Missolonghi "In the middle of lakes".
When I first visited Missolonghi, the only thing I knew about the city was its rich history during the Greek revolution against the Ottoman Empire. According to the dominant version, Missolonghi got its name from the Italian words "Mezzo/Messo" and "Langhi" which means "A place in the middle of lakes" or "A place surrounded by lakes". Here comes the second reason that makes this city very well-known and it is no other than its lagoon. The lagoon of Missolonghi is protected by the Treaty Ramsar, included in the Natura 2000 network and constitutes an environmental park and ecosystem, giving refuge to 52 fish species and 280 bird species.
At the lagoon there are 8 fish farms which are rented to fishermen by the State after an auction and they have the right to operate them for 3 years. The harvest has decreased significantly compared to the 60’s where they took up from 1500tn to 2000tn. Today the harvest is between 1300tn and 1500tn, and the reasons are mainly the illegal fishing and construction as well as the pollution of the lagoon in conjunction with the inability of the authorities to protect the area.
As done in many places, so in Missolonghi and the surrounding villages, the human landscape is fighting the natural landscape and if we are talking about a place rich in goods generously given by nature, man may not have felt the need to stand on the height of beauty that surrounds him.
A peaceful and enchanting landscape, with a slight feeling of melancholy. A city with a great history and a lot of water. This is Missolonghi, that the only thing it lacks is perhaps a little more care.
