Souli and the Souliotes
The mountain district of Souli in Thesprotia, where the Souliotes resisted the Ottomans, and Kiafa castle.
- Municipality
- Souli, seat Paramythia
- Area
- 502.8 km²
- Residents
- 8,759 (2021)
- Castle
- Kiafa, built by Ali Pasha
Souli is a municipality in Epirus, in Thesprotia, with its seat in Paramythia. It was formed in 2011 by merging Acherontas, Paramythia and Souli and covers 502.8 km² with 8,759 residents (2021).
The Souliotes
The villages in the south were settled by the Souliotes, a warlike community that took refuge in the mountains from the Ottomans. In the early 19th century the Souliote villages had about 12,000 people; their expulsion greatly reduced the local population.
What to see
Kiafa castle was built by Ali Pasha to hide his treasure and is now a ruin. There are also abandoned villages such as Koukoulii and Zotiko, and a view of the Acheron valley from the mountains of Souli. Markos Botsaris was born here.
