Mountain Brigade of Aiani

Expeditions by OTA
Photos
Tradition
Wild fawl
The seagull

A genuine traditional feature of Aiani in Kozani

Every year, for 4 centuries now, horse-riders from Aiani of Kozani - some 50 of them - visit the Zabourda Closter, 40 Km from the village, stay there for 2 nights and return to Aiani, carrying triumphantly a piece of Saint Nicanor Closter founder's bones.

On Saturday the contemporary cowboys visit the steep Closter, the ruined villages Pliozabourda and Paliotourkou, fish in the Aliakmon River, organize horse races, drink, smoke, dance to their amateur orchestra;, in the meantime, they follow the mess at the church, when there is a priest.
On Sunday morning, after church, they start their way back to Aiani, where, at the SW exit of the village, all the inhabitants wait for them (some 3000 people); the priest then receives the bones of the Saint. Needless to mention that hundreds of young people accompany the riders in their 3-day trip.