Zagori Cultural Landscape

World Heritage Research

Discover scientific research and academic studies that deepen our understanding of Zagori Cultural Landscape from its history and significance to its conservation, management, and contemporary challenges.

• Heritage Hospitality and Sustainable Tourism in Mountain Cultural Landscapes: The Case of Zagori Within the UNESCO Framework

  Heritage hospitality, driven by public policy incentives rather than market forces, has emerged as a key strategy for sustainable tourism and population resilience in mountain cultural landscapes. A study of Zagori, Greecereveals that targeted development policies, particularly those promoting small-scale, high-altitude enterprises, can mitigate population decline while preserving built heritage. Unlike spontaneous growth models, this approach fosters a micro-network of hotels that integrate local entrepreneurship with cultural conservation. Spatial and quantitative analysis of Zagori’s evolution from 1982 to 2022 demonstrates that diversified tourism infrastructure, when aligned with heritage preservation, sustains vitality in remote settlements. Conversely, policy gaps or overconcentration lead to stagnation, highlighting the need for adaptive reuse frameworks to balance conservation, development, and demographic outcomes.

  Tsamos, G., Vlami, A., Sarantakou, E., & Christidou, A. (2025). Heritage Hospitality and Sustainable Tourism in Mountain Cultural Landscapes: The Case of Zagori Within the UNESCO Framework. Heritage, 8(12), 523. https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage8120523

  View Publication Record | Read Publication

• Can Spirituality Save Centuries-Old Trees and Forests? A Study from the Mountains of Northwest Greece

  Sacred Natural Sites (SNS) in Greece's Epirus region, including centuries-old trees and forests linked to churches or villages, demonstrate the potential of spirituality to drive conservation. These sites, protected by local beliefs that deter timber extraction, provide critical ecosystem services such as disaster mitigation, water resource conservation, and conflict resolution. A study highlights their multifunctional role in socio-ecological systems, with some SNS, like those in Zagori and Konitsa, gaining UNESCO recognition for their intangible cultural heritage value. The research suggests that deeper appreciation of spirituality could enhance nature protection efforts by integrating traditional values with modern conservation strategies.

  Stara, K., Tsiakiris, R., Wong, J. L. G., Healey, J., Marini Govigli, V., & Halley, J. M. (2025). Can Spirituality Save Centuries-Old Trees and Forests? A Study from the Mountains of Northwest Greece. Zygon: Journal of Religion and Science, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.16995/zygon.11615

  View Publication Record | Read Publication

• Radioactivity studies in soils from Northwestern Greece

  A recent study reveals that soil samples from the Zagori Cultural Landscape and nearby Pogoni area in Northwestern Greece exhibit varying levels of natural radioactivity, including isotopes like 40K, uranium (U), thorium (Th) series, and anthropogenic cesium-137 (137Cs). Using High-Purity Germanium (HPGe) detectors calibrated for bulk geometry, researchers measured specific activities to estimate absorbed dosage and external hazard index (Hex), following UNSCEAR models. This analysis contributes to assessing the environmental sustainability of this largely unexplored region. The findings provide critical data on baseline radioactivity levels, which could inform conservation efforts and risk assessments in UNESCO World Heritage Sites with similar geological characteristics.

  Zafeiris, T., Siltzovalis, G., Lagaki, V., Madesis, I., & Mertzimekis, T. (2024). Radioactivity studies in soils from Northwestern Greece. HNPS Advances in Nuclear Physics, 30, 256–260. https://doi.org/10.12681/hnpsanp.6121

  View Publication Record | Read Publication

• Crafting crossroads in Zagori (north-west Greece): Ottoman-era archaeology through a workshop in vernacular architecture

  A reconstructed nineteenth-century cobbled pathway in the village of Aristi, Zagori, offers new insights into Ottoman-era material culture and settlement archaeology. This small-scale restoration project demonstrates how integrating archaeological practices with vernacular architecture can deepen our understanding of historical landscapes without disrupting their lived experience. The study highlights the potential of such workshops to bridge gaps in Ottoman-era research, providing tangible evidence of past craftsmanship and settlement dynamics.

  Moudopoulos-Athanasiou, F., Sklavounos, I., & Koutropoulos, G. (2024). Crafting crossroads in Zagori (north-west Greece): Ottoman-era archaeology through a workshop in vernacular architecture. Antiquity, 98(401). https://doi.org/10.15184/aqy.2024.134

  View Publication Record | Read Publication

• Building insights : craft, collective care, and architectural theoria in an itinerant workshop

  A resurgent interest in traditional crafts can enrich architectural theory by incorporating tacit knowledge—forms of understanding tied to bodily skill, practical experience, and cultural context. This study demonstrates how the Boulouki Itinerant Workshop's projects, focusing on reconstructing dry stone paths (kalderimia) and vernacular structures in remote Greek regions like Zagori and Therasia, bridge traditional craftsmanship with contemporary landscape care. By analyzing participatory engagements through reflective practice and thick description, the research reveals that such projects not only preserve cultural memory but also highlight more-than-human agency in architecture. The findings suggest that an architectural theory sensitive to tacit knowledge must integrate these dual discourses to deepen collective understanding.

  Sklavounos, I. Building insights : craft, collective care, and architectural theoria in an itinerant workshop. https://doi.org/10.63028/10067/2088740151162165141

  View Publication Record | Read Publication

• Des artistes sur tous les fronts. De la lutte environnementale au développement territorial : le pouvoir d’un festival en question (Vovousa, Zagori et Parc national du Pinde du Nord, Épire, Grèce)

  A collective of artists in the village of Vovousa, Greece, has emerged as a powerful force in environmental advocacy and territorial development through their involvement in a festival. This creative movement, rooted in opposition to a large dam project on the Aoos River since 2013, revitalizes local influence by aligning with both ecological and touristic fronts while challenging existing energy policies. The study analyzes these dynamics across multiple scales, revealing how artistic engagement can reshape power structures in marginalized regions, particularly within weakened national parks like the North Pindus National Park. This approach offers a model for grassroots-led revitalization, blending cultural expression with strategic territorial claims.

  Guyot, S., André-Lamat, V., Sacareau, I., & Salinas-Kraljevich, P. (2024). Des artistes sur tous les fronts. De la lutte environnementale au développement territorial : le pouvoir d’un festival en question (Vovousa, Zagori et Parc national du Pinde du Nord, Épire, Grèce). Balkanologie, 19(1). https://doi.org/10.4000/12q7o

  View Publication Record | Read Publication

• Pathways to Know and Sidetracks to Forget: Walking and the Montane Cultural Landscape of Zagori (Northwestern Greece)

  Walking through Zagori's cultural landscape reveals distinct pathways of heritage interpretation, from historical travel accounts to modern archaeological surveys. This study highlights how different ways of engaging with the landscape—whether through dwelling, inhabiting, or gazing—shape our understanding and memory of place. By analyzing past and present walking practices, it uncovers contrasting attitudes toward heritage, illustrating a dynamic interplay between remembering and forgetting. The research employs a comparative approach, drawing on primary sources, contemporary interpretations, and field observations to elucidate the multifaceted nature of Zagori's montane cultural landscape.

  Moudopoulos-Athanasiou, F. (2023). Pathways to Know and Sidetracks to Forget: Walking and the Montane Cultural Landscape of Zagori (Northwestern Greece). Journal of Eastern Mediterranean Archaeology and Heritage Studies, 11(1), 1–20. https://doi.org/10.5325/jeasmedarcherstu.11.1.0001

  View Publication Record | Read Publication