Kraniona

The village is located in centre of the Korestia valley.

It consists of two “neighborhoods”, the Lower and the Upper Kraniona which are separated by one of the two rivers contributing to the site “Smesi” to become the main arm of the largest river of Macedonia, Aliakmonas. Church downtown area during the Byzantine and post-Byzantine period. Jewel is, until today, the church of Agia Paraskevi in Upper Kraniona built before 1864.

 

 

A village that fades with dignity!

They named them “earthen villages”, they talked about architecture from clay! Architecture of mud and straw. The villages with handmade soul! …
The reason for Korestia, accumulated mainly in the settlement of Gavros, but left behind the reddish-brown remnants fading with dignity.
We don’t see wayward concrete rubbles or rusted iron plates! The baked clay, from which the bricks were made, is melting by the rain and being leveled through time … We were in Kraniona which can afford to be divided into Upper and Lower sections.
Desert now both neighborhoods revive, especially the hill around the church every August, when remarkable concerts  are organized devoted every time to a different class of music! New wave, rembetiko, etc.
The reesidents of Kraniona, mainly farmers, urbanized when they moved to Neo Oikismo (New Settlement) gradually after ’70 and become mainly furriers.

The river passing by Lower Kraniona meets Lagopotamos river who’s coming from Antartiko village and together both rivers join Aliakmonas.

If we look at the houses of Kraniona, we will see the wise provision of workplaces and their usefulness. All have a semi outdoor lounge, a tiled floor with ancillary small rooms, the stable built, the wooden staircase to the first floor and the wooden floors. A fully health stay!

All houses overlook the river and the plain. And off to Mali – Madi from where they brought the mountain tea for the winter.
The large stone church of Agia Paraskevi dominates among the other architectural masterpieces with its square bell tower and the lime mortar
that got older. The excellent screen with three rows of images is masterful as well as the other objects of virtu decorating the church.The charming red color of the walls and tiles makes harmonious contrast with the greenery, while the missing doors and windows indicate that people do not live here anymore.
The concerts that revives Kraniona began in 1999 and they constitute a valuable cultural event for the region.