012.
Urban KTEL Routes
"Census 2011". Archived from the original on 16 October 2015. Retrieved 29 December 2012.
Population Census of 18 March 2001, Hellenic Statistical Authority (EL.STAT.).[3] Archived 2015-06-28 at the Wayback Machine.
"National Statistical Service of Greece Archives - N.S.Y.E". Archived from the original on 18 July 2012. Retrieved 10 November 2012.
"Local Products of Amvrakikos Prefecture". Archived from the original on 12 September 2011. Retrieved 10 November 2012.
"Arable Land of Amvrakikos Prefecture". Archived from the original on 12 September 2011. Retrieved 10 November 2012.
Teams of the Greek Football Association of Arta.[4] Archived 2015-09-30 at the Wayback Machine.

Municipal unit Amvrakikos
Community Aneza
Aneza (Ανέζα, η)
Apomero (Απόμερο, το)
Mytikas (Μύτικας, ο)
Community Vigla
Vigla (Βίγλα, η)
Community Gavria
Gavria (Γαβριά, η)
Community Kalogeriko
Kalogeriko (Καλογερικό, το)
Community Koronisia
Koronisia (Κορωνησία, η)
Community Polydroso
Palaioskamia (Παλαιοσκαμιά, η)
Polydroso (Πολύδροσο, το)
Community Rachi
Rachi (Ράχη, η)
Community Strongyli
Strongyli (Στρογγυλή, η)
Community Psathotopi
Psathotopi (Ψαθοτόπιον, το)

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