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KASTORIA
Kastoria,
the most beautiful town in Macedonia
Unquestionably,
Kastoria is the most beautiful town in Macedonia and, perhaps, in
northern Greece. It's a town which held on to its Greek character and
traditions throughout the years.
The
beauty of the natural setting around the lake of Kastoria impressed all
the foreign travellers who visited it during all time and the site still preserves
its physical charms.
This is
enhanced by the choice of location and the quality of the architectural
environment as it was fashioned downthrough time up to the present.
The
prefecture of Kastoria is situated in the western end of West Macedonia.
It is adjacent on the north with the prefecture of Florina, on the south,
east and south-east with the prefecture of Gevena and Kozani, on the
south-west with the prefecture of Ionnina and on the west with Albania.
The soil
of the region is mountainous and the climate is continental with cold
winters and hot summers. The temperature presents great variations
between winter and summer, and during winter it is often below zero so
the lake waters are frozen.
According
to the latest census the population of Kastoria comes up to 51.934
inhabitants.
The
traces of the human presence in the region of Kastoria go back to
prehistory. The systematic archaeological research brought to light the
first lake settlement, which is dated since 5000 BC and the works brought
to light a lot of archaeological findings that disclose the broader
cultural development of the region throughout the centuries.
The
particular economic growth of the region during the mid-Byzantine period
and the period of the Turkish domination is represented by the unique
samples of church architecture and temple hagiography that are still
rescued.
Its
mansions show the elements of the architecture of that period in
combination with some local elements.
Today
there are remarkable efforts to preserve and revive the customs, to
organize modern cultural manifestations and to institute and operate new
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