The half-ruined houses with their distinctive red hue create a unique cinematic landscape in Gavros, one of Kastorias «mud-brick villages» that seem frozen in time.
In Western Macedonia, a few kilometers north of the city of Kastoria, lie Korestia or «mudbrick villages», a historic cluster of villages that showcase exceptional architectural and cultural interest thanks to their mudbrick houses with their distinctive red color. The houses were built by craftsmen in the first half of the last century using mud from red earth, water and straw. Today, most of the villages are abandoned and half-ruined.
Gavros is one of these villages, found along the road that connects Kastoria with Prespes. Its timeworn, deep red ruins, surrounded by endless beech forests, create a unique cinematic landscape. It is no coincidence that many Greek and international directors sought filming locations here.
Gavros, Kastoria: The ghost village that became a film set
Gavros lies between the lakes of Kastoria and Prespes, 25 km from the city of Kastoria. From here the Ladopotamos begins and flows into the Aliakmonas, offering wonderful vistas along its way. The village took its name from the namesake tree of the Sarakina forests (even earlier it was called Gavresi). Gavros was abandoned after the end of the civil war, as its inhabitants emigrated to Canada and Australia. Those who remained were forced to leave and relocate to the new village of Korestia.
Today, this otherworldly place seems to have stopped in time. The half collapsed «red houses», like eyewitnesses to a bygone era, have many stories to tell the visitor. Indeed, these houses have inspired world renowned directors and have served as sets for their films.
«Deep Soul» by Pantelis Voulgaris, «The Suspended Step of the Stork» by Theodoros Angelopoulos and «James Bond: For Your Eyes Only» are some of the films that feature scenes from this place.
