Discover Elatochori

For a trip focused on local history, sacred art, and inherited customs, Elatochori offers several specific points of interest. The Church of Agios Nikolaos, the history of the old settlement, and customs tied to different times give the choice of destination a cultural and historical dimension. If you are looking for a hotel, these themes can help you decide whether Elatochori suits your travel interests.

Church, Craft, and Daily Life

In old Elatochori stands the Byzantine Church of Agios Nikolaos, built in 1776. Its features include a rare carved wooden iconostasis and Byzantine icons that have survived to this day. The year it was built and its furnishings provide different points of reference: 1776 dates the construction of the church, while the iconostasis and icons characterize its sacred art. The church can therefore be understood both through its history and through specific elements of its furnishings.

Elatochori was originally called Skouterna. The name was associated with the production of coarse woollen fabrics in the area. This link between the village’s name and textile craft adds a reference to the local working tradition alongside its religious art.

The old watermill offers a glimpse into a different aspect of everyday life. There, residents ground corn and wheat into flour, which they used to make bread and pita. This historical process links grain processing with the foods made from it. Unlike the church’s sacred furnishings, the mill focuses on the former processing of food.

The Old and New Settlements

Elatochori comprises an old and a new settlement. German troops destroyed the old settlement on January 27, 1944. Distinguishing between the settlements is important for placing this event correctly. In 2025, Elatochori was officially recognized as a martyr village.

Customs and Their Dates

During the Kedra custom, the young people of Elatochori walk through the village with burning torches on the eve of March 25. They then burn cedar branches and dance together around the fire. The sequence moves from the torch procession to the fire and then to the group dance, describing several successive parts of the custom.

During the Roka custom, the whole village gathers on the second day of Easter after the church service to burn the Roka. The custom dates back to the period of Ottoman rule. Compared with Kedra, the focus here is on the village gathering after the service; Kedra involves a torch procession and dancing.

The annual Antamoma takes place in the village center on the last weekend of July. It includes the football match “ΑΠΑΛΝΟΙ – ΑΚΑΤΝΟΙ” in the village square. The timing of the gathering and the location of the match are clearly specified: the Antamoma is held in the village center, while the football match takes place in the village square.

The dates distinguish the customs: the Antamoma takes place annually on the last weekend of July, Kedra is associated with the eve of March 25, and Roka with the second day of Easter. If you would like to plan a trip around one of these events, check the exact date in advance.

Discover more destinations: Litochoro, Raralia Panteleimonos, Leptokaria, Paralia, Dion, Korinos, Makrygialos, Panteleimonas

For the broader travel overview: Pieria.