Krystallopigi () or Kroustallopigi (Κρουσταλλοπηγή), before 1926: Smardesi (Σμαρδέσι) is a former community in Florina regional unit, West Macedonia, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Prespes, of which it is a municipal unit. Krystallopigi is located close to the Greek–Albanian border and is from Florina.

The municipal unit has an area of 101.984 km2. The population is 145 (2021). The main village is also called Krystallopigi. After the Greek Civil War, the village was resettled with Aromanians from Epirus. Today they still form the majority of the town's population. Nearby is located the depopulated village Vambel.

Krystallopigi borders Albania to the west; Prespes municipality to the north; Korestia municipality, Kastoria regional unit, to the east and southeast; and Kastraki community, Kastoria regional unit, to the south. A major road border crossing into Albania is located here. The Albanian side of the border crossing is known as Kapshtica, 9 km east from Bilisht.

Name

Until 1926, the village was known as Smardesi (). In the Bulgarian it is known as Смърдеш, Smardesh or Smrdesh, while in Macedonian as Смрдеш, Smrdeš. The original name of the village is believed to be derived from the local Slavic name of a nearby mineral spring Smrdliva Voda meaning stinky water.Симовски, Тодор (1998). Населените места во Егејска Македонија : географски, етнички и стопански карактеристики. I. Скопје: Институт за национална историја. стр. 175–176 The modern name Krystallopigi means "crystal spring".

History The village was mentioned in an Ottoman defter of 1530, under the name of Ismirdesh, and was described as having 53 households.Harun Yeni, Demography and settlement in Paşa sancaği sol-kol region according to muhasebe-i vilayet-i rumeli defteri dated 1530 [1530 tarihli Muhasebe-i Vilayet-i Rumeli defteri'ne göre Paşa Sancağı sol-kol bölgesinde demografi ve yerleşim], Ankara, 2006, стр. 118. Contemporary sources often classified the population of the village as Orthodox Christian and ethnically Bulgarian. There were 1,780 inhabitants in 1900.Васил Кънчов. „Македония. Етнография и статистика“. София, 1900, с.265 (Kanchov, Vasil. Macedonia — ethnography and statistics Sofia, 1900, p. 265), The church of St. George was built in 1891. "St. Georgios in Krystallopigi (1891)"

Many residents of Smardesh took part in the struggle of IMORO. There was an illegal foundry and depot for hand grenades in 1903.Чекаларов, Васил. Дневник 1901-1903, с. 232 (Chekalarov, Vasil. Diary 1901-1903, p. 232)Силянов, Христо. Освободителнитѣ борби на Македония, том I, София 1933, с. 271 (Silyanov, Hristo. The liberation struggles of Macedonia, vol. 1, Sofia 1933, p. 271 The village was burned by Turkish troops in May 1903.Brailsford, H. N., op. cit., p. 144-146, Македония и Одринско (1893-1903). Мемоар на Вътрешната организация, 1904, с. 203 It was plundered and burned for the second time in 1903 during the Ilinden–Preobrazhenie Uprising. Before its destruction, the inhabitants spoke the Dolna Koreshcha variant of the Kostur dialect.Шклифов, Благой и Екатерина Шклифова. Български диалектни текстове от Егейска Македония, София 2003, с. 32 (Shklifov, Blagoy and Ekaterina Shklifova. Bulgarian dialect texts from Aegean Macedonia Sofia 2003, p. 32), Македония и Одринско (1893-1903). Мемоар на Вътрешната организация, 1904, с. 203

Immigrants from Smardesi in Toronto, Canada, participated in the early Bulgarian community to build church infrastructure. In mid–1941 Krystallopigi along with Slavic Macedonian inhabitants from several villages partook in a celebration commemorating the Battle of Lokvata, fought by Bulgarian revolutionaries (Komitadjis) against Ottoman soldiers in 1903.

During the Greek Civil War (1946-1949) Krystallopigi was destroyed and later rebuilt between 1957–1958. The rebuilt settlement is located east of the original location of the village.. "Krystallopigi (Smardesi) is situated near the Greek-Albanian border, at a distance of approximately fifty kilometres from the town of Florina. St. Georgios church is situated east of the existing settlement, in the place of the initial settlement that was destroyed during the Greek civil war." The Greek government assisted a group of nomadic transhumant Aromanians, known as the Arvanitovlachs to settle in Krystallopigi. para. 53. Aromanians are the only inhabitants of the village.

Krystallopigi had 265 inhabitants in 1981. In fieldwork done by anthropologist Riki Van Boeschoten in late 1993, Krystallopigi was populated by Aromanians. Table 3: Kristallopiyi, 265; V; V = Valaques (Aroumains)"

Demographics

Notable persons Vasil Chekalarov (1874–1913), Bulgarian revolutionary (1918–1945), partisan

References