The Monument of Zalongo

The Monument of Zalongo is a monumental sculpture commemorating the Dance of Zalongo and the sacrifice of the Greek women and children of Souli

The heroic women threw themselves along with their children off the steep cliff in order to remain free from Ottoman rulers.

The monument depicts six abstract female figures holding hands dancing while they jumped to their death.

The act of heroism was soon known across Europe as the Dance of Zalongo becoming the ultimate symbol of bravery and commitment to freedom.

It is 18 meters in length, 13 meters high and is made of concrete supported by 4,300 limestone blocks (40x30x25 cm each).

The construction took six years, from 1954 to 1960. It is located on Mount Zalongo, near Preveza, Greece. This monument is visible from my father’s village. The closest village is Kamarina where my grandmother, Evangelia, was born. 

One can access the monument from Saint Dimitrios Monastery (590 meters altitude), which leads to the top via a cobbled path of 410 steps.

My grandmother Evangelia worked closely with nuns at the monastery. She would walk up the mountain sometimes carrying heavy loads on her back to provide for the nuns. It was a must on my list to visit and take my daughter to this special place where her great-grandmother hailed from. We walked the steps of my yiayia and when we finally reached the top she looked over to me and said,

“Mama I feel like I’am home.”