Zalongo

I have been trying to write the story about Zalongo for quite some time but I haven’t known where to start and I have been scared that I won’t do this amazing and powerful place justice. But I rather say something than nothing at all about this monument.

We drove down there one afternoon after work, speeding a bit to make sure we made it on time before the sun went down and they would close the entrance to Zalongo. We could spot the monument far away, high up on the mountains we say the bright white monument growing bigger and bigger as we got closer. We arrived at the Monestry which is located at the foot of the final climb up to Zalongo, which can be reached by a steep climb up a long winding road of stone steps.

The story goes that as the Turks invaded Greece, they overtook a village, and took the women and children as slaves, half of them managed to escape up to the highest part of the mountain, it is said that they would rather die than become slaves and before they jumped over the edge with their children, they did a dance together and sang this song:

“Farewell poor world,
Farewell sweet life,
and you, my wretched country,
Farewell for ever

Farewell springs,
Valleys, mountains and hills
Farewell springs
And you, women of Souli

The fish cannot live on the land
Nor the flower on the sand
And the women of Souli
Cannot live without freedom

Farewell springs,

The women of Souli
Have not only learnt how to survive
They also know how to die
Not to tolerate slavery

Farewell springs”

 The monument has later been raised in their memory, to remember the bravery and to recognise them for what they did.

The monument itself is amazing and the views are stunning from up there but more than anything I felt honoured to stand there, in the place where these women and children did their last dance before jumping towards a death that was more desirable then the life as slaves that was waiting for them if they didn’t. A truly amazing place which I personally think is a must to visit if you are every in this region of Greece.