3rd Point of interest: ARIS VELOUCHIOTIS STATUE

His real name was Athanasios Klaras. He was born in Lamia, Greece in 1905. He studied in the School of Agriculture in Larissa. He moved to Athens, worked as a journalist, became a member of the Greek Communist Party and was arrested and tortured for his ideas many times. In November 1942 he collaborated with the leader of another partisan group Napoleon Zervas. Together with British saboteurs they managed to blow up Gorgopotamos Bridge, near Lamia.

The destruction of the single railway line on that bridge that connected northern and southern Greece was of huge importance for the Greek resistance against the occupation forces. Aris Velouchiotis was the first who entered the town of Lamia with his troops when it was liberated from Germans (18/10/1944) and gave an inspiring speech in the central square.  He took part in the civil war that followed after the departure of Germans from Greece.  He was accused and isolated by the Communist Party. He returned to the mountains where he got betrayed, trapped and finally killed himself according to the legend. Charismatic and controversial, Velouchiotis is one of the most tragic figures in Modern Greek History and a symbol of Resistance in our area.