Administrative Region : West Greece
Regional unit : Aitoloakarnania
Skourtou (Σκουρτού) Aitoloakarnania
Skourtou is a semi-mountainous village in Xiromero of the Aitoloakarnania regional unit at an altitude of 190 meters[2].
Geography
Skourtou is located west of Lake Ozeros at a distance of 18.5 km. NW. from Astakos and 30 km W. from Agrinio. It is built at the foot of the castle of Diriei from which the walls, the gates of the ancient city and the ancient wells called "twins" are preserved. The castle is considered one of the oldest fortifications of Acarnania[3].
Holy Monastery of Ligovitsi
The monastery is located northeast of the village, towards the lake and externally has a fortress-like appearance. Its catholicon is a three-aisled cruciform church with a dome dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. From a wall plaque that exists, it is dated to 1737. During the Revolution of 1821, it played an important role in the region and served as the headquarters of Georgios Karaiskakis and Alexandros Mavrokordatos. In 1833, during the reign of Otto, following his decree, its property (as well as that of many other monasteries) was sold off and dispersed, thus following a period of decline and abandonment. In 1983, restoration and renovation of the monastery began, painting of the catholicon, construction of many auxiliary rooms and its reopening as a nunnery.
Oak Forest of Xiromero
East and south of the village lies the Oak Forest of Xiromero, which is considered the most well-established oak forest (Quercus macrolepis) in Greece and has been designated as a landscape of special natural beauty - TIFK. It is the hilly limestone area between the villages of Skourtos, Prodromos, Strongylovouni, Palaiomanina, Rigani, Gouriotissa and Lake Ozeros[4].
Oak trees up to 800 years old have been recorded and according to the Department of Environmental and Natural Resources Management of the University of Ioannina, 256 native plants were recorded in the area, with the most rare and interesting species being colonies of the peony (Paeonia mascula russoi) and a variety of wild orchids including Ophrys reinholdii and Ophrys helenae[5].
Administratively
It is mentioned as a settlement in 1836, annexed to the then municipality of Marathia and subsequently to the municipality of Astakos. In 1912, with the Government Gazette 261A - 31/08/1912, it was detached from the municipality of Astakos and designated as the seat of the Skourtous community[6]. According to the Kallikratis plan, it constitutes the local community of Skourtou, which falls under the municipal unit of Astakos of the Municipality of Xiromero and according to the 2011 census has a population of 228 residents[7].
References
(Greek) Database of the Hellenic Statistical Authority.
Encyclopedia "Papyrus Larousse Britannicas". Amarousion of Attica. 1990. p. 171, vol. 31.
«Skourtou». www.dimosxiromerou.gr. Retrieved on 10 July 2019.
«NatureBank - Landscape (TIFK) - Oak Forest of Skourtou-Paliomanina». filotis.itia.ntua.gr. Retrieved on 10 July 2019.
«Oak Forest of Xiromerou | Forests | Nature | Prefecture of Aitoloakarnania | Areas | WonderGreece.gr». http://www.wondergreece.gr/. Retrieved on 10 July 2019.
«Administrative Changes of Settlements». EETAA. Retrieved on 9 July 2019.
«Official Gazette of the results of the PERMANENT population Census 2011», p. 10725 (p. 251 of the pdf)
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