Zeli ( el, Ζέλι, also ''Zeli Fthiotidas'' and ''Zeli Lokridas'') is a mountain village in the municipality of Amfikleia-Elateia, part of the regional unit of

Phthiotis Phthiotis ( el, Φθιώτιδα, ''Fthiótida'', ; ancient Greek and Katharevousa: Φθιῶτις) is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the administrative region of Central Greece. The capital is the city of Lamia. It is borde ...

Greece Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders wit ...

. It has a population of 673 residents (2011 census), while the altitude is 450 to 550 meters. At a distance of four kilometers, is the village

Kalapodi Kalapodi ( el, Καλαπόδι) is a modern Greek village in the Lokroi municipality, Phthiotis, Central Greece. Lokroi straddles the pass leading over the low mountains between the Bay of Atalantis in the Gulf of Euboea to the plains of Boeoti ...

Physical and economic review

The village lies on the eastern slope of Mount Varvas. According to previous measurements, Zeli has an area of 51,000 acres, from some of the 24,000 are arable and the remainder is woodland. Zeli is all green mountainous vegetation, including oaks, lavender, chamomile, etc. The village has a rich production in tobacco, wheat and figs. In each house can be seen winter gardens (cabbage, lettuce, onions, radishes, broccoli, carrots, etc.) or summer gardens (tomatoes, potatoes, cucumbers, peppers, eggplants, zucchini, etc.). Moreover, in addition to agricultural occupations, the villagers are engaged in livestock, particularly sheep and poultry. The climate of the village is very good, because of its proximity to both the Parnassus and the beaches of the Evian Gulf.

History

Its name, according to some sources, comes from the Slavic word "Zeliinaakov", which means green valley and indicates that in the age of Byzantium was probably a Slavony. Testimonies indicate that it was first inhabited by the ancient times, when even the flourishing Opountion Lokrida. According to other sources, the name comes from the ancient Ozoles Locri. The area was named Ozelai =Ozeli=Zeli from where the Ozoles Locrians moved to the west. The area was all bushes and shrubs, life was difficult and the people suffered, so the residents with their flocks moved to Etoloakarnania and Phocis. Later, the Opountion Locrians lived in the settlements that were abandoned by Ozoles and the region continued to be called Ozeli and Zeli in their memory. Between 1861 and 1912, when it became an independent community, Zeli belonged to the Municipality of Atalanti. The 1997

Kapodistrias reform Kapodistrias reform ( el, Σχέδιο Καποδίστριας, "Kapodistrias Plan") is the common name of law 2539 of Greece, which reorganised the country's administrative divisions. The law, named after 19th-century Greek statesman Ioannis Kapod ...

placed it in the municipality of Elateia. With the new law "Kallikrates" established by the end of the municipal elections of 2010, Zeli was placed in the enlarged municipality of Amfikleia-Elateia, which is based in

Kato Tithorea Kato Tithorea ( el, Κάτω Τιθορέα, ) is a town in Phthiotis, in central Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Amfikleia-Elateia, of which it is the seat. It has a population 1,841 according to the 2 ...

.EETAA local government changes
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Culture and sports

Zeli is one and a half hours away from

Athens Athens ( ; el, Αθήνα, Athína ; grc, Ἀθῆναι, Athênai (pl.) ) is both the capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Greece, largest city of Greece. With a population close to four million, it is also the seventh List ...

. It has bars, cafes and restaurants. The Cultural Association of Zeli, called "Osios Seraphim", is active in various cultural events in the region, such as conducting local dances in the village square and the organization of the carnival. It has a dance department with women and youth of the village, which has made appearances in Istanbul, Saint Petersburg and Italy. The village also has local football team, Panzeliakos, which plays in amateur local groups.

References

{{Amfikleia-Elateia div Populated places in Phthiotis