The Villages and their traditions
The varied origins of the inhabitants makes up the rich culture of this region. Its population is made up of Arvanites, Vlachs, people from Asia Minor, from the Pontus region, from eastern Thrace and obviously from the region itself and they all contribute to this cultural richness that distinguishes these parts. By celebrating the patron saints of the villages, they have established many cultural events. Moreover, they have created similar festivals in order to exhibit the regional products. The cultural …
History
Historically, the region belonged to the kingdom of Orestis, in Upper Macedonia. In 197 BCE it was conquered by the Romans, who allowed the cities of the kingdom to re-establish the hellenistic system of the Orestans. In the first years of the Byzantine empire, the region was part of the eparchy of Macedonia, while it was subsequently incorporated to the eparchy of Thessaly. It was subsequently conquered by the Bulgarians, the Normans and, during the Frankokratia, it belonged to the …
Culture of our village
Historically the residents of Lechovo have been famous stone builders. The stone builders’ past can still be seen by the roads leading throughout the village. These roads were constructed by the residents themselves and remain a beautiful sight. Even though some residents still work as stone builders, many residents have found other occupations, such as working with agriculture, livestock farming and beekeeping. One of the most famous local products of agriculture are the beans called “yiyantes” (“giants”). Besides, furniture manufacturing …
About the association
The Cultural Association of Lechovo “THE PROPHET ILIAS”, was founded in 1921 and since then has been active in Lechovo, Florina. Its goal is the spiritual and moral development of the inhabitants of Lechovo, and the preservation and promotion of its traditions and culture.
History of our association
1931 The library of the Cultural Association of Lechovo was founded in 1931. It was an important and distinct intellectual center in the wider area, as it had collected a considerable number of books. 1943 The burning of Lechovo by the German and Bulgarian troops in the summer of 1943 resulted in the total destruction of the association building. Including the valuable library that was built with great effort. 1946 – 1953 In the autumn of 1946, the damaged building …
Cultural activities
The Cultural Association of Lechovo “O Profitis Ilias” has a strong presence in the cultural events of the region and organizes cultural events throughout the year. These events include the New Year Carnival, the “Boubouna”, the Koulouma, the summer events in honour of the Prophet Elias, the celebration of the traditional pie, as well as multiple dance celebrations.
Traditional dance
The dance group, being one of the most active sections of our association, has participated in many cultural events and dance festivals nationwide. It has different age sections, providing the possibility of participation for children of all ages as well as for adults. The aim of the department is to preserve the cultural heritage of our community through the learning of traditional dances. These traditional dances are the Berati, Hasapia, Tsamiko, Kalamatiano, along with the Poustseno.
Museum
The Folklore and Ethnological Museum was founded in 1976, and since 1984 it is housed in the back part of the building of the Urban School. The exhibition includes multiple historical objects and documents, tools and stone objects, textiles, traditional costumes, household items and ecclesiastical material. The ecclesiastical material includes sacred books of the period from 1600 to 1850. The museum was renamed “Georgios Gorantis” in honour of its inspirer, for his long-term contribution to the museum.