Mantzavinata

Geography

Mantzavinata is surrounded by blue clay hills, many covered with groves. This landscape is declared geosite nr.2 of the Geopark Kefalonia Ithaka, other nearby Geoparks as part of the village are Xi (nr. 3) and Kounopetra (nr. 4).

Farming and agriculture are the main industry in Mantzavinata, although due to the nearby beaches, tourism also plays a significant part in the economy. Together with the smaller village Vouni and the islet of Vardianoi, it forms the community of Katogi.

History

The Maspali hill was perhaps an ancient acropolis. At Vazza, a Roman mosaic was found and is displayed today at the Archaeological Museum of Kefalonia. Two of the three churches are original structures from the 17th century.

Until the 1940s, Mantzavinata was an important centre of wine and raisin production. World War II, and the complete destruction of the village in the 1953 Ionian earthquake increased emigration. It took until the mid-1950s to rebuild the village. The central square was called Lemonata.

The former farmland around Mantzavinata is popular for house building. Today many families built also their new homes outside of the center near the beaches Xi and Mania. This new settlement is also known as Kounopetra.

Name

The name 'Mantzavinata' comes from the Italian words mangiare (eat) and vino (wine), -ata is the typical ending for places in Kefalonia. Mantzavinata had several persons with the surname Mantzavinos/Mantzavinatos, one of whom founded a subdivision in Patras known as Mantzavineika. Another founded the Mantzavinateio Hospital in Lixouri. A famous winery was called Mantzavino.

Population

| 1981 | 309 |1991|152 |2001|220 |2011|220 |2021|217

References

References

1. "Απογραφές πληθυσμού 1991,2001,2011 σύμφωνα με την κωδικοποίηση της Απογραφής 2011". [[Hellenic Statistical Authority]].