Megali Panagia is a big village in

Chalkidiki Chalkidiki (; , alternatively Halkidiki), also known as Chalcidice, is a peninsula and regional unit of Greece, part of the region of Central Macedonia, in the geographic region of Macedonia in Northern Greece. The autonomous Mount Athos reg ...

peninsula. It is located in the east of Chalkidiki prefecture, 80 kilometres from

Thessaloniki Thessaloniki (; ), also known as Thessalonica (), Saloniki, Salonika, or Salonica (), is the second-largest city in Greece (with slightly over one million inhabitants in its Thessaloniki metropolitan area, metropolitan area) and the capital cit ...

and 12 from

Arnaia Arnaia (, before 1928: Λιαρίγκοβη - ''Liarigkovi'', or Lerigovo) is a town and a former municipality in Chalkidiki, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Aristotelis Aristotle (; 384–322& ...

, built at 440 meters height, in the slopes of the hill named Chtikela. Until 2011 it was the seat of local municipality ( Panagia municipality). Today it is included in Aristotelis municipality.

History

In the past the village was named Revenikia. In 1928 took the current name (which means Great Virgin Mary) that related with the near pilgrimage, dedicated to Virgin Mary. The oldest references about the village date back in Byzantine era. In the Ottoman period the village belonged to the Mademochoria. During the

Greek War of Independence The Greek War of Independence, also known as the Greek Revolution or the Greek Revolution of 1821, was a successful war of independence by Greek revolutionaries against the Ottoman Empire between 1821 and 1829. In 1826, the Greeks were assisted ...

it was burnt by the Turks. A part of the village was destroyed by the big earthquake in 1932, centered in

Ierissos Ierissos () is a small town on the east coast of the Akti peninsula in Chalkidiki, Greece. It is located 115 km from Thessaloniki, and 10 km from the border of the Autonomous Monastic State of the Holy Mountain, or Mount Athos. It is th ...

. Many disasters in the village were noted during Second World War.

Historical population

Sights

The most known sight in vicinity is the pilgrimage dedicated to Virgin Mary. It was built in 1863 and was rebuilt after the earthquake in 1932. Another important sight is Panagouda. It's about an old church inside the village, built in 1007. Near the village there is a notable, arched, old, bridge made of stone.

References

{{Aristotelis div Populated places in Chalkidiki Aristotelis (municipality)