Dolo is nestled at the foot of Mount Koutsokrano, beneath the hill of Agios Christophoros and next to the gorge of Kouvaras. It is a beautiful village with cobblestone alleys and stone-built houses, rightfully designated as a preserved settlement.
Pogoni is one of the lesser-known areas of Epirus. For many years, it endured “political” isolation from the state, a factor that impacted it for decades. However, the long-standing history of these villages allows them to preserve their traditions despite the passing of time.
Historical Facts and Information about Dolo
The Name, First Inhabitants, and Their Settlement
- The original name of the village was Deli. After the Slavic invasions, it was changed to Dolo, meaning something of low elevation. (ΠΩΓΩΝΙΑΝΗ-ΔΟΛΟ-ΔΡΥΜΑΔΕΣ-ΣΤΑΥΡΟΣΚΙΑΔΙ, ΚΟΙΝΟΤΙΚΟ ΔΙΑΜΕΡΙΣΜΑ ΔΟΛΟΥ – Νίκος Θ. Υφαντής, σελ. 355)
- Regarding the village’s name, I. Lampridis writes (Epirus Chronicles: Pogoniaka, 7/9) that it originates from the Slavic root dol, meaning “low place,” which aligns with the village’s location, as the mountain rising to the north blocks the sun.
- K. Oikonomou (ΤΑ ΟΙΚΩΝΥΜΙΑ ΤΟΥ ΝΟΜΟΥ ΙΩΑΝΝΙΝΩΝ, σελ. 101) states that, according to linguist Max Vasmer, the toponym is Slavic and derives from the ancient Slavic dolb, meaning “valley.”
There are no written records of the village’s creation or the initial settlement of its inhabitants. Previously, the village was a temporary settlement established in the early 7th century AD, following the Slavic invasions around 550 AD when the entire region was looted. The inhabitants were primarily involved in livestock farming.
According to tradition, the first inhabitants arrived around the 9th or 10th century from the villages of Zioupani (now Pentalofo) and Dolo (now Vytho) in Kozani and settled sporadically in various locations in the area, from Pogoniani to Dolo. They chose this area because it offered safety, plains, and mountainous pastures for their animals, as they were both farmers and shepherds. In memory of the homeland they left behind, they named it Dolo, as most of them came from the village of Dolo.
The existence of the settlement is confirmed by a record from the Molivdoskepasto Monastery, where the name of the donor “Georgios, kyrantza, from the village of Dolo” is written, dated to the year 1030.
Between 1343 and 1345, the plague struck, decimating the population. Those who survived abandoned the temporary settlements and relocated, forming new communities. This migration occurred between the late 1350s and early 1360s.
Before the Turkish conquest (1344) of Epirus and around 1339, Albanians and Muslims began settling in the area. The region was ravaged by bands of Turko-Albanian brigands, and fear forced the residents to consolidate for safety, creating the present-day settlement.
Source: ΠΩΓΩΝΙΑΝΗ-ΔΟΛΟ-ΔΡΥΜΑΔΕΣ-ΣΤΑΥΡΟΣΚΙΑΔΙ, ΚΟΙΝΟΤΙΚΟ ΔΙΑΜΕΡΙΣΜΑ ΔΟΛΟΥ – Νίκος Θ. Υφαντής, σελ. 375
From 1550 onward, Ottoman families began settling in the regions of Pogoni, Argyrokastro, Avlona, and others, along with the Islamization and seizure of Christian properties, which were given to converts. The settlement of Muslims in Vostina (Pogoniani) from 1570 and the subsequent increase in the Muslim population created difficult conditions for the Christians of Dolo. Robberies along the routes and murders of Turks, converts, and Christians alike were frequent and indiscriminate. This situation worsened during the conflict between Kurt Pasha, who ruled the area, and Ali Pasha. This rivalry led to the murder of innocent people, often by Albanian Liapides, who acted according to circumstances and their own interests, supporting whichever of the two pashas served them best.
Source: ΠΩΓΩΝΙΑΝΗ-ΔΟΛΟ-ΔΡΥΜΑΔΕΣ-ΣΤΑΥΡΟΣΚΙΑΔΙ, ΚΟΙΝΟΤΙΚΟ ΔΙΑΜΕΡΙΣΜΑ ΔΟΛΟΥ – Νίκος Θ. Υφαντής, σελ. 358
During these years, the residents sought powerful protectors due to the rampant activity of bandit gangs. Their protectors included the aghas of Vostina as well as captains from Dolo. One of these aghas was Ismail Efendi, who also protected the inhabitants of Vostina (now Pogoniani).
Source: ΠΩΓΩΝΙΑΝΗ-ΔΟΛΟ-ΔΡΥΜΑΔΕΣ-ΣΤΑΥΡΟΣΚΙΑΔΙ, ΚΟΙΝΟΤΙΚΟ ΔΙΑΜΕΡΙΣΜΑ ΔΟΛΟΥ – Νίκος Θ. Υφαντής, σελ. 361
After the fall of Kurt Pasha, Ali Pasha became the dominant ruler, and all the villages in the area became his estates. The residents of Dolo, like those of other villages, sold the village to Ali Pasha to avoid forced Islamization. Ali Pasha then gifted it to Dervish Hasan for his support in the conflict with Kurt Pasha. Until his death, Ali Pasha collected a third of Dolo’s produce, in addition to the taxes paid by the village to the Ottoman state.
While the village was under Dervish Hasan’s control, revenge crimes were committed by Kurt Pasha’s allies. Friends and relatives of Dervish Hasan frequently visited, and the residents were forced to host them in their homes, unable to resist out of fear of worse consequences.
After Ali Pasha’s death and the registration of his property, Dolo remained under Dervish Hasan, who collected taxes until 1856, when the villagers bought back the village for 10,000 gold liras.
Autonomy gradually led to the development of the village. It had two neighborhoods, notable buildings, and saw cultural growth.
Dolo is a water-scarce village. In earlier times, residents transported water in barrels and jugs from the Kouvaras Pit. This arduous task was done with animals and by women carrying barrels on their backs. Thus, they invented cisterns to collect rainwater from the rooftops.
In the past, Dolo also had a thriving silk industry. The villagers raised silkworms, and the women engaged in weaving. Their manor houses were filled with embroidered woven fabrics.
Source: ΠΩΓΩΝΙΑΝΗ-ΔΟΛΟ-ΔΡΥΜΑΔΕΣ-ΣΤΑΥΡΟΣΚΙΑΔΙ, ΚΟΙΝΟΤΙΚΟ ΔΙΑΜΕΡΙΣΜΑ ΔΟΛΟΥ – Νίκος Θ. Υφαντής, σελ. 359 & 371
Το 1824 κτίστηκε το πρώτο σχολικό κτίριο πάνω από την εκκλησία και το 1848 κτίστηκε ένα μεγαλύτερο. Το 1878 ή 1880 με εισφορές των κατοίκων και αυτών που κατοικούσαν στην Κωνσταντινούπολη κτίστηκε ένα τρίτο μεγαλύτερο σχολικό κτίριο με δύο ορόφους. Το 1886 ο αριθμός των μαθητριών και μαθητών ήταν 70-80. Στο σχολείο δίδαξαν αξιόλογοι δάσκαλοι. Το 1972 το σχολείο σταμάτησε οριστικά τη λειτουργία του λόγω έλλειψης μαθητών.
Ο Ι. Λαμπρίδης αναφέρει ότι το σχολείο του Δολού ήταν πολύ καλύτερο από αυτά των γύρω χωριών (Ηπειρωτικά Μελετήματα 7/9). Σύμφωνα με την Οθωμανική Στατιστική (Σαλναμέ) (Μιχάλης Κοκολάκης) του 1895, είχε 510 κατοίκους και 97 χανέδες (σπίτια).
Μετά την απελευθέρωση το 1919, έδρα της δικής του ομώνυμης Κοινότητας. Οι πόλεμοι που ακολούθησαν οι κακουχίες και η μετανάστευση των νέων στις μεγαλουπόλεις, είχε σαν αποτέλεσμα ο αριθμός των κατοίκων να μειωθεί και να καταλήξει σήμερα με πολύ λίγους κατοίκους μόνιμους.
Πηγή: ΠΩΓΩΝΙΑΝΗ-ΔΟΛΟ-ΔΡΥΜΑΔΕΣ-ΣΤΑΥΡΟΣΚΙΑΔΙ, ΚΟΙΝΟΤΙΚΟ ΔΙΑΜΕΡΙΣΜΑ ΔΟΛΟΥ – Νίκος Θ. Υφαντής, σελ. 367
Dolo today
The village has been designated a preserved settlement since 1978, and this is no coincidence, as over the years it has retained its traditional architecture with stone houses, a square with the church, and cobblestone paths.
Additionally, it lies on the edge of the European Natura 2000 Network area (Gormos Valley, Zaravina Lake, Mount Dousko, Meropi Forest), which includes rich flora and birdlife.
In the village square stands the church of Agios Nikolaos, built in 1812 on the site of an older church. It is a beautiful stone, three-aisled basilica with a porch supported by round columns. The bell tower (1833) has three bells and was crafted by Paschalis Zounis from Pyrsogianni. The platform outside the church was funded by proceeds from the theatrical performance Voskopoula, performed in Dolo on April 10, 1910, with actors and actresses from the village.
There is also the chapel of Agios Christophoros, the village’s patron saint. It is located on Mount Koutsokrano at an altitude of 1,125 meters and can be reached by a trail, offering a beautiful hiking route.
Events
Two celebratory events are held in Dolo. The first is on May 9th, in honor of Agios Christophoros, the village’s patron saint. The service takes place at the chapel of the saint, followed by an evening feast in the courtyard of Agios Nikolaos, under the chestnut tree.
The second celebration is held in the summer, traditionally around mid-August. This is when all the villagers gather for their summer holidays. The feast takes place in the courtyard of the church of Agios Nikolaos.
Source: https://www.dolo.gr/index.php/panigyri
Activities in Dolo
One of the most beautiful sights in the area is the Kouvaras Gorge and its two stone bridges.
The Kouvaras Gorge and the two stone bridges within it, spanning the river of the same name, are well worth a visit.
Nonoulos bridge
Nonoulos bridge and the watermill are located at the beginning of the ravine and can be accessed by a cobblestone path starting from the paved road. Specifically, it is situated at the northern exit of the Kouvaras Gorge between Dolo and Pogoniani (Vostina) and spans the Kouvaras River at the location called Xylogefyro, where there once was a wooden bridge.
The bridge is a single-arched structure with a span of 7 meters and a height of 6 meters above the water’s surface. It was built in the late 19th century with the savings of Nonos (Nonoula) Galanou, a poor woman from Dolo. Traveling daily to Vostina with her donkey to sell wood, she risked her life crossing the decaying wooden bridge. So, she decided to have it built in stone.
There are two different accounts regarding whether Nonoula managed to fulfill her dream before or after her death.
- According to the first account, poor Nonoula saved up her money and eventually gathered enough to have the bridge built. However, one day while riding her donkey, the animal was startled and threw her to the ground. This fall may have been the cause of her passing.
- According to the second account, after Nonoula’s death, coins totaling 5,000–5,500 Turkish lira were found hidden in her house wall. With this money, the stone bridge was built in place of the wooden bridge in her memory.
Regardless of these accounts, her fellow villagers never forgot her.
Next to the bridge stands the old watermill, now renovated.
Source: ΣΠΥΡΟΣ ΜΑΝΤΑΣ, ΓΕΦΥΡΟΓΡΑΦΙΑ ΤΗΣ ΠΙΝΔΟΥ ΤΟΜΟΣ Γ΄, σελ. 84
Kouvaras bridge
The second bridge, known as the “bridge within the gorge,” can be accessed from the area “Tsoumpari” before reaching Dolo. The path is well-marked, completely safe, and requires about 15 minutes of easy walking to reach the Kouvaras riverbed and the bridge. Specifically, it is located below the village of Dolo, in the Pogoni region, deep within the Kouvaras Gorge at the location called Gouves.
It is a single-arched bridge crossing the river of the same name, and it once served the old path leading to Pogoniani (formerly Vostina). The bridge was constructed in 1927 by decision of the village council, following designs by an engineer from Ioannina.
The master builder Paschalis Zounis from Pyrsogianni worked on the bridge with his crew. The cost amounted to 16,000 drachmas, mainly funded by Dolo natives who had emigrated to America. The locals contributed with manual labor, and the women carried materials.
The bridge’s construction was significant for the residents, as it connected the two villages of Dolo and Pogoniani, allowing safe passage. Upon completion, a grand celebration followed.
Unfortunately, the residents did not get to admire the bridge for long in its beautiful, new state. Some women began removing stones and throwing them into the river, believing it would break any curses. Single women hoped it would help them find a husband, those without children hoped it would bring them fertility, and mothers wished to protect their children from death. They would say, “Throw a soumbela into the Pit to break the spell” (soumbela meaning a large, irregularly shaped stone).
Source: ΣΠΥΡΟΣ ΜΑΝΤΑΣ, ΓΕΦΥΡΟΓΡΑΦΙΑ ΤΗΣ ΠΙΝΔΟΥ ΤΟΜΟΣ Γ΄, σελ. 85
The Kouvaras Gorge is an impressive geological formation approximately 5 km long, separating the two settlements of Dolo and Pogoniani. The gorge is rich in diverse vegetation, featuring oaks, ash trees, hornbeams, maples, wild cherries, wild almond trees, both wild and cultivated figs, chestnuts, plane trees, and willows. The dense and varied plant life, along with rock openings, provides a safe nesting and feeding habitat, particularly for birds of prey. It serves as an important habitat for rare bird species.
The Kouvaras Gorge is an impressive geological formation approximately 5 km long, separating the two settlements of Dolo and Pogoniani. The gorge is home to a diverse range of vegetation, including oaks, ash trees, hornbeams, maples, wild cherry trees, wild almond trees, wild and cultivated figs, chestnuts, plane trees, and willows. The dense and varied plant life, along with rock openings, provides a safe nesting and feeding area, especially for birds of prey. It is an important habitat for rare bird species.
Accommodation
In Dolo, there is an agritourism complex run by Christoforos Kostaras, featuring a guesthouse in a renovated building from 1884. Its unique feature is the traditional Sarakatsani hut located in the courtyard of the complex.
