Darnakochoria

Darnakochoria is a cluster of 5 villages, a few kilometers east of the city of Serres, with lots of common linguistic and cultural features. These are the villages Emmanouil Papas, Agio Pnevma, Chrysso, Pentapoli and Neo Souli.

The etymology of the name remains unclear; however, most locals choose the view that connects the name with the origin of the “Darnakochorites”, that is the inhabitants of Darnakochoria. According to this view, “Darnakochorites” or “Darnakes” are descendants of a mythical hero of divine origin and the founder of an ancient Greek tribe called “Darnaka”.

The first mention of the village of Emmanouil Papas, “Dovista” in the past, the place of origin of the great fighter of the Macedonian Struggle for Independence, dates back to the 15th century without ruling out its earlier existence. In the village, there are several examples of traditional stone buildings dating back to before 1900.

The first mention of the village of Emmanouil Papas, “Dovista” in the past, the place of origin of the great fighter of the Macedonian Struggle for Independence, dates back to the 15th century without ruling out its earlier existence. In the village, there are several examples of traditional stone buildings dating back to before 1900.

A village with an equally old history, lost in the depths of time, is Chrysso, a name given to it at the beginning of the 20th century because of the wealth that the tobacco production afforded it.

Neo Souli, the most famous of the 5 Darnakochoria because of the custom of the “Dragon-killing”*, which is celebrated every year on Saint George’s Day, owes its name to the militancy and heroism shown by its inhabitants during all the trials and tribulations of the nation in recent history. The architecture of the village is characteristic of the traditional Macedonian folk style, with brick ovens in the courtyards, while several of the at least 40 stone founts that existed in the old days are still preserved, some of which date back to the 17th century.

Finally, Pentapoli, the head village of Darnakochoria, whose founder is an ancestor of the House of Palaiologoi, as mentioned in a Byzantine census, is a modern-day settlement that is experiencing new growth in all areas. In the centre of the settlement, the majestic Church of Saint Athanasios stands out with its impressive dome (year of construction: 1909). Every 15th of August, the local custom of “Doudoula”* is revived in Pentapoli.