Metagitsi

LocationMetaggitsi

The village of Metagitsi belongs to the municipality of Sithonia and is located in the south of the prefecture of Chalkidiki, between the peninsulas of Mount Athos and Sithonia and the route after Saint Nikolaos, at an altitude of about 150 m. It was recognized as an autonomous community in 1920 and until then belonged to the community of Saint Nikolaos. The inhabitants are mainly engaged in agriculture, livestock and construction.

The village of Metagitsi is connected to the sea with a road just 4 km away. A reason to attract visitors, beyond the natural beauties of Transylvania, can be considered as the preservation of the traditions by its inhabitants, through the many local festivals with the traditional turban and other events, as well as the hospitality they offer to them. Saint Athanasius, St. Christopher and Saint Irene Chrysovalantou are the most important churches in the village. The houses are stone built and have a traditional color. The village celebrates three-day celebrations on July 20, during the celebration of Prophet Elijah. The patron saint is Saint Paraskevi.

An amazing and unforgettable journey is on the River Chavria, outside of the Metzichi. Starting from the chapel of Agia Kyriaki and ending the small dam of Chavria at “Dessi”. The distance is about two and a half kilometers and one can walk in twenty-five minutes as it is easy and easy. The chapel of Agia Kyriaki, built in 1868, near the site “Mylos” is the starting point for a route where the visitor will experience the largest river of Chalkidiki, the Chavria, which rises high from Neochori, the Panagia and the Gumati to end up thrusting to the beach of Ormylia. The first stop, almost obligatory, at the first steps of the route is in Dionyssian metochi. His mill refers to an imperial document (baufnames) that survives in the Holy Monastery of Dionysios from 1569 while serving all the surrounding villages and the Transylvania until 1948. It is worth reaching the end of the route to the small dam at the location “Dessis”. Dreamy scenery with the river’s waters overflowing from the dam that forms a lovely little lake. From here, the groove that brought the water to Dionysiakos Metochi started from here to operate the two mills.

The settlement is built in the place of an ancient city called Asa. The research by the archaeologists places this town in the place of Marmarades, above the current village of the Transfiguration. The ancient city was also called Assyra and was a member of the First Alliance of the Athenian Alliance. For the name of the village, the predominant versions refer to the phrase earth of the reddish soil found in the area and the transfusion of the populations that survived in nearby areas following the destruction of the present village by the Romans. The inhabitants of Metagitsi participated in the revolution of 1821. Major fighters of the revolution of 1821 were Gerakis Dimos, Stergios Dimos, Athanasios Zachos, Alexandris Ioannou.