PSARADES VILLAGE
JANUARY 2000
| PRESPES PSARADES VILLAGE JANUARY 2000 |
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Psarades village in Great Prespa. |
The district of Prespa lies in a large upland
basin at an altitude of 850m. The two lakes of Little and Great Prespa are in the middle
of the basin. Great Prespa today is shared by Greece, Yugoslavia and Albania, while Little Prespa is shared by Greece and Albania. Little Prespa has two islands, Ayios Achilleios and Vidronissi. It forms an enclosed region controlled by passes, possesing a fertile soil, plentiful resources, natural beauty and its own particular flora and fauna. The geographical situation has influenced its history and the character of its inhabitants. |
| Should you wish to visit Prespa, remember that the place you are going to see is famous for the beauty of its landscape, whose natural balance others are fighting to preserve. The Byzantinists share in this effort, because they know that man's activities in the past were in harmony with the environment and influenced by its subtle animating forces. | |
| A visit to the churches of the islands of Ayios Achilleios and Vidronissi must be arranged in advance and negotiations are generally conducted in the cafes on the lakefront. The cafe proprietors undertake to inform the island boatmen. |
Many rare species live in the area of Prespa. |
View of Psarades village during winter.
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In the case of Psarades,
it is a simple matter to find a boat that will take you to see the frescos on the rocks
and visit the hermitages built along the shore of Great Prespa lake. Beside their boats
the local fishermen have put up a signboard with the words "Byzantine Itinerary"
and the schedule of the boat trips. The words are not misleading. The itinerary is an
exceptional one: apart from the boat that is carrying you, the only evidence
of human activity to be seen dates back to the time of Byzantium.
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