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It
is not exactly known when Κonitsa was built, however the
presence
of human beings in the area is dated about 10.000 years ago. Konitsa
was a place of particular strategic importance from the time that
Molossoi and Pyros lived there. During the
period of the Byzantine
empire, in the frame of the general fortification, several castles
were built in the wider region, like the one which is saved in
the vilage Klidonia.
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The
name "Κonitsa" makes its appearance in modern history
at
the time of Κonstantinos Pogonatos. During the Turkish domination,
from 1453 until 1913 when it was finally liberated, it knew great
economical and cultural blossoming and it had the luck to have
favourable
treatment, mostly because it was the homeland of Hamko, mother
of Ali
Pasha. In 1775 the great teacher
of the Nation Κοsmas Etolos passed by
there and deployed great religious action in the region, which
was
islamized
by theTurks.
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During
World War II Konitsa was subjected to tremendous ordeals.
In 1940-41 it suffered great destructions, as the Italians set
it
on fire and it received severe attacks from Albanian gangs. A
few
years later, before it managed to recover from the tragedies of
the
Greek-Italian war, it bore a new serious
blight during the civilian war
when
families disappeared and entire fortunes were destroyed.
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