Villages of the plain: Grammenitsa, Chalkiades, Kalamia, Psathotopi
Four villages near Arta, with Venetian records, Ali Pasha estates and liberation in 1912.
- Grammenitsa
- About 5 km, 1,206 residents (2021)
- Chalkiades
- About 4 km, 1,330 residents (2021)
- Kalamia
- About 4 km, 934 residents (2021)
- Psathotopi
- About 11 km, 183 residents (2021)
On the plain around Arta there are villages with few sights but a rich history. Here are four of them, as the Greek Wikipedia describes them.
Grammenitsa
It is about 5 km from Arta, beside the Arachthos, at 58 m. In 1884 Serafeim Xenopoulos recorded 50 families and three churches (Saint Dimitrios, Saint Athanasios, Saint Pantaleimon), and a school with about 100 pupils. It was liberated on 6–9 October 1912. The football club Proodeftiki Grammenitsas was founded in 1958.
Chalkiades
At 20 m, about 4 km from Arta, it was the seat of the Municipality of Filothei until 2010. The earliest mention is in Venetian records of 1697, when the village paid tribute for protection from pirates. In the early 19th century it was an estate of Ali Pasha. The residents worshipped in the church of Saints Constantine and Helen.
Kalamia
At 23 m, 4 km from Arta. Its earlier name was Kanesoi. In the 1840s it was an estate of Ali Pasha, according to Aravantinos. It was liberated temporarily in 1897 and finally in 1912.
Psathotopi
At 6 m, about 11 km from Arta and a few kilometres from the Ambracian Gulf. Its earlier name was Ali Bey. In 1697 it paid tribute to Venice, and the church of Agios Vlasios, built in 1853 with money from Christos Tsiantis, is a listed monument.
