| Revision as of 01:24, 17 January 2018 editResnjari (talk | contribs)Autopatrolled, Extended confirmed users27,468 edits adding info on national consciousness and identity among local Muslims of late Ottoman period, as per Nitsiakos← Previous edit |
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During the Ottoman period some local Greek landowners converted to Islam to preserve their holdings. These converts formed a powerful and influential group in the area, living in the upper part of Konitsa alongside the Christians.<ref name="VlachosKoliva"/> While Christians were a majority in the upper part of Konitsa, the lower part of Konitsa had a Muslim majority, consisting of Muslim Albanian refugees from nearby settlements and regions like Leskovik, Kolonjë and Frashër (today located in Albania) who became agricultural laborers.<ref name="VlachosKoliva">Vlachos, Koliva, 2013, p. 6. "Ο πληθυσμός της πόλης ήταν συγκεντρωμένος σε δύο συνοικίες την περίοδο της Τουρκοκρατίας. Στην Πάνω Κόνιτσα, που αποκαλούνταν και Βαρόσι. (οι κάτοικοί της Βαροσλήδες) με πλειοψηφία το χριστιανικό στοιχείο, και στην Κάτω Κόνιτσα, που πλειοψηφούσε το μουσουλμανικό στοιχείο. Το μουσουλμανικό αυτό στοιχείο αποτελούνταν από πρόσφυγες Αρβανίτες, κατά κύριο λόγο εργάτες γης (τσιφτσήδες), που προέρχονταν από την Καραμουρατιά, Λέσκοβίκο, Κολώνια, Φράσερη κλπ». Στην Πάνω Κόνιτσα, εκτός από το χριστιανικό πληθυσμό κατοικούσαν και μεγάλες και ισχυρές οικογένειες μουσουλμάνων. Οι οικογένειες αυτές προέρχονταν από εξισλαμισθέντες ντόπιους κυρίως φεουδάρχες - τιμαριούχους. Έλληνες που αναγκάστηκαν να αρνηθούν τη θρησκεία τους, για να σώσουν τις μεγάλες περιουσίες τους (τσιφλίκια)... ".</ref><ref>{{cite book|last1=Nitsiakos|first1=Basilēs G.|last2=Nitsiakos|first2=Vassilis|title=On the Border: Transborder Mobility, Ethnic Groups and Boundaries Along the Albanian-Greek Frontier|date=2010|publisher=LIT Verlag Münster|isbn=9783643107930|page=40|url=https://books.google.gr/books?id=H-7toRTGrFkC&pg=PA40&dq=|language=en|quote=The ethnic and cultural mosaic of the wider area was so composite, it was impossible to mark down the border in a way that would yield a clear distinction between Albanians and Greeks... The difficulty, as is well known, was not created only by the fact that populations were mixed even within the same areas and villages (i.e. Konitsa and Leskovik)}}</ref> The native Muslim and Christian population exclusively spoke Greek in the two neighborhoods of the town.<ref>Vlachos, Koliva, 2013, p. 26: Ο πληθυσμός της πόλης ήταν συγκεντρωμένος σε δύο συνοικίες την περίοδο της Τουρκοκρατίας.... Όλοι αυτοί χρησιμοποιούσαν για γλώσσα τους την Ελληνική (αποκλειστικά)</ref><ref name="Pusceddu"/> A Greek school was operating already from the end of the 18th century under Georgios Mostras, student of ]. Greek education was flourishing and in 1906 the kaza of Konitsa had 31 schools and 1,036 pupils.<ref name=Sakelariou>M. V. Sakellariou. . Ekdotikē Athēnōn, 1997. {{ISBN|978-960-213-371-2}}, p. 307: ""In the city of Konitsa in particular, a Greek school had been founded at the end of the eighteenth century at which the.. "</ref> The functioning of the school was interrupted during the turbulent times of ]'s rule, however soon after it reopened following the initiative of ], a student of ].<ref name=Sakelariou/> During the ] (1821-1830) a Greek national identity was evident among some local Muslims too.<ref>Vlachos, Koliva, 2013, p. 27: "Χαρακτηριστικό της Ελληνοφροσύνης των Κονιτσιωτών ακόμα και των Μουσουλμάνων στα χρόνια της Ελληνικής επανάστασης"</ref> During the 19th century until the early 20th century, the ] of Konitsa, similarly to other Albanian ] tekkes, was a covert center of culture, learning and tolerance, but also ] against the ].<ref name="Sellheim1992">{{cite book|last=Sellheim|first=R.|title=Oriens|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=la-RTLQiFRAC&pg=PA298|accessdate=3 October 2010|year=1992|publisher=BRILL|isbn=978-90-04-09651-6|page=298}}</ref> On the other hand, the local Greek population displayed tolerance towards actions by the Albanians that did not reveal chauvinist inclinations.<ref>M. V. Sakellariou. {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100614041313/http://www.add.gr/comp/ekdotiki/ |date=14 June 2010 }}, 1997. {{ISBN|960-213-371-6}}. p 361: "The Greek population displayed toleration whenever the action taken.</ref> By the late 19th century the town had a Muslim majority population of 62% and was mainly Greek-speaking, while the kaza had a Christian majority.<ref name="Pusceddu"/> |
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During the Ottoman period some local Greek landowners converted to Islam to preserve their holdings. These converts formed a powerful and influential group in the area, living in the upper part of Konitsa alongside the Christians.<ref name="VlachosKoliva"/> While Christians were a majority in the upper part of Konitsa, the lower part of Konitsa had a Muslim majority, consisting of Muslim Albanian refugees from nearby settlements and regions like Leskovik, Kolonjë and Frashër (today located in Albania) who became agricultural laborers.<ref name="VlachosKoliva">Vlachos, Koliva, 2013, p. 6. "Ο πληθυσμός της πόλης ήταν συγκεντρωμένος σε δύο συνοικίες την περίοδο της Τουρκοκρατίας. Στην Πάνω Κόνιτσα, που αποκαλούνταν και Βαρόσι. (οι κάτοικοί της Βαροσλήδες) με πλειοψηφία το χριστιανικό στοιχείο, και στην Κάτω Κόνιτσα, που πλειοψηφούσε το μουσουλμανικό στοιχείο. Το μουσουλμανικό αυτό στοιχείο αποτελούνταν από πρόσφυγες Αρβανίτες, κατά κύριο λόγο εργάτες γης (τσιφτσήδες), που προέρχονταν από την Καραμουρατιά, Λέσκοβίκο, Κολώνια, Φράσερη κλπ». Στην Πάνω Κόνιτσα, εκτός από το χριστιανικό πληθυσμό κατοικούσαν και μεγάλες και ισχυρές οικογένειες μουσουλμάνων. Οι οικογένειες αυτές προέρχονταν από εξισλαμισθέντες ντόπιους κυρίως φεουδάρχες - τιμαριούχους. Έλληνες που αναγκάστηκαν να αρνηθούν τη θρησκεία τους, για να σώσουν τις μεγάλες περιουσίες τους (τσιφλίκια)... ".</ref><ref>{{cite book|last1=Nitsiakos|first1=Basilēs G.|last2=Nitsiakos|first2=Vassilis|title=On the Border: Transborder Mobility, Ethnic Groups and Boundaries Along the Albanian-Greek Frontier|date=2010|publisher=LIT Verlag Münster|isbn=9783643107930|page=40|url=https://books.google.gr/books?id=H-7toRTGrFkC&pg=PA40&dq=|language=en|quote=The ethnic and cultural mosaic of the wider area was so composite, it was impossible to mark down the border in a way that would yield a clear distinction between Albanians and Greeks... The difficulty, as is well known, was not created only by the fact that populations were mixed even within the same areas and villages (i.e. Konitsa and Leskovik)}}</ref> The native Muslim and Christian population exclusively spoke Greek in the two neighborhoods of the town.<ref>Vlachos, Koliva, 2013, p. 26: Ο πληθυσμός της πόλης ήταν συγκεντρωμένος σε δύο συνοικίες την περίοδο της Τουρκοκρατίας.... Όλοι αυτοί χρησιμοποιούσαν για γλώσσα τους την Ελληνική (αποκλειστικά)</ref><ref name="Pusceddu"/> A Greek school was operating already from the end of the 18th century under Georgios Mostras, student of ]. Greek education was flourishing and in 1906 the kaza of Konitsa had 31 schools and 1,036 pupils.<ref name=Sakelariou>M. V. Sakellariou. . Ekdotikē Athēnōn, 1997. {{ISBN|978-960-213-371-2}}, p. 307: ""In the city of Konitsa in particular, a Greek school had been founded at the end of the eighteenth century at which the.. "</ref> The functioning of the school was interrupted during the turbulent times of ]'s rule, however soon after it reopened following the initiative of ], a student of ].<ref name=Sakelariou/> During the ] (1821-1830) a Greek national identity was evident among some local Muslims too.<ref>Vlachos, Koliva, 2013, p. 27: "Χαρακτηριστικό της Ελληνοφροσύνης των Κονιτσιωτών ακόμα και των Μουσουλμάνων στα χρόνια της Ελληνικής επανάστασης"</ref> During the 19th century until the early 20th century (late Ottoman period), the ] of Konitsa, similarly to other Albanian ] tekkes, was a covert center of culture, learning and tolerance, but also ] against the ].<ref name="Sellheim1992">{{cite book|last=Sellheim|first=R.|title=Oriens|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=la-RTLQiFRAC&pg=PA298|accessdate=3 October 2010|year=1992|publisher=BRILL|isbn=978-90-04-09651-6|page=298}}</ref> In that period period some Konitsa Muslims developed a national consciousness resulting in individuals such as ] and ] becoming main figures in the ].<ref name="Nitsiakos"/> Other native Muslims identified themselves just as Muslims of Konitsa.<ref name="Nitsiakos"/> On the other hand, the local Greek population displayed tolerance towards actions by the Albanians that did not reveal chauvinist inclinations.<ref>M. V. Sakellariou. {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100614041313/http://www.add.gr/comp/ekdotiki/ |date=14 June 2010 }}, 1997. {{ISBN|960-213-371-6}}. p 361: "The Greek population displayed toleration whenever the action taken.</ref> By the late 19th century the town had a Muslim majority population of 62% and was mainly Greek-speaking, while the kaza had a Christian majority.<ref name="Pusceddu"/> |
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In 1924 Konitsa was a small town that consisted of a total of 800 dwelings, 200 of which were considered ''Albanian'' or ''Turkish''.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Hammond|first1=Nicholas Geoffrey Lemprière|title=Epirus: the geography, the ancient remains, the history and topography of Epirus and adjacent areas|date=1967|publisher=Clarendon|page=272|url=https://books.google.gr/books?id=oDUbAAAAYAAJ&q=|quote=the Sarandaporos is controlled by the attractive town of Konitsa (some 800 houses, of which 200 were Albanian or Turkish in 1924),}}</ref> As a result of the ] agreement of 1923 between Greece and Turkey, roughly two thirds of Konitsa's Muslims, were considered “Turks by origin” and left for Turkey in 1925.<ref name = Baltsiotis>Lambros Baltsiotis (2011). . European Journal of Turkish Studies. "According to a basically common legal process, a few hundred more individuals, Muslims, living mostly in urban centers declared themselves to be of “Albanian origin” and some others obtained Albanian nationality and thus avoided their inclusion in the exchange process. On the other hand the (Muslim) population of… small towns of Konitsa... were considered “Turks by origin” and were included in the exchange of the populations."</ref><ref name="Pusceddu"/> Another part moved to Albania.<ref>Vlachos, Koliva, 2013, p. 6: "Από τον μουσουλμανικό πληθυσμό της Κόνιτσας ένα μέρος του υποχρεώθηκε να φύγει προς την Τουρκία με την ανταλλαγή των πληθυσμών το 1925, ένα μέρος του πέρασε στην σημερινή Αλβανία ..."</ref> They were replaced with around 1.000 Greeks from ].<ref name="Pusceddu"/><ref>Foss, Arthur (1978).''''. Faber. {{ISBN|9780571104888}}. p. 112. "The inhabitants were originally refugees from Asia Minor, transplanted here after the disastrous Greek defeat in 1922. They are mainly farmers with holdings close by in the Plain of Konitsa.</ref> In the late Ottoman period among some Konitsa Muslims a national consciousness developed resulting in individuals such as ] and ] becoming main figures in the ].<ref name="Nitsiakos"/> Other native Muslims identified themselves just as Muslims of Konitsa.<ref name="Nitsiakos"/> |
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In 1924 Konitsa was a small town that consisted of a total of 800 dwelings, 200 of which were considered ''Albanian'' or ''Turkish''.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Hammond|first1=Nicholas Geoffrey Lemprière|title=Epirus: the geography, the ancient remains, the history and topography of Epirus and adjacent areas|date=1967|publisher=Clarendon|page=272|url=https://books.google.gr/books?id=oDUbAAAAYAAJ&q=|quote=the Sarandaporos is controlled by the attractive town of Konitsa (some 800 houses, of which 200 were Albanian or Turkish in 1924),}}</ref> As a result of the ] agreement of 1923 between Greece and Turkey, roughly two thirds of Konitsa's Muslims, were considered “Turks by origin” and left for Turkey in 1925.<ref name = Baltsiotis>Lambros Baltsiotis (2011). . European Journal of Turkish Studies. "According to a basically common legal process, a few hundred more individuals, Muslims, living mostly in urban centers declared themselves to be of “Albanian origin” and some others obtained Albanian nationality and thus avoided their inclusion in the exchange process. On the other hand the (Muslim) population of… small towns of Konitsa... were considered “Turks by origin” and were included in the exchange of the populations."</ref><ref name="Pusceddu"/> Another part moved to Albania.<ref>Vlachos, Koliva, 2013, p. 6: "Από τον μουσουλμανικό πληθυσμό της Κόνιτσας ένα μέρος του υποχρεώθηκε να φύγει προς την Τουρκία με την ανταλλαγή των πληθυσμών το 1925, ένα μέρος του πέρασε στην σημερινή Αλβανία ..."</ref> They were replaced with around 1.000 Greeks from ].<ref name="Pusceddu"/><ref>Foss, Arthur (1978).''''. Faber. {{ISBN|9780571104888}}. p. 112. "The inhabitants were originally refugees from Asia Minor, transplanted here after the disastrous Greek defeat in 1922. They are mainly farmers with holdings close by in the Plain of Konitsa.</ref> |
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During the ] (1946–1949) the surrounding region became a major battleground, while in December 1947 communist guerrilla units unsuccessfully tried to capture the town.<ref>Charles R. Shrader. . Greenwood Publishing Group, 1999 {{ISBN|0-275-96544-9}}, {{ISBN|978-0-275-96544-0}}, p. 215</ref> Almost all buildings inhabited by Muslim Albanians in Konitsa were destroyed during World War II warfare.<ref name="Kiel1990">{{cite book|last=Kiel|first=Machiel|title=Ottoman architecture in Albania, 1385-1912|url=https://books.google.com/books?ei=AwbPTJ7NL8LBswbE0eSWCA&ct=result&id=2xYzAAAAIAAJ&dq=Aydonat+Albanian&q=Aydonat+#search_anchor|accessdate=1 November 2010|year=1990|publisher=Research Centre for Islamic History, Art and Culture|isbn=978-92-9063-330-3|page=3}}</ref> The communists guerrillas had the opportunity to withdraw and regroup to the ] and then launch repeated attacks against Konitsa, but were decisively defeated by the Greek army.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Chant|first1=Christopher|title=Warfare of the 20th century : armed conflict outside the two World Wars|date=1988|publisher=Chartwell Books|location=Secaucus, N.J.|isbn=9781555212339|page=177|url=https://books.google.gr/books?id=UaYCL4dASMMC&q=|quote=1 January 1948 the Greek army relieved Konitsa, the important garrison close to the Albanian border that had long been under siege. The DSE forces fell back into Albania, regrouped and launched another offensive against Konitsa on 25 January, but were decisively beaten. }}</ref> During the 1950s the Muslim population numbered around 70 families and they further decreased over time to a few families due to conversions to Christianity or migration to their Muslim correligionists in Greek Thrace, in both cases for marriage.<ref name="Pusceddu">Pusceddu, Antonio Maria (2013). "." ''Oriente Moderno''. '''93'''. (2): 605. "A confirmation of Muslim majority in local society can be found in the statistics presented by Panayōtis Aravantinos, who published a well-known book on Epirus in 1856, largely based on Ottoman statistics, in which out of 579 “households” (oikoi), 360 were “Turkish”, that is the 62 % of the population."; p. 606, "The town was the administrative seat of a kaza inhabited mainly by Christians. The Muslims of Konitsa were largely Greek-speaking, a rather unusual fact, given that the Muslim population of Epirus was predominately Albanian-speaking." p. 607. "The dividing line between the mostly Greek-speaking region of Konitsa and the mostly Albanian-speaking region of Leskovik and Karamouratia was supposed to roughly correspond to the Vjosa river valley between the two regions."; p. 608. "As elsewhere in Greece, the main event that reduced considerably the local Muslim community was the compulsory exchange of populations with Turkey, that led to the departure of about 2/3 of the local Muslims, replaced with about a thousand refugees from Cappadocia... (Konicë, with stress on ‘iʼ, is the Albanian form for Konitsa)."; p. 609. "As far as the border remained open it allowed connections and marriage exchanges with the nearby coreligionist Albanian population, whereas after its closure during the Cold War period, the Muslims of Konitsa felt in isolation, deprived of their place of worship and religious activity. During the 1950s around seventy families were still living there, a number that has gradually decreased so far, partly as a consequence of religious conversions (one of the few workable options for getting married), partly as a consequence of late departures to Eastern Thrace, where resides the only Muslim minority recognized by the Greek state, the other workable option for getting married."</ref><ref name="Nitsiakos">Nitsiakos, Vassilis (2010). ''''. LIT Verlag. pp. 40-41. "The example of several Albanian-speaking Muslims in Konitsa is typical and was expressed in the most meaningful war, when, during the exchange of populations between Greece and Turkey, after 1923, they had to declare their national identification so that their fortune was decided. In a way, all Muslims were considered Turks and, consequently, were to go to Turkey, but part of the Konitsa Muslims developed a national consciousness (the brothers Faik and Mehmet Bey Konitza, leading figures of the Albanian national movement are a characteristic example), while some seemed not to have developed a particular national consciousness and defined themselves simply as Muslims from Konitsa, which is why they faced a serious problem when they were called to declare their nationality. p. 57. There was only a problem with the Muslims, but this was also solved, with the exchange of populations after 1923, when most of those who remained after the liberation of Epirus departed as well and the few ones left gradually decreased in number, so that after World War II there were only a few Muslim families in Konitsa, some of whom are still there today."</ref> |
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During the ] (1946–1949) the surrounding region became a major battleground, while in December 1947 communist guerrilla units unsuccessfully tried to capture the town.<ref>Charles R. Shrader. . Greenwood Publishing Group, 1999 {{ISBN|0-275-96544-9}}, {{ISBN|978-0-275-96544-0}}, p. 215</ref> Almost all buildings inhabited by Muslim Albanians in Konitsa were destroyed during World War II warfare.<ref name="Kiel1990">{{cite book|last=Kiel|first=Machiel|title=Ottoman architecture in Albania, 1385-1912|url=https://books.google.com/books?ei=AwbPTJ7NL8LBswbE0eSWCA&ct=result&id=2xYzAAAAIAAJ&dq=Aydonat+Albanian&q=Aydonat+#search_anchor|accessdate=1 November 2010|year=1990|publisher=Research Centre for Islamic History, Art and Culture|isbn=978-92-9063-330-3|page=3}}</ref> The communists guerrillas had the opportunity to withdraw and regroup to the ] and then launch repeated attacks against Konitsa, but were decisively defeated by the Greek army.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Chant|first1=Christopher|title=Warfare of the 20th century : armed conflict outside the two World Wars|date=1988|publisher=Chartwell Books|location=Secaucus, N.J.|isbn=9781555212339|page=177|url=https://books.google.gr/books?id=UaYCL4dASMMC&q=|quote=1 January 1948 the Greek army relieved Konitsa, the important garrison close to the Albanian border that had long been under siege. The DSE forces fell back into Albania, regrouped and launched another offensive against Konitsa on 25 January, but were decisively beaten. }}</ref> During the 1950s the Muslim population numbered around 70 families and they further decreased over time to a few families due to conversions to Christianity or migration to their Muslim correligionists in Greek Thrace, in both cases for marriage.<ref name="Pusceddu">Pusceddu, Antonio Maria (2013). "." ''Oriente Moderno''. '''93'''. (2): 605. "A confirmation of Muslim majority in local society can be found in the statistics presented by Panayōtis Aravantinos, who published a well-known book on Epirus in 1856, largely based on Ottoman statistics, in which out of 579 “households” (oikoi), 360 were “Turkish”, that is the 62 % of the population."; p. 606, "The town was the administrative seat of a kaza inhabited mainly by Christians. The Muslims of Konitsa were largely Greek-speaking, a rather unusual fact, given that the Muslim population of Epirus was predominately Albanian-speaking." p. 607. "The dividing line between the mostly Greek-speaking region of Konitsa and the mostly Albanian-speaking region of Leskovik and Karamouratia was supposed to roughly correspond to the Vjosa river valley between the two regions."; p. 608. "As elsewhere in Greece, the main event that reduced considerably the local Muslim community was the compulsory exchange of populations with Turkey, that led to the departure of about 2/3 of the local Muslims, replaced with about a thousand refugees from Cappadocia... (Konicë, with stress on ‘iʼ, is the Albanian form for Konitsa)."; p. 609. "As far as the border remained open it allowed connections and marriage exchanges with the nearby coreligionist Albanian population, whereas after its closure during the Cold War period, the Muslims of Konitsa felt in isolation, deprived of their place of worship and religious activity. During the 1950s around seventy families were still living there, a number that has gradually decreased so far, partly as a consequence of religious conversions (one of the few workable options for getting married), partly as a consequence of late departures to Eastern Thrace, where resides the only Muslim minority recognized by the Greek state, the other workable option for getting married."</ref><ref name="Nitsiakos">Nitsiakos, Vassilis (2010). ''''. LIT Verlag. pp. 40-41. "The example of several Albanian-speaking Muslims in Konitsa is typical and was expressed in the most meaningful war, when, during the exchange of populations between Greece and Turkey, after 1923, they had to declare their national identification so that their fortune was decided. In a way, all Muslims were considered Turks and, consequently, were to go to Turkey, but part of the Konitsa Muslims developed a national consciousness (the brothers Faik and Mehmet Bey Konitza, leading figures of the Albanian national movement are a characteristic example), while some seemed not to have developed a particular national consciousness and defined themselves simply as Muslims from Konitsa, which is why they faced a serious problem when they were called to declare their nationality. p. 57. There was only a problem with the Muslims, but this was also solved, with the exchange of populations after 1923, when most of those who remained after the liberation of Epirus departed as well and the few ones left gradually decreased in number, so that after World War II there were only a few Muslim families in Konitsa, some of whom are still there today."</ref> |
Konitsa acts as a regional hub for several small villages of Pindos, and features many shops, schools and a general hospital. Primary aspects of the economy are agriculture and tourism; it is a popular starting point for tourists and hikers who want to explore the Pindos mountains, or who want to go rafting in the river Aoos or parapenting. Due to Konitsa's closeness to places of particular interest, such as the Vikos–Aoös National Park, which includes the Vikos Gorge, the Aoos Gorge and the Tymfi mountains, where the Vikos spring water brand is collected, the Dragonlakes of Tymfi and Smolikas and the sulfur baths of Kavasila, contributed to the increase of tourism in the region.
During the Middle Bronze Age (2100-1900 BC) the region of Konitsa was inhabited by Proto-Greek populations. Latter in classical antiquity, the area was part of the territory of the Molossians. At the time of the reign of Pyrrhus of Epirus (297–272 BC) a number of forts existed in strategically important positions.
During the Ottoman period some local Greek landowners converted to Islam to preserve their holdings. These converts formed a powerful and influential group in the area, living in the upper part of Konitsa alongside the Christians. While Christians were a majority in the upper part of Konitsa, the lower part of Konitsa had a Muslim majority, consisting of Muslim Albanian refugees from nearby settlements and regions like Leskovik, Kolonjë and Frashër (today located in Albania) who became agricultural laborers. The native Muslim and Christian population exclusively spoke Greek in the two neighborhoods of the town. A Greek school was operating already from the end of the 18th century under Georgios Mostras, student of Balanos Vasilopoulos. Greek education was flourishing and in 1906 the kaza of Konitsa had 31 schools and 1,036 pupils. The functioning of the school was interrupted during the turbulent times of Ali Pasha's rule, however soon after it reopened following the initiative of Kosmas Thesprotos, a student of Athanasios Psalidas. During the Greek War of Independence (1821-1830) a Greek national identity was evident among some local Muslims too. During the 19th century until the early 20th century (late Ottoman period), the tekke of Konitsa, similarly to other Albanian Bektashi tekkes, was a covert center of culture, learning and tolerance, but also Albanian national activism against the Ottoman Empire. In that period period some Konitsa Muslims developed a national consciousness resulting in individuals such as Faik Konica and Mehmet Konica becoming main figures in the Albanian national movement. Other native Muslims identified themselves just as Muslims of Konitsa. On the other hand, the local Greek population displayed tolerance towards actions by the Albanians that did not reveal chauvinist inclinations. By the late 19th century the town had a Muslim majority population of 62% and was mainly Greek-speaking, while the kaza had a Christian majority.
In 1924 Konitsa was a small town that consisted of a total of 800 dwelings, 200 of which were considered Albanian or Turkish. As a result of the population exchange agreement of 1923 between Greece and Turkey, roughly two thirds of Konitsa's Muslims, were considered “Turks by origin” and left for Turkey in 1925. Another part moved to Albania. They were replaced with around 1.000 Greeks from Cappadocia.
The present municipality Konitsa was formed at the 2011 local government reform by the merger of the following 5 former municipalities, that became municipal units (constituent communities in brackets):
The municipality Konitsa has an area of 951.184 km, the municipal unit Konitsa has an area of 542.516 km, and the community Konitsa has an area of 54.506 km.
View of Konitsa.
KonitsaLocation within the region 
Konitsa
