General Information of the Municipal Unit Fre

The Municipal unit of Fre, is located in the east of the prefecture of Chania. It consists of the municipal districts of Fre, Melidoni, Paidochori, Pemonia and Tzitzife. It is a coastal municipal unit, the northern part of which is semi-mountainous, as it is located at the foot of the White Mountains. According to the 2001 census, the Municipal Unit has a total of 1,122 inhabitants and an area of ​​53,819 acres. It was one of the 4 municipalities of Apokoronas, established in 1880 and had 14 villages with 4,329 inhabitants, according to the census of 1881. The land is semi-mountainous, producing excellent oil, wine and excellent livestock products. In the villages of the Municipal Unit, there are 4 cheese dairies that utilize the milk of the area and produce excellent gruyere, anthotyro and mizithra. Two handicrafts with traditional furniture, utilize the abundant cypress trees that thrive in Apokoronas and preserve the heritage of our grandparents. Five oil mills produce excellent and abundant oil with an acidity of 0.3 to 0.8, which is available for consumption. In addition, a mill utilizes the local production of carob (wood horn) for animal feed and industrial use. Today, efforts are being made to create traditional accommodation in order to create infrastructure, for the utilization of the large volume of the White Mountains, which extends over the villages of the D. unit.

Geography

Sights

FRE

Fres is built at the foot of the White Mountains, at an altitude of 220 m. It is located in the middle of the route Chania-Rethymnon and is far from Chania, 25 km. It is basically a rural village and produces oil, wine and livestock products. It has many natural beauties and rich history, since it was one of the four villages of Apokoronas and the seat of the municipality, since 1880. With the reform of the communities it became the seat of the Municipality of Fre again, but its population situation does not allow it to survive from own resources. Despite its current problems, it retains its beauty and was proposed for recognition, as a landscape with special natural beauty. Today’s visitor can relax in the enchanting location of Loutro, located on the old highway and has a spring with gurgling water and age-old plane trees. The place is excellently landscaped by the Municipality and quite spacious for any kind of social event, since it operates a tavern with rich dishes. Going up to the village, the visitor crosses a landscape overgrown with olive trees and vineyards and reaches a traditional settlement. The residents of Fre, are quite creative and are famous for the hospitality and love they have for their village. For the last 25 years, a great effort has been started by the community and the expatriate associations of Fredians of Athens and Chania, which has led to great beautification projects and rich cultural events, during the Fifteenth of August. In Fre, the visitor can admire the majestic church of Evangelistria, which has been declared a protected monument, the rich Gallery donated to the village by the couple Markos and Argyro Giannoulakis, the newly renovated mansion of Manousakas that houses the the family trees of 95 families of the village that cover the period 1800-2000. In the space of the hero, who has the frontal MEMORY AND DEBT, he can pay the due tribute to the fallen Fredians, and study the pioneering statue of the Cretan fighter, painted by Dimitris Kalamaras and donated to Fre, Konos Bourbakis. In the same space are placed the busts of Konstantinos Digenakis chief-writer, Stavros Kelaidis chief-lawyer and Konstantinos Lagoumitzakis secondary education inspector, as well as the names of the fighters of the Cretan revolutions and the volunteers of the 19-13 Balkan volunteers3. You can also see many old and frescoed churches, such as the Panagia of the two rocks, in the place of Kapis the hare reminiscent of Meteora, the church of Agios Georgios in Regousi, the Panagia in Sifiana and the Panagia in Kolokythis and Agios Ioannis in Koukos . In the end he can sit and enjoy his coffee in the spacious and beautiful square, located in the center of the village.

THE NAME OF THE VILLAGE FRE

Apparently, the area had been inhabited for a long time. The findings, which are poor and scattered in a large radius on the east and north side of the village, await the experts to make the necessary excavations and give the responsible and documented answers. Although the issue of the name has not been finally resolved, since the text found in the Venetian archives and gives the coveted explanation is the subject of controversy, we resort to it, since we have no other choice. According to the story of Dr. Troulinos, who came from the neighboring village of Nippos and lived there in the middle of the 16th century, Fres in the Byzantine era was called Feggi, because of his wonderful position. Around 1550 the Venetians founded a school in the village, where they taught Frangopapades, the so-called Frereides, from the French word FRERE, which means brother-monk. Gradually, Feggi became the village of the Frereds and in the end it ended up in Fres. Of course, this did not happen overnight. In fact, at one time, the Venetians used in their censuses the name of the large landowner of the area and the village was called POMOGNA JULIANI, meaning manor of Julian. The Guardian in 1583 while mentioning that Fres had 30 Venetian privileged, in another list he lists with those responsible for chores, does not mention the name Fres, but Pomogna Juliani. This shows that for several years the enumerators used both names in parallel, until in the end the current name of the village prevailed.

MELIDONI

Melidoni is built in the NE. accesses of the White Mountains at an altitude of 451 meters and has a magnificent view, since the eye is not satisfied to enjoy an endless horizon. The area has been inhabited since ancient times, although the remnants of the human presence in the area are limited. After the conquest of Crete by the Byzantines and the arrival of the 12 Archontopoulos who spread throughout the island and stimulated the national mindset, someone with the surname Melidonis became the owner of a large area of ​​property in the area of ​​the village. Unfortunately, we do not know the mansion to which he belonged, since the oral tradition saved only the place name “in Melidoni the fields”. In these fields, the brothers Giorgis and Sifis Manousakas or Kokkini (because their faces were red from the sun) came down from the White Mountains to graze their sheep and spend their summer somewhere in the 1700. At that time, the place of the present village was not inhabited (it may have been destroyed during the conquest of the island by the Turks). So when their fellow villagers asked where they were and why they did not return to Imbros, they learned that the Reds would spend the summer in Melidonis the fields. This was repeated the following summers, as the place was better compared to the poor soils of Imbros. Gradually, the shepherds of Sfakia settled permanently and created a settlement, which was left to the later ones like Melidoni. The first seven houses of the settlement were created by the 4 boys of Sifi Manousakas (Kokkinos) and by the 3 boys of George Manousakas. In 1832, the families numbered 20, since the descendants of the first settlers, brought brides and grooms from other villages. Even in the village settled some third parties from areas of the Prefecture of Chania, who for various reasons found safe shelter in the mountain village. In 1867, the village belongs to the Prefecture (Liva) of Sfakion and the province (Kaza) of Apokoronas, while in 1881 it has 259 inhabitants and together with 13 other villages forms the newly formed Municipality of Fre. Until 1940 the increase of inhabitants is continuous, but from then we have a declining course. In the years of the relatively short historical route, Melidoni emerged as important leaders who led the revolutions against the Turks and established the village as a captain village. The first was Joseph Konstantoudakis (grandson of Joseph Manousaka-Kokkinos) who went down in history as Sifakas, because of his physical Rome. His leading physiognomy and great action during the revolution of 1821, made him known in the Panhellenic. Sifakas’s younger brother Antonis, who led all the uprisings and was happy to see Crete free, also became an important figure. Another important figure was Manousosifis, the second cousin of the Konstantoudakis. According to Psilakis: “… a full-fledged gunsmith before 1821, he provided his armed assistance. When the revolution of 1821 began, he was proclaimed chief of his villages and as such was distinguished in most battles. After the temporary repression under K of the Egyptian army fled after many Cretans to the Peloponnese and after participating in many battles there fell after 43 of his followers participating in Sfaktirian … “Finally, Andreas Kakouris, who took part in the revolution of Therissos and was buried with honors general, in 1916. Melidoni gave his competitive presence in all the struggles of our nation, always within the limits of its population potential. Its current inhabitants are characterized by their persistence in fighting for their homeland and forcing it to bear fruit. So the visitor is amazed to see the olive groves reaching as high as Madara. He is also impressed by the number of rural roads that exist throughout the mountainous area and by the information that with the personal work of all Melidonians, the carriage road was opened in 1958, which connected Pemonia with Melidoni and took the village out of isolation. From the caves that are located in the area of ​​the village and are the subject of extensive research in recent years by foreign missions, Mavro Skiadi and Gourgouthas stand out.

PEMONIA

Pemonia is built at the root of the mountain and exploits a fairly fertile valley, with vineyards and olive groves. We do not have much information about the historical route of the village in the ancient and Byzantine years. The important Byzantine church of Agios Georgios, which was recently restored, survives, while all the evidence suggests that it was inhabited from a long time ago and was a rich place. The name of the village in the late period of Venetian rule was POMOGNA BAROZZI which means manor, an area with orchards of the lord BAROZZI and dominated the area since in the census of Kastrofylakas in 1583, it had 389 inhabitants. This manorial house seemed to rule a large area and had enough power. When the area was occupied by the Turks in 1645, the Barotsi family disappeared but Pomonia remained, which with a little corruption, became Pemonia. Of course, historians claim that the Venetians of the region, in order not to lose their property, changed their minds. That is why the Turks living in the village were numerous (75 rifles in the revolution of 1866) and had a divisive attitude, as the narrations of the ancients say. Notorious for their behavior were the bloodthirsty tyrants Hadji Hussein, who was killed by Tzitzikalis in 1866, and the Kourtagades, who ravaged Apokoronas with their Zourides (gangs). In the revolution of 1821, the Pemons emerged as an important figure, the five hundred emperor Emmanuel Smaragdis, who went down in history with the illegal Alivanistos and was killed in Tsikalaria, on 12-7-1822. After the liberation of Crete, the inhabitants of the village were engaged in basket weaving, chair making, the manufacture of pottery (jars, bowls) and supplemented their income. In recent years, the village has to deal with the well-known problems of immigration, which have reduced its population. From today’s activities we distinguish the two handicrafts of the village, which produce traditional furniture. The most important Pemonian personalities were: 1) Basil St. Thomadakis, who studied law. He was appointed to the State and passed through all levels of the administrative hierarchy (head of the foreign trade service-general secretary at the Ministry of National Economy). He wrote the treatise “Basic aspects of the Greek economy” and a series of books with folklore content. 2) Nikolaos K. Koutsourelakis, who studied law and a career in military justice. He was one of the closest collaborators of Eleftherios Venizelos and participated in both the Therissos movement (1905) and the Revolutionary Government of Thessaloniki (1917). He was demobilized, with the rank of lieutenant general. He was the author of the constitution of the Cretan state and had been elected senator. The great Koutsoureli brothers, the great instrumentalists of Cretan music, came from Pemonia.

PAIDOCHORI

Paidochori is the seat of the homonymous municipal district, to which Nerochori and Agioi Pantes belong. It is built amphitheatrically at the foot of the White Mountains and at an altitude of 270 m. And the view it offers to the visitor is panoramic. There is not much information about the history of the village. It is very probable that the name of the village came from the clergyman Paidis, who in the census of the temples of 1637, declares the church of Agios Georgios with income. Others argue that the name of the village may come from the word “children”, ie from the atrophic locusts, one in the area that is not very fertile, many locusts grow. However, this view is not justified, but the result of a logical association. During the Venetian occupation the village was inhabited, which is confirmed by the existence of a recently discovered Venetian building. According to the census of Vasilikata, in 1630 it was called Pomonia Barbarigo, meaning property – orchard of the Venetian lord Barbarigo. During this period, two Byzantine churches of Panagia were built in the village in the north and Agia Aikaterini in the east. During the Turkish occupation, it was inhabited by a mixed population of Christians and Muslims. In the successive revolutionary actions against the Turks in 1866, 1878 and 1895-98, the Paidochorians actively participated and distinguished themselves on the battlefields. Leading figures during this period were Bardis Maragoudakis, Nikolaos Mantonanakis, Ioannis Efth. Panigyrakis, Markos G. Panigyrakis (Glynomarkos), Ioannis Petroulakis (Nikiforogiannis) and Konstantinos Havredakis. Nikolaos Mantonanakis and Konstantinos Havredakis were elected deputies of the Cretan State and Georgios Markou Panigyrakis and Ioannis Liodis, deputies of the Greek Parliament. After reuniting with mother Greece, many took part in the Balkan wars, the Asia Minor campaign and the war of 1940. Some of them never returned, while others returned with disabilities and other problems. At the beginning of 1900 and while the sun of freedom had just risen, the issue of survival became very strong as the area produced small quantities of oil, wine and livestock products. The opening of the American labor market was a godsend, a gift that almost all the young people in the village ran to receive. Many of them went back and built houses or bought land. Others, however, remained there forever and their descendants today are select members of the Greek community. A second and large migratory stream prevailed in the 1960s and led to the gradual extinction of the village. Destination this time was Australia, Germany and mainly the urban centers of Chania and Athens, where there are now many expatriates from Paidochoria. They all love their village with passion and visit it regularly and especially in the summer. During the peaceful period and especially for the last 50 years, the inhabitants of the village showed special philanthropy and promoted many gifted scientists who excel in letters and sciences. That is why the people of Paidochoria are justly proud of their children.

TZITZIFE

The municipal district of Jijife consists of two neighborhoods built on two parallel hills, which descend from the mountain to the plain and are separated by a ravine. At the bottom of the ravine is a thousand-song fountain with plane trees, under which the leaders of the Cretan revolutions of 1866, 1878 and 1895-97 met many times. The houses are masterfully built with stone on the successive levels of the two hills, resulting create a beautiful traditional settlement. The view to the villages of the Apokoronas basin is impressive. The name of the village seems to come from the jujube tree, which thrives in the area. The historical route of the village is lost through the centuries. But one thing is for sure. The place has been inhabited for a long time and has kept its name for over a thousand years. Indeed, the first written reference is made by the liberator of Crete Nikiforos Fokas in 960 AD, who records the name of the village as Zizifeas. We have no other information or monuments from the Byzantine period that follows. During the long period of Venetian rule that begins in 1204 and ends in 1645, it seems that Zizifas knows days of glory. In the census of Kastrofylakas in 1583 it is mentioned as ZIZIFFEA SANTA LUCIA (Agia Fotini) with 115 inhabitants and 40 privileged. The church of Agia Fotini or Agia Fotia as mentioned in the contract of Madara of 1828, should have been the main church of the first neighborhood of the village. But because it could not withstand the wear and tear of time, its roof fell and collapsed. In recent years, it has been restored and is operational. After the domination of the Turks and until the revolution of 1821, we have no evidence of the situation in the region. However, it is possible that we also had here the phenomenon of the change of the faith of the Venetians and the adoption of Islam, in order to maintain their property and privileges. This explains the large number of Turks living in the village, the fanaticism and brutality they displayed, such as the infamous Janissary Omer who was killed in the lair of St. Basil in 1828, by Bronieritis Xenothodoris. During the successive revolutionary movements from 1821 until 1898, Tzitzife, like the other villages of the root, was a place where the locals clashed daily with the hordes of Turks and their allies (Egyptians, Albanians, Benghazi, etc.). etc.), who were trying to keep the island in their possession. The place experienced days of pain and suffering and days of greatness and patriotic exuberance. The fountain and its deep-shaded plane trees became the gathering point of the captains, who met to make the big and crucial decisions for the continuation of the fight or the laying down of arms. The long struggle, showed two great men. One was George Papadakis or Xepapas (because he threw the races) who led the revolutionaries in the national uprising of 1821 and was killed in Gramvousa in 1823. The historian Psilakis speaks with admiration about the works and days of this famous man, who was appointed caretaker economy in the Provisional Administration of Crete and was not only one of the pioneers of the revolution, but a virtuous, courageous and dedicated fighter. His son Ioannis became rector of the University of Athens, while the famous patriot Emmanouil Antoniadis and lieutenant general Fotios Angelidis became grooms. The other was Anagnostis Michelioudakis, who distinguished himself in the uprising of 1866 and was president of the Municipal Council of Fre, in 1906-1911. After his release and joining the national body, Tzitzife offered several young men in the struggles of our nation. The current image of the village is not very auspicious. Migration is the big scourge of the village, which tries to survive with a little oil, wine, locusts and plenty of livestock products. It is indicative of the fact that in the village there are 3 cheese dairies and three taverns. It is also noteworthy that in the past, Tzitzife was famous for the production of carabiner (laurel oil), which was used for therapeutic purposes. As for the love of expatriates for her place, it is a given and is expressed in many ways (visits to the holidays and summers, renovation and beautification works in the village).

History

VENETIAN OCCUPATION-TURKISH OCCUPATION

For the years of Venetian rule, we have no written evidence of the events that took place in the village. In the census of 1583, Fres has 30 privileged, which means that he was flourishing at that time. Even the choice of the village for the founding of the Frerean school, shows the importance of the place for the Venetians. Absolute darkness covers the first Turkish period 1645-1770 since neither written nor oral testimonies are preserved. During Daskalogiannis’s revolution, the inhabitants of the Kotsovitsa settlement, who lived in a small plain above the village and numbered 50-60 people, helped the revolutionaries or participated in the movement. After the surrender of Daskalogiannis, the Turks fell on the helpless villagers of Kotsovitsa and destroyed them, burning their property and setting fire to their houses. None of the inhabitants of the small settlement escaped, as some were slaughtered and others were burned alive in the small cave, where they had taken refuge. Years of silence and bitter slavery followed, marked by the massacre of an unknown number of Fredians in the White Figs of Armeni, while waiting to grind their offspring. The outbreak of the revolution of 1821 followed, during which the village mourned several victims in the desperate struggle for freedom. In the short-lived revolution of Hairetis in 1841, Fres was again at the forefront of the struggle, as the popular muse tells us with the following couplet, which refers to Hairetis: ». The first blow of the three-year revolution of 1866, fell in the village, when Nikolas Tzitzikalakis, killed the bloodthirsty Hatzi-Hussein of Pemonia, who had unnecessarily slaughtered his grandfather in the White Figs. During the conflicts, Fres was a constant field of conflict, as he dominated the Apokoronas basin. The damage to inanimate and inanimate material was enormous, and many Fredians emigrated to avoid the tyrant’s revenge. In the revolution of 1878, Fres was back on the ramparts. The church of Evangelistria and the primary school hosted the work of the revolutionary assembly for more than two months and the Fredians offered what they had and did not have, to support the struggle. In the last three-year revolution of 1895-1897, the Fredians did their duty again and mourned several victims. They also offered and supported the work of the Post-Governmental Committee, when it was meeting in the village. But all this was forgotten, since in a little while the sun of freedom finally rose on our long-suffering island. Not many years passed and in the invitation of 1912, the Fredians, regardless of age and marital status, voluntarily ran to the mountains of Epirus and Macedonia, to free their enslaved brothers. More than 30 men left their families and offered their services, in the beautiful fight. Four of them stayed there forever, giving us with their sacrifice an unsurpassed example to imitate. After the union with Greece in 1913, he followed the course of the Hellenic Republic and offered several of his children in the struggles for the independence and integrity of our Homeland, both in Asia Minor in 1922 and in the mountains of Albania in 1940.

Geography

Geography

Sights

Sights

FRE

Fres is built at the foot of the White Mountains, at an altitude of 220 m. It is located in the middle of the route Chania-Rethymnon and is far from Chania, 25 km. It is basically a rural village and produces oil, wine and livestock products. It has many natural beauties and rich history, since it was one of the four villages of Apokoronas and the seat of the municipality, since 1880. With the reform of the communities it became the seat of the Municipality of Fre again, but its population situation does not allow it to survive from own resources. Despite its current problems, it retains its beauty and was proposed for recognition, as a landscape with special natural beauty. Today’s visitor can relax in the enchanting location of Loutro, located on the old highway and has a spring with gurgling water and age-old plane trees. The place is excellently landscaped by the Municipality and quite spacious for any kind of social event, since it operates a tavern with rich dishes. Going up to the village, the visitor crosses a landscape overgrown with olive trees and vineyards and reaches a traditional settlement. The residents of Fre, are quite creative and are famous for the hospitality and love they have for their village. For the last 25 years, a great effort has been started by the community and the expatriate associations of Fredians of Athens and Chania, which has led to great beautification projects and rich cultural events, during the Fifteenth of August. In Fre, the visitor can admire the majestic church of Evangelistria, which has been declared a protected monument, the rich Gallery donated to the village by the couple Markos and Argyro Giannoulakis, the newly renovated mansion of Manousakas that houses the the family trees of 95 families of the village that cover the period 1800-2000. In the space of the hero, who has the frontal MEMORY AND DEBT, he can pay the due tribute to the fallen Fredians, and study the pioneering statue of the Cretan fighter, painted by Dimitris Kalamaras and donated to Fre, Konos Bourbakis. In the same space are placed the busts of Konstantinos Digenakis chief-writer, Stavros Kelaidis chief-lawyer and Konstantinos Lagoumitzakis secondary education inspector, as well as the names of the fighters of the Cretan revolutions and the volunteers of the 19-13 Balkan volunteers3. You can also see many old and frescoed churches, such as the Panagia of the two rocks, in the place of Kapis the hare reminiscent of Meteora, the church of Agios Georgios in Regousi, the Panagia in Sifiana and the Panagia in Kolokythis and Agios Ioannis in Koukos . In the end he can sit and enjoy his coffee in the spacious and beautiful square, located in the center of the village.

THE NAME OF THE VILLAGE FRE

Apparently, the area had been inhabited for a long time. The findings, which are poor and scattered in a large radius on the east and north side of the village, await the experts to make the necessary excavations and give the responsible and documented answers. Although the issue of the name has not been finally resolved, since the text found in the Venetian archives and gives the coveted explanation is the subject of controversy, we resort to it, since we have no other choice. According to the story of Dr. Troulinos, who came from the neighboring village of Nippos and lived there in the middle of the 16th century, Fres in the Byzantine era was called Feggi, because of his wonderful position. Around 1550 the Venetians founded a school in the village, where they taught Frangopapades, the so-called Frereides, from the French word FRERE, which means brother-monk. Gradually, Feggi became the village of the Frereds and in the end it ended up in Fres. Of course, this did not happen overnight. In fact, at one time, the Venetians used in their censuses the name of the large landowner of the area and the village was called POMOGNA JULIANI, meaning manor of Julian. The Guardian in 1583 while mentioning that Fres had 30 Venetian privileged, in another list he lists with those responsible for chores, does not mention the name Fres, but Pomogna Juliani. This shows that for several years the enumerators used both names in parallel, until in the end the current name of the village prevailed.

MELIDONI

Melidoni is built in the NE. accesses of the White Mountains at an altitude of 451 meters and has a magnificent view, since the eye is not satisfied to enjoy an endless horizon. The area has been inhabited since ancient times, although the remnants of the human presence in the area are limited. After the conquest of Crete by the Byzantines and the arrival of the 12 Archontopoulos who spread throughout the island and stimulated the national mindset, someone with the surname Melidonis became the owner of a large area of ​​property in the area of ​​the village. Unfortunately, we do not know the mansion to which he belonged, since the oral tradition saved only the place name “in Melidoni the fields”. In these fields, the brothers Giorgis and Sifis Manousakas or Kokkini (because their faces were red from the sun) came down from the White Mountains to graze their sheep and spend their summer somewhere in the 1700. At that time, the place of the present village was not inhabited (it may have been destroyed during the conquest of the island by the Turks). So when their fellow villagers asked where they were and why they did not return to Imbros, they learned that the Reds would spend the summer in Melidonis the fields. This was repeated the following summers, as the place was better compared to the poor soils of Imbros. Gradually, the shepherds of Sfakia settled permanently and created a settlement, which was left to the later ones like Melidoni. The first seven houses of the settlement were created by the 4 boys of Sifi Manousakas (Kokkinos) and by the 3 boys of George Manousakas. In 1832, the families numbered 20, since the descendants of the first settlers, brought brides and grooms from other villages. Even in the village settled some third parties from areas of the Prefecture of Chania, who for various reasons found safe shelter in the mountain village. In 1867, the village belongs to the Prefecture (Liva) of Sfakion and the province (Kaza) of Apokoronas, while in 1881 it has 259 inhabitants and together with 13 other villages forms the newly formed Municipality of Fre. Until 1940 the increase of inhabitants is continuous, but from then we have a declining course. In the years of the relatively short historical route, Melidoni emerged as important leaders who led the revolutions against the Turks and established the village as a captain village. The first was Joseph Konstantoudakis (grandson of Joseph Manousaka-Kokkinos) who went down in history as Sifakas, because of his physical Rome. His leading physiognomy and great action during the revolution of 1821, made him known in the Panhellenic. Sifakas’s younger brother Antonis, who led all the uprisings and was happy to see Crete free, also became an important figure. Another important figure was Manousosifis, the second cousin of the Konstantoudakis. According to Psilakis: “… a full-fledged gunsmith before 1821, he provided his armed assistance. When the revolution of 1821 began, he was proclaimed chief of his villages and as such was distinguished in most battles. After the temporary repression under K of the Egyptian army fled after many Cretans to the Peloponnese and after participating in many battles there fell after 43 of his followers participating in Sfaktirian … “Finally, Andreas Kakouris, who took part in the revolution of Therissos and was buried with honors general, in 1916. Melidoni gave his competitive presence in all the struggles of our nation, always within the limits of its population potential. Its current inhabitants are characterized by their persistence in fighting for their homeland and forcing it to bear fruit. So the visitor is amazed to see the olive groves reaching as high as Madara. He is also impressed by the number of rural roads that exist throughout the mountainous area and by the information that with the personal work of all Melidonians, the carriage road was opened in 1958, which connected Pemonia with Melidoni and took the village out of isolation. From the caves that are located in the area of ​​the village and are the subject of extensive research in recent years by foreign missions, Mavro Skiadi and Gourgouthas stand out.

PEMONIA

Pemonia is built at the root of the mountain and exploits a fairly fertile valley, with vineyards and olive groves. We do not have much information about the historical route of the village in the ancient and Byzantine years. The important Byzantine church of Agios Georgios, which was recently restored, survives, while all the evidence suggests that it was inhabited from a long time ago and was a rich place. The name of the village in the late period of Venetian rule was POMOGNA BAROZZI which means manor, an area with orchards of the lord BAROZZI and dominated the area since in the census of Kastrofylakas in 1583, it had 389 inhabitants. This manorial house seemed to rule a large area and had enough power. When the area was occupied by the Turks in 1645, the Barotsi family disappeared but Pomonia remained, which with a little corruption, became Pemonia. Of course, historians claim that the Venetians of the region, in order not to lose their property, changed their minds. That is why the Turks living in the village were numerous (75 rifles in the revolution of 1866) and had a divisive attitude, as the narrations of the ancients say. Notorious for their behavior were the bloodthirsty tyrants Hadji Hussein, who was killed by Tzitzikalis in 1866, and the Kourtagades, who ravaged Apokoronas with their Zourides (gangs). In the revolution of 1821, the Pemons emerged as an important figure, the five hundred emperor Emmanuel Smaragdis, who went down in history with the illegal Alivanistos and was killed in Tsikalaria, on 12-7-1822. After the liberation of Crete, the inhabitants of the village were engaged in basket weaving, chair making, the manufacture of pottery (jars, bowls) and supplemented their income. In recent years, the village has to deal with the well-known problems of immigration, which have reduced its population. From today’s activities we distinguish the two handicrafts of the village, which produce traditional furniture. The most important Pemonian personalities were: 1) Basil St. Thomadakis, who studied law. He was appointed to the State and passed through all levels of the administrative hierarchy (head of the foreign trade service-general secretary at the Ministry of National Economy). He wrote the treatise “Basic aspects of the Greek economy” and a series of books with folklore content. 2) Nikolaos K. Koutsourelakis, who studied law and a career in military justice. He was one of the closest collaborators of Eleftherios Venizelos and participated in both the Therissos movement (1905) and the Revolutionary Government of Thessaloniki (1917). He was demobilized, with the rank of lieutenant general. He was the author of the constitution of the Cretan state and had been elected senator. The great Koutsoureli brothers, the great instrumentalists of Cretan music, came from Pemonia.

PAIDOCHORI

Paidochori is the seat of the homonymous municipal district, to which Nerochori and Agioi Pantes belong. It is built amphitheatrically at the foot of the White Mountains and at an altitude of 270 m. And the view it offers to the visitor is panoramic. There is not much information about the history of the village. It is very probable that the name of the village came from the clergyman Paidis, who in the census of the temples of 1637, declares the church of Agios Georgios with income. Others argue that the name of the village may come from the word “children”, ie from the atrophic locusts, one in the area that is not very fertile, many locusts grow. However, this view is not justified, but the result of a logical association. During the Venetian occupation the village was inhabited, which is confirmed by the existence of a recently discovered Venetian building. According to the census of Vasilikata, in 1630 it was called Pomonia Barbarigo, meaning property – orchard of the Venetian lord Barbarigo. During this period, two Byzantine churches of Panagia were built in the village in the north and Agia Aikaterini in the east. During the Turkish occupation, it was inhabited by a mixed population of Christians and Muslims. In the successive revolutionary actions against the Turks in 1866, 1878 and 1895-98, the Paidochorians actively participated and distinguished themselves on the battlefields. Leading figures during this period were Bardis Maragoudakis, Nikolaos Mantonanakis, Ioannis Efth. Panigyrakis, Markos G. Panigyrakis (Glynomarkos), Ioannis Petroulakis (Nikiforogiannis) and Konstantinos Havredakis. Nikolaos Mantonanakis and Konstantinos Havredakis were elected deputies of the Cretan State and Georgios Markou Panigyrakis and Ioannis Liodis, deputies of the Greek Parliament. After reuniting with mother Greece, many took part in the Balkan wars, the Asia Minor campaign and the war of 1940. Some of them never returned, while others returned with disabilities and other problems. At the beginning of 1900 and while the sun of freedom had just risen, the issue of survival became very strong as the area produced small quantities of oil, wine and livestock products. The opening of the American labor market was a godsend, a gift that almost all the young people in the village ran to receive. Many of them went back and built houses or bought land. Others, however, remained there forever and their descendants today are select members of the Greek community. A second and large migratory stream prevailed in the 1960s and led to the gradual extinction of the village. Destination this time was Australia, Germany and mainly the urban centers of Chania and Athens, where there are now many expatriates from Paidochoria. They all love their village with passion and visit it regularly and especially in the summer. During the peaceful period and especially for the last 50 years, the inhabitants of the village showed special philanthropy and promoted many gifted scientists who excel in letters and sciences. That is why the people of Paidochoria are justly proud of their children.

TZITZIFE

The municipal district of Jijife consists of two neighborhoods built on two parallel hills, which descend from the mountain to the plain and are separated by a ravine. At the bottom of the ravine is a thousand-song fountain with plane trees, under which the leaders of the Cretan revolutions of 1866, 1878 and 1895-97 met many times. The houses are masterfully built with stone on the successive levels of the two hills, resulting create a beautiful traditional settlement. The view to the villages of the Apokoronas basin is impressive. The name of the village seems to come from the jujube tree, which thrives in the area. The historical route of the village is lost through the centuries. But one thing is for sure. The place has been inhabited for a long time and has kept its name for over a thousand years. Indeed, the first written reference is made by the liberator of Crete Nikiforos Fokas in 960 AD, who records the name of the village as Zizifeas. We have no other information or monuments from the Byzantine period that follows. During the long period of Venetian rule that begins in 1204 and ends in 1645, it seems that Zizifas knows days of glory. In the census of Kastrofylakas in 1583 it is mentioned as ZIZIFFEA SANTA LUCIA (Agia Fotini) with 115 inhabitants and 40 privileged. The church of Agia Fotini or Agia Fotia as mentioned in the contract of Madara of 1828, should have been the main church of the first neighborhood of the village. But because it could not withstand the wear and tear of time, its roof fell and collapsed. In recent years, it has been restored and is operational. After the domination of the Turks and until the revolution of 1821, we have no evidence of the situation in the region. However, it is possible that we also had here the phenomenon of the change of the faith of the Venetians and the adoption of Islam, in order to maintain their property and privileges. This explains the large number of Turks living in the village, the fanaticism and brutality they displayed, such as the infamous Janissary Omer who was killed in the lair of St. Basil in 1828, by Bronieritis Xenothodoris. During the successive revolutionary movements from 1821 until 1898, Tzitzife, like the other villages of the root, was a place where the locals clashed daily with the hordes of Turks and their allies (Egyptians, Albanians, Benghazi, etc.). etc.), who were trying to keep the island in their possession. The place experienced days of pain and suffering and days of greatness and patriotic exuberance. The fountain and its deep-shaded plane trees became the gathering point of the captains, who met to make the big and crucial decisions for the continuation of the fight or the laying down of arms. The long struggle, showed two great men. One was George Papadakis or Xepapas (because he threw the races) who led the revolutionaries in the national uprising of 1821 and was killed in Gramvousa in 1823. The historian Psilakis speaks with admiration about the works and days of this famous man, who was appointed caretaker economy in the Provisional Administration of Crete and was not only one of the pioneers of the revolution, but a virtuous, courageous and dedicated fighter. His son Ioannis became rector of the University of Athens, while the famous patriot Emmanouil Antoniadis and lieutenant general Fotios Angelidis became grooms. The other was Anagnostis Michelioudakis, who distinguished himself in the uprising of 1866 and was president of the Municipal Council of Fre, in 1906-1911. After his release and joining the national body, Tzitzife offered several young men in the struggles of our nation. The current image of the village is not very auspicious. Migration is the big scourge of the village, which tries to survive with a little oil, wine, locusts and plenty of livestock products. It is indicative of the fact that in the village there are 3 cheese dairies and three taverns. It is also noteworthy that in the past, Tzitzife was famous for the production of carabiner (laurel oil), which was used for therapeutic purposes. As for the love of expatriates for her place, it is a given and is expressed in many ways (visits to the holidays and summers, renovation and beautification works in the village).

History

History

VENETIAN OCCUPATION-TURKISH OCCUPATION

For the years of Venetian rule, we have no written evidence of the events that took place in the village. In the census of 1583, Fres has 30 privileged, which means that he was flourishing at that time. Even the choice of the village for the founding of the Frerean school, shows the importance of the place for the Venetians. Absolute darkness covers the first Turkish period 1645-1770 since neither written nor oral testimonies are preserved. During Daskalogiannis’s revolution, the inhabitants of the Kotsovitsa settlement, who lived in a small plain above the village and numbered 50-60 people, helped the revolutionaries or participated in the movement. After the surrender of Daskalogiannis, the Turks fell on the helpless villagers of Kotsovitsa and destroyed them, burning their property and setting fire to their houses. None of the inhabitants of the small settlement escaped, as some were slaughtered and others were burned alive in the small cave, where they had taken refuge. Years of silence and bitter slavery followed, marked by the massacre of an unknown number of Fredians in the White Figs of Armeni, while waiting to grind their offspring. The outbreak of the revolution of 1821 followed, during which the village mourned several victims in the desperate struggle for freedom. In the short-lived revolution of Hairetis in 1841, Fres was again at the forefront of the struggle, as the popular muse tells us with the following couplet, which refers to Hairetis: ». The first blow of the three-year revolution of 1866, fell in the village, when Nikolas Tzitzikalakis, killed the bloodthirsty Hatzi-Hussein of Pemonia, who had unnecessarily slaughtered his grandfather in the White Figs. During the conflicts, Fres was a constant field of conflict, as he dominated the Apokoronas basin. The damage to inanimate and inanimate material was enormous, and many Fredians emigrated to avoid the tyrant’s revenge. In the revolution of 1878, Fres was back on the ramparts. The church of Evangelistria and the primary school hosted the work of the revolutionary assembly for more than two months and the Fredians offered what they had and did not have, to support the struggle. In the last three-year revolution of 1895-1897, the Fredians did their duty again and mourned several victims. They also offered and supported the work of the Post-Governmental Committee, when it was meeting in the village. But all this was forgotten, since in a little while the sun of freedom finally rose on our long-suffering island. Not many years passed and in the invitation of 1912, the Fredians, regardless of age and marital status, voluntarily ran to the mountains of Epirus and Macedonia, to free their enslaved brothers. More than 30 men left their families and offered their services, in the beautiful fight. Four of them stayed there forever, giving us with their sacrifice an unsurpassed example to imitate. After the union with Greece in 1913, he followed the course of the Hellenic Republic and offered several of his children in the struggles for the independence and integrity of our Homeland, both in Asia Minor in 1922 and in the mountains of Albania in 1940.