A Venetian village with roots in ancient times, with stone-built mansions and many churches, it is the most impressive example of the old lifestyle. The name, in all probability, derives from 'peri-theo', that is, 'see all around'. The village was once the capital of the Municipality of Kassopaion and was extremely wealthy - its fields stretched as far as the settlement known today as New Perithia. It owes its position not only to the fear of pirate attacks but also to the avoidance of the mosquitoes which thrived in the fever belt close to the sea. When, in the 20th century, these threats no longer existed, the village was abandoned. Today, it is a 'living museum'. During the winter, only a few people live there, occupied with animal husbandry. The last Sunday in July sees a procession, when the icon of the Virgin is carried around the village in memory of the time in 1863 when she intervened to save the village from an epidemic.
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