Alona (Armensko, Rmensko)

Just 8 km. from Florina are Alona, built at an altitude of 1.5 km. 1.100 m. at the foot of Vigla. The inhabitants of the village are farmers (potatoes, beans, cereals, chestnuts and walnuts), cattle breeders and loggers. The river Sakulevas passes by the village and flows from Vigla.
Interesting monuments are the monastery of St. George (1873) and the church of St. Athanasius (1858). Most of the houses are made of stone and were built after 1920, according to the Macedonian architecture.
Near the village there are supports of a cog railway, built by a regiment of Frenchmen after World War I.
From Alona was the great Macedonian Gladiator Captain Simos Ioannidis.
The traditional costume of Alona is characteristic, which was the inspiration for the uniform of the Macedonian Gladiators, which is today the official uniform of the Presidential Guard and the scouts in Syntagma Square in Athens.
In Alona, festivals are held on the celebration of St. George (23/4) and on August 15 (15/8). On New Year’s Eve, the custom of <<Barbarenia>> is held with the presence of carnivals and large participation of people. Other customs are the <<Rogoa>> (Theophany carnival) and the sanctification of animals in the churchyard on the celebration of St. George. Also on 31/12 fires are lit and a local feast follows.

TEXT SOURCE: Tourist Guide of Florina Prefecture (TGPF) -2003
SOURCES OF PHOTOS: 1- 4 Municipality of Florina Archives
5 Christos Tegos