Tsamantas (Greek: Τσαμαντάς) is a village located in the region of Epirus in northwestern Greece, near the border with Albania. It lies within the regional unit of Thesprotia and belongs to the municipality of Filiates. The village is situated at an altitude of approximately 552 meters on the slopes of Mount Mourgkana (part of the Keravnion range), and the Albanian border is clearly visible from its high vantage points.
Geography and Administration
Tsamantas is a traditional settlement in the municipal unit of Filiates. Its postal code is 46032 and its telephone access code is +3026640. The village is divided by two small rivers—the Stera and the Platanaki—which form the boundaries of its three neighbourhoods: Pera Mahalas, Thana, and Pranthis.
Population
According to the 2021 Greek census, the permanent population of Tsamantas was 45 inhabitants, a decline from 141 in 1991 and 174 in 1981. This depopulation reflects broader rural-to-urban migration trends in mountainous Epirus.
History and Name
The name "Tsamantas" is believed by some local tradition to derive from the Byzantine family of Tsamandouri, to whom the area was granted as a feudal estate in the 13th century. The region was historically part of the ancient Thesprotian district of Kestrinis.
Diaspora
Due to "chain migration," many descendants of Tsamantas inhabitants now live in Worcester, Massachusetts (USA), and Melbourne, Australia, with smaller communities in Athens and Thessaloniki. A centennial publication (1908–2008) documented the history of the Tsamantas diaspora in Worcester, Massachusetts.
Nearby Places
- Filiates
- Vavouri
- Leshnica e Poshtme (Albania)
- Leshnica e Sipërme (Albania)
