Asprangeloi


Asprangeloi is a village in the Ioannina Regional Unit in Epirus, northwestern Greece. It is the seat of the Zagori Municipality.

Name

The toponym is derived from the Slavic dobъ, -bra, -bro, meaning 'good', through the omission of the definite noun.

History

Local tradition states the village was created by the migration of inhabitants from the now deserted village of Kosartsiko in the Konitsa region.
Asprangeloi is a mountain village in the Ioannina Regional Unit, built at an altitude of 989 meters, on the slopes of Mt Mitsikeli. It is the seat of the Municipality of Zagori and its permanent population, according to the 2021 Census, is 159 inhabitants. Until 1927, it was called Dovra or Ntovra. The name "Asprangeloi" was taken from the Asprangeloi Monastery which exists in the area.
The first mention of the settlement is found in 1380 and it experienced development during the 16th and 17th centuries. During the 19th century, it was a large and economically prosperous village. The village was burned by the Nazis on 15 July 1943.

Churches and monasteries

The stone church of Panagia was built in 1915. In the village is the church of Agios Nikolaos, built in 1776. The old monastery, dating from 1600, is also preserved in the village.