PLACE AND HISTORY

Stoupa is 45 km. far away from Kalamata. A tourist center which receives many visitors with different kind of demands at its unique beach and the picturesque coves.

At the North-south side of Stoupa, at the other side of the road, there is an old, abandon mine of Prastova. This is the mine where Nikos Kazantzakis collaborated with Giorgis Zorbas. At Kalogria, Nikos Kazantzakis spent two years 1917 – 1918.  At the southern cape of the bay, there is a cave, Τthe cave of Kazantzakis where he wrote his book ΤAlexis ZorbasΥ.

He lived in the small house at the northern side of the bay. On 1994, a memorial plate was placed by the community at the street close to the bay.

POPULATION – OCCUPATION – INFRASTRUCTURE

Stoupa is the larger settlement of the Municipality of Lefktron. It belongs to the Municipal district of Neohorio and there are 629 inhabitants (census 2001).

The main occupations of the areaΥs population are the tourist business and the olive production. During the last years there was rapid progress at the region. The middle climatic conditions, the fascinate environment (mountain – sea) and the sandy seaside attract many tourists. Year after year this number increases and we expect the prolongation of the tourist period all over the year. This will raise the income of the inhabitants and will ameliorate the standard of living.

The Primary school of West Mani is at Stoupa. The building of the Primary School and the Nursery school is not very god to house the children. The construction of the new school is delayed without any reason.

The Cultural Centre is still at the building cement works, as it was left by the previous communal authority.

ROADS – SETTLEMENT BORDERS.

All the roads are asphalted.  They have not still taken a decision about the kind of material which will be used for the reformation of the coastal zone and the use of the area. A part of the sandy coast was covered by the new pavement, the street is narrower, and there is not enough parking area during the summer, so there is a great traffic problem. According a Presidential Decree the borders of the settlement are larger 140.000m2, thanks to the efforts of the previous President of the village Council, Niko Marabea. In that decree they had foreseen to maintain of the local color and the protection of the cultural elements. What happened since that time until now? We make reference to that, so that the readers can make their own opinion about who can promote the development of the region of Mani.

THE PORT

The port is very small and cannot respond to the recent needs of anchor. They also must make it deeper and extend so it will be safer.

WATER SUPPLY – DRAINAGE

Stoupa has the privilege not to have any watering problem as there are drillings due to the coordinated efforts and actions of Nikos Marabeas, last President of the community Neohorion and the Nikos Barbetseas, President of the settlement Stoupa.

The Ministry of Planning, and Environment paid 12.000.000dr. For the land registry chart, the first important effort for the drainage and the sewage installation was made out since 1995 in the frame of the convention between the community and the responsible of the study. This kind of European project can be realized only in the regions of over than 5.000 inhabitants and that was not possible that time.  Now the conditions have changed, but there is not any evolution although it can work now.

CULTURE – SPORT – ACTI-VITIES

The powerful presence of the Priest Father Nikolaos Prekas of the parish Agias Triados  at the same time with the Sunday school, ameliorate the cultural moral level of the inhabitants.

The Association of the Parents of the Nursery and Primary School together with the Teachers face with success the problems of every day.

The Environment Cultural Association accomplishes with success its duty. They keep the area clean and protect the environment.

The Association of the Businessmen of the region tries to resolve the problems of its members.

Groups of volunteers play basket-ball and valley ball and they train the young students to the athleticism

About 60-70.000 visitors come to Stoupa every year. A big number of them are foreigners. Let’s make them the Ambassadors of our region when they return to their own country.

Antonis Roumaneas