Local Community and Forest of Pramanta

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Pramanta is a mountain village of the Municipality of North Tzoumerka, at an altitude of about 828 metres on the north foothills of Tzoumerka. It is built in an amphitheatric formation at the foot of Stroggoula, the highest peak of the mountain (2,107m). Pramanta is 58km from Ioannina and 66km from Arta. It is a village famous for its master builders where numerous livestock-breeding families reside. The architectural style of its houses is impressive thanks to the century-old expertise of its craftsmen.

The central square is dominated by a century old plane tree. There is also the ‘Arapis’ historic fountain, next to the central church of Agia Paraskevi. At Pramanta visitors can see the watermill complex (fulling mill (mantani), artificial waterfall, grinding mill) that has been characterised as a heritage monument. Another site worth visiting is the threshing floors with their sheds scattered throughout the farming land. Such monuments are encountered in almost all villages of the region. Another sight worth seeing is the Holy Monastery of Agia Paraskevi (1876) at Pramanta. The monastery is outside the village on a low hill, surrounded by a wall like a castle.

Quite a few cultural and religious events are organised at Pramanta and preserve local customs. Locals celebrate the day after Whit Sunday at the Holy Trinity church. After the mass there is a feast with traditional music and a meal served on a communal table. There are also festivals on 17 July at the church of St. Marina and on 26 July at the church of Agia Paraskevi, in the village. The latter is a three- or four-day festive event (if the fourth day is a Saturday or a Sunday) and the traditional celebration starts on 25 July. The feast takes place at the central village square with traditional music and dancing. In the evening of 27 July locals dance the ‘kangelari’, a dance dating back to the 16th century, originally used by Greeks to communicate without raising suspicion among Ottoman authority officials. Finally, on the eve and the feast day of the Assumption, on the 15 August, the traditional Assumption church festival is held at the central village square.