Arnea

Continuation of the destroyed castle was a new small settlement that was founded nearby in the late 15th century and early 16th century by working monks of the monastery of the Athonite monastery of Konstamonitos and was named Liarigova or Liarigovi (from the Slavic words liera (dung) and govni (heap), meaning a pile of dung, because the plain was a grazing place for animals of the Konstamonitos monastery). The first clearly dated mention of Liarigova or Liarigovi is in a 1750 decree, which includes a list of the shares of the monastery of Konstamonitos of Mount Athos. This settlement experienced particular prosperity during the 18th century, due to the employment of the residents in the mines of Sidirokausia (Olympiada-Stratoni) in Northern Chalkidiki and became the capital of the famous mining federation of the 12 Mademohoria (the 12 communities of Mademohoria were the following: Galatista, Ravna, Petrokerasa, Stavros, Varvara, Liarigovi, Novoselo {Neochori}, Machalas {Stagira}, Isvoros {Stratoniki}, Chorouda, Revenikia {Megali Panagia} and Ierissos). In 1775, the Gate agreed to grant the exploitation of the mines in Mademochoria on the condition that they pay the Ottoman state a part of their production. Thus, during the Turkish occupation, it continued to be an important center of the Halkidiki region with great commercial activity. In fact, the French consul in Thessaloniki Cousinery, who passed through Liarigovi in ​​1793, describes it as a self-sufficient and dynamic settlement. He characteristically notes: “The prosperity in which the inhabitants of Liarigovi live does not come only from the cultivation of their fields. They make carpets for which they use the wool of the place. Almost all families are engaged in this work and the products of the craft reached and were sold as far as Roumelia (Romelie) and especially in the Monasteries.”

Before and after the revolution of 1821, the inhabitants were engaged in beekeeping and the trade of timber and animals, in addition to weaving. In 1932, Arnea was the largest village in Northern Halkidiki with 3,000 residents who were merchants, beekeepers, carpenters, and manufacturers of handmade shoes – there were even 50 guilds with master craftsmen and journeymen. The federation of Mademochoria was dissolved with the start of the revolution of 1821, in which Liarigovi also actively participated. The revolution in the region had an inglorious end, resulting in Arnea being one of the 42 villages of Halkidiki that were burned down by Bayram Pasha and deserted by its inhabitants. They later returned to their homeland and reformed the settlement, which gradually took on the form it has today. The new settlement was under the jurisdiction of the Turkish Kadi of Thessaloniki.
In 1854, when the Tsamis revolution broke out in Halkidiki, Liarigova did not suffer new destruction from the Turks. During the Macedonian struggle of 1904-1908, Liarigova participated strongly with several fighters. On November 2, 1912, the city was officially liberated from the Turks.

Liarigova received its current name, Arnaia, in 1928. The Renaming Committee, taking into account both versions, namely that the two ancient cities of Arnaia and Avgaia were probably built nearby, renamed the town to Arnaia by joining the syllable Arn- from the ancient city of Arnai with the ending -aia from the city of Avgaia. In 1932 it was the largest village in Northern Halkidiki with a population of 3000 inhabitants, who were engaged in livestock farming, beekeeping, logging, shoemaking, in fact there were about 50 guilds of master builders and journeymen, weaving and mining.

In the alleys that radiate from the central square, creating smaller squares and neighborhoods along the way, one can admire the rich traditional heritage of this unique settlement. South of the central square, in the Gannoudena district, is the famous Iatrou Mansion, which operates as a Historical-Folklore Museum and the Weaving Museum. This district contains the most remarkable examples of Arnaia architecture. Houses built after the destruction of 1821, painted in intense indigo or ochre colors, form beautiful neighborhoods. Going down the main road from the square, you will find yourself in front of the famous school of 1871, the so-called “urban school of Liarigovi”. It is the most well-built school of the 19th century in Halkidiki and since 1990 it has housed the Town Hall. Its masonry follows the technique used at that time on Mount Athos. Next to the Town Hall is the church of Agios Stefanos, a three-aisled basilica with a bell tower dating back to 1889. It is the only church in Greece that operates for the needs of the faithful while being built on antiquities of great value – and even visible, since there are special glass panels on the floor of the church. In the famous bell tower of the church, when they were liberated from the Turkish yoke, the people of Arnaio hung a historic clock that the Turks had transported from the village of Tepalides, when they destroyed Liarigovi in ​​1821. Opposite the Town Hall and Agios Stefanos is the old inn and today the Alexandrou guesthouse. This entire area used to be the center of the village, the so-called chorostasi.
Also noteworthy is the cruciform domed church of Agioi Anargyroi, built in 1919, designed by Anastasios Orlandos. In 1924, a group of monks from Mount Athos painted the church, where vespers and matins are celebrated daily. The imposing building of the primary school with its huge courtyard is also of interest. It is a typical example of school architecture of the 1930s.

A large number of old traditional houses of significant architectural value have survived throughout the city. They are built with basic materials, stone and wood, by Arvanites and Epirotes craftsmen – who stopped in Arnea on their way to work in the monasteries of Athos -, as well as local craftsmen. The traditional houses of Arnea are representative types of the architecture of Northern Halkidiki. Many of them were partially or completely demolished and it is not possible to give a strict typology of their construction. Of those that are preserved, we can distinguish two categories based on the type of floor plan and the forms of the individual elements of the entire construction. – The first category includes houses built after the complete destruction of the settlement by the Turks in 1821.

– The second category includes those built after 1850-60 until 1940-45.

The oldest houses are usually single-room, one-story or two-story with a loggia in the front, which was a semi-open space and was supported by buttresses, and a room in the back. Over time, the loggia gradually ceases to be the functional core of the Arnaean house and the hall appears to have the primary role. The houses are characterized in this phase by introversion and acquire a fortress-like character. From a morphological point of view, there is a variety of traditional houses, which is due on the one hand to the dense construction that forces craftsmen to invent special solutions and on the other hand to the evolution of external and internal structural elements.

These houses, restored today and in shades of indigo, ochre and terracotta, testify to the prosperity that Arnaean experienced in the past. With the delicacy and grace of their construction, with the characteristic stone decoration, the elaborate doorways, the loggias and the wide variety of windows, they gave Arnea a unique nobility. The existence of this “living” ancient fabric fully justifies the official characterization of Arnea in 1987 by the Ministry of Culture as a “Historic Site” and “Traditional Settlement”. All remained in their place, some changed use, but the buildings of Arnea preserved their old traditional architectural form, remaining eternal witnesses to its glorious historical journey.

With the help of the Municipality, the IV Ephorate of Modern Monuments and various programs, restorations and restorations were carried out on several buildings, resulting in Arnea now having a multitude of buildings that have been classified as preserved works of art and some as traditional. All these elements create a nostalgic mood in the visitor and in the researcher who will come to study its rich historical and folkloric tradition. They contribute to understanding the climate in which the local society developed and evolved over time. At the same time, the rare natural and aesthetic beauty of the surrounding area with the changes of landscapes and the unique tourist routes in Holomontas constitute an excellent proposal for any visitor looking for a peaceful destination.

* We thank archaeologist Ms. Athena Marathianou for the texts she provided us.