Vergadeika
Encyclopedia
Vergadeika is a small village within the larger Longanikos
settlement in the Laconia
prefecture of Greece
. Vergadeika is a one to two hour drive to the cities Sparta
(34 km), Tripoli
(49 km), and Kalamata
(58 km). It is approximately 202 km from Athens
.
Vergadeika lies less than a kilometer away from the large settlement of Longanikos
, which has a current population of approximately 300 people. Due to the larger size of Longanikos, Vergadeika is considered to be "within" Longanikos
for purposes of classification and official administration.
The village has an approximate population of 80 people and consists of a "north part" and a "south part". This village, as well its neighboring villages, had a much higher population several decades ago, but migration to the major Greek cities, such as Athens
, and abroad, namely to the United States
, diminished the population tremendously. Presently, there are mostly elderly Greeks who reside in the village, while their children return from the large metropolitan areas for weekend vacations or major holidays.
Coming from Athens
by car, one would take highway E94 to E65
. From E65
in Tripoli the village is only accessible by small mountain roads. A visitor may also travel by bus or train to the nearest large city, Tripoli, and take an automobile from there.
Vergadeika is settled on the side of the Taygetos mountain range, a historically famous and geographically prominent feature in the Peloponnese
. Below Vergadeika is the fertile Evrotas Valley(named after the ancient Evrotas river), which is formed by the convergence of the Taygetos and Parnonas mountains. Historically, this strategic flat plain was used for the transportation of people and ancient Spartan armies. Agriculturally, olives are cultivated in this fertile valley. Many of the residents of the village also make homemade wine
, although this is strictly for local consumption.
Due to the high population of elderly Greeks living in Vergadeika, many of the residents spend their time in their homes or in their gardens. The younger population of the village works during the day, typically in the close cities of Tripoli, Sparta
and Megalopoli.
Life is very traditional and laid back in Vergadeika. It is not uncommon to find neighbors having coffee
and cigarettes for many hours.
During the day, a local grocery truck drives to the villages of the Longanikos settlement and sells goods to the villagers. This service is specifically performed for the elderly villagers who do not have the means to travel far for groceries.
. There are two Kindergartens in Longanikos
and Pellana
, five primary schools in Pellana
, Kastori, Agoriani, Georgitsi
, and Longanikos
, and one junior school
and one highschool in Kastori.
The nearest clinics to Vergadeika are located in Longanikos
, Georgitsi
, and Kastori. The nearest post offices are located in Georgitsi
and Kastori, and the Mayor
's office is located in Pellana
.
, one of the oldest regions of the Greece
, it lies very close to many important ruins. In the actual village of Vergadeika stands the church of Agios Demetrios. This church dates from the 15th century.
The closest ruins to the village are in the larger towns of Longanikos
and Kastoria
. In Longanikos, a visitor can find sites such as: the church of Agios Georgios (1375 A.D.), the church of the Holy Apostles of Agioi Theodoroi (1380 A.D.), the church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary (15th century), the Fountain at Vergdeika, the mansion of "Papakalos" (end of the 18th century), and the church of the Prophet Elias (built in 1810) which is decorated with artifacts from the 10th to 11th centuries. Many of the surrounding villages have ancient, medieval, and early modern attractions as well, such as Kastoria
, Agoriani, and Vordonia
. In the latter the remains of a medieval Frankish Fort can be found.
The close village of Pellana
, which is the namesake for the municipality
, holds the ruins of an ancient town from the days of Sparta
.
Vergadeika is very close to the famous sites of Mystras
and ancient Sparta
. It is also within 30 km of sites such as Mantineia
, the Temple of Apollo Epicurius at Bassae
, and the ancient site at Megalopoli.
Longanikos
Longanikos is a traditional Greek village, located in Laconia, in the ancient and historical Peloponnese area of southern Greece. It is also referred to sometimes in English as "Logganiko" or "Longanico". It is about 30 kilometers north of Sparta, the capital city of Lakonia, and is also very...
settlement in the Laconia
Laconia
Laconia , also known as Lacedaemonia, is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the region of Peloponnese. It is situated in the southeastern part of the Peloponnese peninsula. Its administrative capital is Sparti...
prefecture of Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
. Vergadeika is a one to two hour drive to the cities 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...
(34 km), Tripoli
Tripoli, Greece
Tripoli is a city of about 25,000 inhabitants in the central part of the Peloponnese, in Greece. It is the capital of the prefecture of Arcadia and the centre of the municipality of Tripolis, pop...
(49 km), 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...
(58 km). It is approximately 202 km from Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
.
Vergadeika lies less than a kilometer away from the large settlement of Longanikos
Longanikos
Longanikos is a traditional Greek village, located in Laconia, in the ancient and historical Peloponnese area of southern Greece. It is also referred to sometimes in English as "Logganiko" or "Longanico". It is about 30 kilometers north of Sparta, the capital city of Lakonia, and is also very...
, which has a current population of approximately 300 people. Due to the larger size of Longanikos, Vergadeika is considered to be "within" Longanikos
Longanikos
Longanikos is a traditional Greek village, located in Laconia, in the ancient and historical Peloponnese area of southern Greece. It is also referred to sometimes in English as "Logganiko" or "Longanico". It is about 30 kilometers north of Sparta, the capital city of Lakonia, and is also very...
for purposes of classification and official administration.
The village has an approximate population of 80 people and consists of a "north part" and a "south part". This village, as well its neighboring villages, had a much higher population several decades ago, but migration to the major Greek cities, such as Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
, and abroad, namely to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, diminished the population tremendously. Presently, there are mostly elderly Greeks who reside in the village, while their children return from the large metropolitan areas for weekend vacations or major holidays.
Coming from Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
by car, one would take highway E94 to E65
European route E65
European route E 65 is a north-south Class-A European route that begins in Malmö, Sweden and ends in Chaniá, Greece. The road is about in length.-Itinerary:* Sweden** E 65: Malmö – Ystad* Baltic sea, ferry Ystad-Świnoujście* Poland...
. From E65
European route E65
European route E 65 is a north-south Class-A European route that begins in Malmö, Sweden and ends in Chaniá, Greece. The road is about in length.-Itinerary:* Sweden** E 65: Malmö – Ystad* Baltic sea, ferry Ystad-Świnoujście* Poland...
in Tripoli the village is only accessible by small mountain roads. A visitor may also travel by bus or train to the nearest large city, Tripoli, and take an automobile from there.
Geography
Peloponnese
The Peloponnese, Peloponnesos or Peloponnesus , is a large peninsula , located in a region of southern Greece, forming the part of the country south of the Gulf of Corinth...
. Below Vergadeika is the fertile Evrotas Valley(named after the ancient Evrotas river), which is formed by the convergence of the Taygetos and Parnonas mountains. Historically, this strategic flat plain was used for the transportation of people and ancient Spartan armies. Agriculturally, olives are cultivated in this fertile valley. Many of the residents of the village also make homemade wine
Wine
Wine is an alcoholic beverage, made of fermented fruit juice, usually from grapes. The natural chemical balance of grapes lets them ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, or other nutrients. Grape wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast...
, although this is strictly for local consumption.
Life of the village
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...
and Megalopoli.
Life is very traditional and laid back in Vergadeika. It is not uncommon to find neighbors having coffee
Coffee
Coffee is a brewed beverage with a dark,init brooo acidic flavor prepared from the roasted seeds of the coffee plant, colloquially called coffee beans. The beans are found in coffee cherries, which grow on trees cultivated in over 70 countries, primarily in equatorial Latin America, Southeast Asia,...
and cigarettes for many hours.
During the day, a local grocery truck drives to the villages of the Longanikos settlement and sells goods to the villagers. This service is specifically performed for the elderly villagers who do not have the means to travel far for groceries.
Education and other services
There are many schools serving the municipalityMunicipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
. There are two Kindergartens in Longanikos
Longanikos
Longanikos is a traditional Greek village, located in Laconia, in the ancient and historical Peloponnese area of southern Greece. It is also referred to sometimes in English as "Logganiko" or "Longanico". It is about 30 kilometers north of Sparta, the capital city of Lakonia, and is also very...
and Pellana
Pellana
Pellana , was a city of Laconia, on the Eurotas river, and on the road from Sparta to Arcadia....
, five primary schools in Pellana
Pellana
Pellana , was a city of Laconia, on the Eurotas river, and on the road from Sparta to Arcadia....
, Kastori, Agoriani, Georgitsi
Georgitsi
Georgitsi is a village in the Taygetus mountain range 28 km away from the city of Sparta in southern Greece. Georgitsi belongs to the municipality of Pellana, situated in the state of Laconia, in southeastern Peloponnesus. It is situated at an altitude of between 900 and 1200m above sea level....
, and Longanikos
Longanikos
Longanikos is a traditional Greek village, located in Laconia, in the ancient and historical Peloponnese area of southern Greece. It is also referred to sometimes in English as "Logganiko" or "Longanico". It is about 30 kilometers north of Sparta, the capital city of Lakonia, and is also very...
, and one junior school
Junior school
A junior school is a type of school which caters for children, often between the ages of 7 and 11.-Australia:In Australia, a junior school is usually a part of a private school that educates children between the ages of 5 and 12....
and one highschool in Kastori.
The nearest clinics to Vergadeika are located in Longanikos
Longanikos
Longanikos is a traditional Greek village, located in Laconia, in the ancient and historical Peloponnese area of southern Greece. It is also referred to sometimes in English as "Logganiko" or "Longanico". It is about 30 kilometers north of Sparta, the capital city of Lakonia, and is also very...
, Georgitsi
Georgitsi
Georgitsi is a village in the Taygetus mountain range 28 km away from the city of Sparta in southern Greece. Georgitsi belongs to the municipality of Pellana, situated in the state of Laconia, in southeastern Peloponnesus. It is situated at an altitude of between 900 and 1200m above sea level....
, and Kastori. The nearest post offices are located in Georgitsi
Georgitsi
Georgitsi is a village in the Taygetus mountain range 28 km away from the city of Sparta in southern Greece. Georgitsi belongs to the municipality of Pellana, situated in the state of Laconia, in southeastern Peloponnesus. It is situated at an altitude of between 900 and 1200m above sea level....
and Kastori, and the Mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
's office is located in Pellana
Pellana
Pellana , was a city of Laconia, on the Eurotas river, and on the road from Sparta to Arcadia....
.
Ruins in the area
Because the village is an ancient village in the PeloponnesePeloponnese
The Peloponnese, Peloponnesos or Peloponnesus , is a large peninsula , located in a region of southern Greece, forming the part of the country south of the Gulf of Corinth...
, one of the oldest regions of the Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
, it lies very close to many important ruins. In the actual village of Vergadeika stands the church of Agios Demetrios. This church dates from the 15th century.
Longanikos
Longanikos is a traditional Greek village, located in Laconia, in the ancient and historical Peloponnese area of southern Greece. It is also referred to sometimes in English as "Logganiko" or "Longanico". It is about 30 kilometers north of Sparta, the capital city of Lakonia, and is also very...
and Kastoria
Kastoria
Kastoria is a city in northern Greece in the periphery of West Macedonia. It is the capital of Kastoria peripheral unit. It is situated on a promontory on the western shore of Lake Orestiada, in a valley surrounded by limestone mountains...
. In Longanikos, a visitor can find sites such as: the church of Agios Georgios (1375 A.D.), the church of the Holy Apostles of Agioi Theodoroi (1380 A.D.), the church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary (15th century), the Fountain at Vergdeika, the mansion of "Papakalos" (end of the 18th century), and the church of the Prophet Elias (built in 1810) which is decorated with artifacts from the 10th to 11th centuries. Many of the surrounding villages have ancient, medieval, and early modern attractions as well, such as Kastoria
Kastoria
Kastoria is a city in northern Greece in the periphery of West Macedonia. It is the capital of Kastoria peripheral unit. It is situated on a promontory on the western shore of Lake Orestiada, in a valley surrounded by limestone mountains...
, Agoriani, and Vordonia
Vordonia
Vordonia is a small village in the base of Taygetos mountain, in Laconia, Greece. The village is divided into three communities and is part of the municipality of Pellana. Most of the population left the village after the WWII war and moved to Athens, many migrated to other countries, primarily...
. In the latter the remains of a medieval Frankish Fort can be found.
The close village of Pellana
Pellana
Pellana , was a city of Laconia, on the Eurotas river, and on the road from Sparta to Arcadia....
, which is the namesake for the municipality
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
, holds the ruins of an ancient town from the days of 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...
.
Vergadeika is very close to the famous sites of Mystras
Mystras
Mystras is a fortified town and a former municipality in Laconia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Sparti, of which it is a municipal unit. Situated on Mt...
and ancient 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...
. It is also within 30 km of sites such as Mantineia
Mantineia
Mantineia was a city in ancient Greece that was the site of two significant battles in Classical Greek history. It is also a former municipality in Arcadia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Tripoli, of which it is a municipal unit. Its seat...
, the Temple of Apollo Epicurius at Bassae
Bassae
Bassae or Bassai, Vassai or Vasses , meaning "little vale in the rocks", is an archaeological site in the northeastern part of Messinia Prefecture that was a part of Arcadia in ancient times. Bassae lies near the village of Skliros, northeast of Figaleia, south of Andritsaina and west of Megalopolis...
, and the ancient site at Megalopoli.
Greek fires of 2007
In August 2007, devastating forest fires ripped through southern Greece, killing 64 souls. Vergadeika and surrounding villages were threatened and many residents, specifically elderly ones, were evacuated. Some of the villagers, however, refused to leave and helped battle nearby smaller fires that had broken out.Miscellaneous
- The professional baseballBaseballBaseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
player for the Boston Red SoxBoston Red SoxThe Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
, Harry AgganisHarry AgganisAristotle George Agganis ' , nicknamed "The Golden Greek", was an American athletic star in two sports. His family origins were from Longanikos near Sparta, Greece. -Career:...
, is a Greek-American whose parents hail from the village of LonganikosLonganikosLonganikos is a traditional Greek village, located in Laconia, in the ancient and historical Peloponnese area of southern Greece. It is also referred to sometimes in English as "Logganiko" or "Longanico". It is about 30 kilometers north of Sparta, the capital city of Lakonia, and is also very...
. He is a local Greek-American hero in Boston, Massachusetts.
- The Loganikos Society, a Greek-American organization, was founded in MassachusettsMassachusettsThe Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
. The current president of the Society is Nick Vergados, a former resident of Vergadeika.
- Daniel Knight, a Greek-American who graduated from the George Washington UniversityGeorge Washington UniversityThe George Washington University is a private, coeducational comprehensive university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States...
traces his family roots to the town of Vergadeika
- The villages of LonganikosLonganikosLonganikos is a traditional Greek village, located in Laconia, in the ancient and historical Peloponnese area of southern Greece. It is also referred to sometimes in English as "Logganiko" or "Longanico". It is about 30 kilometers north of Sparta, the capital city of Lakonia, and is also very...
, Vergadeika, Agoriani, Pardali, and many others in the municipality, are believed to be derived from the SlavicSlavic languagesThe Slavic languages , a group of closely related languages of the Slavic peoples and a subgroup of Indo-European languages, have speakers in most of Eastern Europe, in much of the Balkans, in parts of Central Europe, and in the northern part of Asia.-Branches:Scholars traditionally divide Slavic...
and TurkishTurkish languageTurkish is a language spoken as a native language by over 83 million people worldwide, making it the most commonly spoken of the Turkic languages. Its speakers are located predominantly in Turkey and Northern Cyprus with smaller groups in Iraq, Greece, Bulgaria, the Republic of Macedonia, Kosovo,...
languages. For instance, Pardali is believed to come from a TurkTurkish peopleTurkish people, also known as the "Turks" , are an ethnic group primarily living in Turkey and in the former lands of the Ottoman Empire where Turkish minorities had been established in Bulgaria, Cyprus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Greece, Kosovo, Macedonia, and Romania...
named Pardali who owned the entire area. Also, a large family in the village of Vergadeika, whose surnameSurnameA surname is a name added to a given name and is part of a personal name. In many cases, a surname is a family name. Many dictionaries define "surname" as a synonym of "family name"...
is Arvanitis, reinforces this hypothesis. The name Arvanitis is believed to be derived from a migratory Albanian-Greek tribeTribeA tribe, viewed historically or developmentally, consists of a social group existing before the development of, or outside of, states.Many anthropologists use the term tribal society to refer to societies organized largely on the basis of kinship, especially corporate descent groups .Some theorists...
, the ArvanitesArvanitesArvanites are a population group in Greece who traditionally speak Arvanitika, a dialect of the Albanian language. They settled in Greece during the late Middle Ages and were the dominant population element of some regions of the Peloponnese and Attica until the 19th century...
, from northern Greece.