Gortyna, Arcadia
Encyclopedia
Gortyna is a former municipality in Arcadia
, Peloponnese, Greece
. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Megalopoli
, of which it is a municipal unit. Its seat was in the village Karytaina
. The name of the municipality was taken from the ancient settlement of Gortys.
In the ancient times, an ancient highway linking Patras
and Kalamata
via Sparta
passed near the Alpheus river. Ancient Gortys was known for its Temple of Asclepius, serving travelers from Athens, Sparta and Olympia. In the Greek War of Independence
in 1821, Nikitas Stamatetopoulos, Ilias Mavromichalis, the Plaplouta brothers, Kanellos Deligiannis
and his army headed north fo Karytaina after the events in Kalamata.
River flows to the south. It includes an old bridge which was used until the 1960s.
The population was entirely consists of agriculture and the main production was cereals and silk
. Another river is the Loussios
(ancient: Lussius) which flows west of Karytaina which begins east of Lagkadia
. The length is about 40 km (25 mi). The origin of the name comes from the ancient form of loutra, loussis meaning bath
in Ancient Greek.
Arcadia
Arcadia is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the administrative region of Peloponnese. It is situated in the central and eastern part of the Peloponnese peninsula. It takes its name from the mythological character Arcas. In Greek mythology, it was the home of the god Pan...
, Peloponnese, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Megalopoli
Megalopolis, Greece
Megalópoli is a town in the western part of the peripheral unit of Arcadia, southern Greece. It is located in the same site as ancient Megalopolis . "Megalopolis" is a Greek word for Great city. When it was founded, in 371 BC, it was the first urbanization in rustic and primitive Arcadia. In...
, of which it is a municipal unit. Its seat was in the village Karytaina
Karytaina
Karytaina is a village in Arcadia, Greece. It was the seat of the former municipality Gortyna. Karytaina had a 2001 population of 204 for the village and 257 for the municipal district...
. The name of the municipality was taken from the ancient settlement of Gortys.
Subdivisions
The municipal unit Gortyna is subdivided into the following communities (constituent villages in brackets):- AtsicholosAtsicholos-Nearest places:*Maratha , west*Stemnitsa, northeast*Elliniko, east*Karytaina, south-Information:Its main production are olives, citrus, fruits, vegetables and other crops, several common crops are rarely common...
(pop. 60) - KarytainaKarytainaKarytaina is a village in Arcadia, Greece. It was the seat of the former municipality Gortyna. Karytaina had a 2001 population of 204 for the village and 257 for the municipal district...
(Karytaina, Kalyvakia, Karvounari, pop. 257) - Katsimpali (pop. 58)
- KotiliKotili, ArcadiaKotili is a Greek village and a community in the west-southwest of Arcadia. It is part of the municipal unit Gortyna. Kotili is connected with the road linking Palatou and the GR-76 and an earthened road to Kato Karyes and Lykaio...
(Kotili, Palatos, Strongylo, pop. 93) - KourouniosKourouniosKourounios is a Greek village in the southwest of Arcadia. Kourounios is connected with the road linking the GR-76 . Kourounios had a 2001 population of 80 for the village...
(pop. 38) - KyparissiaKyparissia, ArcadiaKyparissia is a Greek village in the west-southwest of Arcadia. Kyparissia is in the municipal unit of Gortyna. Kyparissia is connected with the road linking the GR-76 and the Megalopoli-Lykaio Road, several earthened roads and trails are nearby...
(pop. 45) - MavriaMavriaMavria , is a Greek village located around 15 km Mavria (Greek: Μαυριά), is a Greek village located around 15 km Mavria (Greek: Μαυριά), is a Greek village located around 15 km (northwest of Megalopoli, about 30 km southeast of Andritsaina, about 8 km southeast of Karytaina...
(pop. 41) - SarakiniSarakiniSarakini is a Greek settlement in the west-southwest of Arcadia. Sarakini is connected with the road linking Karytaina as well as Atsicholos and Kato Rizospilia as well as the Karytaina-Dimitsana Road and the GR-76 , several earthened roads and trails are nearby...
(Sarakini, Kryonero, Palaiokastro, pop. 58) - Vlachorraptis (pop. 33)
- Zoni (pop. 94)
History
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1991 | 1,500? |
| 2001 | 777 |
In the ancient times, an ancient highway linking Patras
Patras
Patras , ) is Greece's third largest urban area and the regional capital of West Greece, located in northern Peloponnese, 215 kilometers west of Athens...
and Kalamata
Kalamata
Kalamata is the second-largest city of the Peloponnese in southern Greece. The capital and chief port of the Messenia prefecture, it lies along the Nedon River at the head of the Messenian Gulf...
via Sparta
Sparta
Sparta or Lacedaemon, was a prominent city-state in ancient Greece, situated on the banks of the River Eurotas in Laconia, in south-eastern Peloponnese. It emerged as a political entity around the 10th century BC, when the invading Dorians subjugated the local, non-Dorian population. From c...
passed near the Alpheus river. Ancient Gortys was known for its Temple of Asclepius, serving travelers from Athens, Sparta and Olympia. In the Greek War of Independence
Greek War of Independence
The Greek War of Independence, also known as the Greek Revolution was a successful war of independence waged by the Greek revolutionaries between...
in 1821, Nikitas Stamatetopoulos, Ilias Mavromichalis, the Plaplouta brothers, Kanellos Deligiannis
Kanellos Deligiannis
Kanellos Deligiannis was a Greek first Lord of Morea and the son of Ioannis Deligiannis. He was general organiser of the Greek War of Independence and a politician.-Biography:...
and his army headed north fo Karytaina after the events in Kalamata.
Geography
Much of the area are mountains and has a rocky landscape and bushes. The plain of Megalopolis is to the southeast. The forests are to the south and in the valleys where the AlpheusAlfeios River
Alfeiós is the longest river in the Peloponnese, in Greece. The river is 110 km long, flowing through the prefectures of Arcadia and Ilia. Its source is near Megalopoli in the highlands of Arcadia. The river begins near Davia in central Arcadia, then flows between Leontari and Megalopoli through a...
River flows to the south. It includes an old bridge which was used until the 1960s.
The population was entirely consists of agriculture and the main production was cereals and silk
Silk
Silk is a natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be woven into textiles. The best-known type of silk is obtained from the cocoons of the larvae of the mulberry silkworm Bombyx mori reared in captivity...
. Another river is the Loussios
Loussios
The Lousios is a river and a gorge in western Arcadia that stretches from Karytaina north to Dimitsana in Greece. The river begins near Lykochori and flows into the Lousios Gorge. The river is treacherous and flows rapidly. It empties into the Alfeios 2.5 km northwest of Karytaina and south of...
(ancient: Lussius) which flows west of Karytaina which begins east of Lagkadia
Lagkadia
Lagkadia may refer to the following places in Greece:*Lagkadia, Arcadia, a municipality in northwestern Arcadia*Lagkadia, Arta, a village in the Arta peripheral unit, part of the municipality Athamania...
. The length is about 40 km (25 mi). The origin of the name comes from the ancient form of loutra, loussis meaning bath
Bathing
Bathing is the washing or cleansing of the body in a fluid, usually water or an aqueous solution. It may be practised for personal hygiene, religious ritual or therapeutic purposes or as a recreational activity....
in Ancient Greek.
Sites of interest
- Castle of Karytaina - built on a steep rocky outcrop NW of Karytaina. It was first built in 1245 by Hugues De Bruyere
External links
- http://cgi.di.uoa.gr/~grad0039/Welcome.html (in Greek)
- http://arcadia.ceid.upatras.gr/arkadia/engversion/places/karitena.htm (in Greek)
- Ancient Gortys and the Loussios Gorge
- http://arcadia.ceid.upatras.gr/arkadia/arcadia-hist/topics/gortis.html (in Greek)
See also
| North: Dimitsana Dimitsana Dimitsana is a village and a former municipality in Arcadia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Gortynia, of which it is the seat and a municipal unit. It is built on the ruins of the ancient town Teuthis... |
Northeast: Trikolones | |
| West: Andritsaina Andritsaina Andritsaina is a town and a former municipality in Elis, West Greece, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Andritsaina-Krestena, of which it is a municipal unit... |
Gortyna | East: Megalopoli |
| South: Megalopoli |