By Nikolas Bardis

Makrinitsa is a small, picturesque village of the Municipality of Volos, and is built on the western side of Pelion, at an altitude of 600 meters. Undoubtedly, it is one of the most popular mountain destinations in our country, and is “flooded” with people at all times of the year. Makrinitsa stands out for its strong traditional color, the excellent Pelionian architecture and the unobstructed, panoramic view it offers of Volos and the Pagasitic Gulf. This is also the reason why it is often called the “balcony” of Pelion. In contrast, in fact, to other mountainous villages in Greece that are being deserted, in recent years there has been an increase in its population, while most of its inhabitants deal almost exclusively with tourism and traditional products.

History

Shortly after the first capture of the city, and specifically in the period between 1204 and 1215, the local governor and wealthy landowner Konstantinos Maliasinos founded the Monastery of the Visitation of the Virgin Mary or Makrinitissa in Pelion. Then, around it, a small initially settlement was created, which took the name Makrinitsa from the neighboring monastery.

The monastery founded by Maliasinos fell into obscurity in the 17th century and finally collapsed. However, the building material as well as the sculptures of the building in question were reused in the construction of the church of Panagia (1767), which is dedicated to the Dormition of the Virgin. The settlement developed rapidly during the 18th century thanks to trade and tanning, with the result that by the beginning of the 19th century it had become the strongest and most populous town in the area! Makrinitsa, like the other settlements of Pelion, had received special privileges from the Ottomans. Undeniable witnesses of its development are, among others, the magnificent mansions, which were mostly built between the years 1750 and 1830.

Makrinitsa was one of the villages that rose up during the revolution of 1821. With the proclamation of the revolution in Pelion by Anthimos Gazi, the Peliorites besieged Velestino and Volos. However, with the intervention of Dramalis, the siege failed. The Ottomans then besieged Makrinitsa, which eventually fell after strong resistance and the revolution in the area was suppressed.

After liberation, Makrinitsa became a Municipality, while between 1912 and 2010 it was a separate community. After the war, the touristic development of the area slowly began, which continues dynamically to this day. The village gathers many tourists throughout the year, not just in the winter months, and is the top getaway option for Volos residents and students.

Architecture

The mansions of Makrinitsa, amphitheatrically built on the western slopes of Pelion, are structured according to the traditional Pelionian architecture. The houses we meet there are two- or three-story with strong, stone walls, while the main features are the stone-built roofs and the rich painting and wood-carving decoration on the upper floors of the buildings. The lower floor usually has few openings, unlike the upper one which has many windows, and often overhangs a bit, a typical architectural remnant of the Ottoman period. The houses of the village are also notable for their decorated ceilings, and carved wooden doors and shutters.
One of the most important mansions of Makrinitsa is that of Topalis, which was built in 1844 and today houses the Folklore Museum. The building is a three-story fortified residence, with battle holes and a defensive turret on its roof. The mansion was given to the community of Makrinitsa by the Topalis family in 1932, to house the Folklore Museum, which today houses more than 1,500 exhibits!

The Square

In the central square of the village, with the centuries-old plane trees and the famous fountain of Brani with its excellent stone carvings, the Byzantine Museum of Makrinitsa is housed, which houses relics from the 13th to the 20th century. It is unique in its kind for the wider region of Magnesia, while it also has educational programs of schools and educational institutions. Just below the square is the famous Topali mansion, which is perhaps the most representative example of Pelioreite architecture.

Also, in this picturesque square there is the Theofilos cafe, which is known throughout Greece, but also abroad, for a painting by the famous popular painter Theofilos Hatzimichael. Today, the building in question has been designated a “historic monument” and is the property of the Makrinitsa Community. The composition of the fresco we see describes a feast in the camp of Katsantonis, in a natural environment. The dominant figure is of course Katsantonis, who stands out from his companions due to his larger size, while he has a gun at his feet and plays a tambourine. The rest of the fighters skewer lambs, play music, feast and dance.

The great Swiss architect Le Corbusier, speaking about Theophilos in one of his articles, said, among other things: “He is a painter born from the Greek landscape. Through Theophilos, here is the landscape and the people of Greece: red soil, pine grove and olive grove, sea and mountains of the gods, people who bathe in a boldly dangerous calm.”

Of course, what distinguishes Makrinitsa from other mountain villages, beyond the nobility it exudes, is the absolute harmony of the settlement’s architecture with the landscape. The stone houses, immersed in the greenery, look like an extension of the natural landscape, and no dissonance spoils the general picture in the eyes of the visitor. We could say that it is like an impressionistic painting, like a pause in the violent passage of time, like an otherworldly peace in the noisy times we are going through. When night falls, with a brilliant line of dawn “painting” the horizon and the lights of Volos shimmering in the background, you can have dreams and thoughts, which only thrive there…