PLACE – HISTORY

Neohorion is 4 Km away from the cross-road with the provincial road from Kalamata to Areopolis, close to Stoupa. It is one of the most recent settlements of Mani and it was first inhabited at the end of the 17th century (about 1680) when the Venetian Administration of the region wanted to populate the area by transferring some of the residents of Platsa. It was mainly inhabited by the residents of Nomitsi who were installed in houses constructed from building materials taken from the ruins of Lefktron. During the next decade other settlers, from Milea, were installed and absorbed into the existing community.

POPULATION – OCCUPATION

Neohorion is the largest of the three main settlements of the Municipality of Lefktron (the others being Lefktron and Stoupa).  During the last census there were 1108 registered inhabitants (Neohorio:  308, Lefktron: 171, and Stoupa 629) of the area. The main occupations of the areaΥs population are olive production and involvement in the tourist business (rooms for rent, restaurants, disco, etc.) because many tourists come to the Municipality of Lefktron.

TRANSPORT – ROADS – RURAL ROADS:

The main method of transport is by cross-country bus service. Most of the rural roads were constructed during the years 1990 – 1998 by the elected

Council of that period. The Neohorio – Proastio road has been opened up in the hope that it will become an inter-municipal road, but it is still only half-finished.  Only about 1 km of the total length has been asphalted. Construction of the road connecting Pyros – Neohorio – Agios Nikolaos has come to a halt.  It is still in the opening-up phase.  During the last decade the region has seen a remarkable amount of road development. All the roads of Neohorio have been asphalted or covered with cement. We refer to the internal roads and to the road from Neohorio to Kato Kampo, Marmoutsa, Agio Panteleimona and Gonatsa. These were also opened up and covered by ballast. The road to Kampo, north of Neohorio was also opened up and covered with ballast; it was intended to open it up as far as Agio Spiridona. As for the Neohorio -Stoupa road, day after day it becomes more dangerous because the damaged asphalt is a trap for vehicles.

WATER  SUPPLY:

The ex  Community of Neohorio (now the Municipal district) is the only community in the whole of Greece which has created a Communal Enterprise of Watering and Drainage, established in 1994. This was essential for the development of the area because it has solved the main problem of the water supply of the region.  The two drillings in the places Nerospila and Globistes, the extending of the electric network for the electrification of the installation, the two tanks and the hygienic installations facilitate the protection of the environment and the improvement of local life. The drainage installation was an important infrastructure. This big effort  to promote the  study of the project Τdrainage – biological waste collectionΥ was taking a step , when the ΤYPEHODEΥ- Ministry of Environment- Urban and Public Works, undertook fees of the edition  for the cadastral map which was made since 1995 within the framework of the community with   responsibility for the study.

As this kind of development is only appropriate for regions with more than 5,000 residents, the project did not come to fruition, but this may still be a possibility for the future.

CULTURE- BUILDING CONSTRUCTION – RESTORATION:

Although the budget of the Community was very restricted, they still managed to achieve much for the first time, especially for an area as small as Neohorio. Firstly, they took care to improve the cultural and the social life of the village, establishing for this purpose a Cultural Centre. They offered a programmer for the teaching of the German language to the children of the region. The Youth and Athletic Organization of the region, the Cemeteries and others were some of the local innovations. The restoration of the ruined buildings (the old olive mill Katsigianni), the construction of the multiple-use hall and the Cultural Centre, remain at the same stage of completion that they were left in by the previous council. The restoration of Evagelistria Churchyard, the planting of trees going up towards Neohorio, and after the village, the construction of the basketball and volleyball pitches with the stands and the electricity supply, etc. are some samples of the multiple activities during those 8 years, which have left their mark. Today, there is a lack of action and of sensibility, weak management and minimal maintenance of what they inherited.

Antonios Roumaneas

Famous and very old village, Pyrrihos, can prove that he has always being inhabited since the ancient times till today.

During the last century is known under the name Kavalos.

Pyrrihos is the siege of the community of Gythio district, at the eastern Mani.

According the Archeologist, the ancient town is at Paliopyrgos. There was the acropolis of the ancient Pyrrihos. Many monuments, holly places, public edifices, residences, aqueduct, etc.  At the east-southern side of the settlement there are ancient and medieval fortresses, at Kastraki place, supervising the access to the ancient Tethroni (Kotronas).

At the higher place there is the Palace Π a natural grove. If we study carefully the life in Mani we can see that there is a continuity of the Hellenic tradition.

Some more information about Pyrriho. Pafsanias reefers that here was the place of the Aphrodite Temple and Amzoniou Apollona.

The first resident of Pyrrihos is Silinos who also constructed the well of the Market. He took his name from Achilles son Pyrro.

There is reference to the village Pyrrihos or Kavalos to the newest sources since 1618.  On 1929, is definitely named Pyrrihos and belongs to the old Municipality Tethronis and since 1912 to 1998 was a separate Municipal District with Himara.

Today, Pyrrihos is only the ΤshadowΥ of the old one. There are only a few residents and many problems. The water supply was installed just the last year.

The main occupation is the cattle breeding and some olive trees.

Some years ago the produced the famous wine from their vineyards.

The last Kafenio is now closed.

Thanasis Skaleos, the President of the Local Council, has the intention to open it again to animate the village life.

The visitors of the village are the professor of Pantios, Dimosthenis Daskalakis, the doctor Petrow Vas. Vlasiarakos with his excellent family (his father Vasilis was philologist and high school director), etc.

Ending our brief report to the village we will mention the churches. Agios Georgios, at Trikefali. They say that the name Trikefali is due to the three kefalia heads, the Turkish put on to frighten the citizens.

Not far away there is the old cemetery and close there is the megalithic settlement.

The big church of Pyrrihos is Panagia , a nice edifice of the last 100 years.

Other churches are: Agia Triada, Agios Dimitrios, Agios Nikolaos, Panagitsa, Prophet Elias, etc.

Now, at Pyrrihos, is the Priest Panagiotis Zagoriannakos.

G.P.Dimakogiannis

LOCATION ΠHISTORY Π MONUMENTS

Platsa is located   55 km far from Kalamata. Today, here is the seat of the municipal district of the municipality Lefktron.  The other settlements are Pigi and Kotroni.  Other time, here was the seat of the bishop, the captaincy Zygos (the captains came from Hristeas family) and seat of the historical municipality of Lefktron (1835-1912).  It was an important trade center until the end of the last century and the residents of the mountainous area came here for their business.  There are many important Byzantine and post-Byzantine monuments all around the area: Agios Nikolaos  at Kampinari,  Agios Ioannis, Agia Paraskevi, Agios Antonios, Agios Dimitrios, Agii Pantes, Ypapanti, etc. with wonderful  frescos which prove the religious sentiments of the inhabitants. There are still some cobbly tracks which connected the settlements and guided to the port. From the port they could take the motor-boats to transport their goods to Kalamata.

POPULATION Π OCCUPATION

On 1829 there were 1425 residents.  On 1928, 568 residents. On 1991, 311 and on 2001 373. Most of the residents are pensioners. The main occupation of the residents is the olive grove and the cattle breeding.

PUBLIC AREAS Π PLACES Π SCHOOLS

There were two technical projects concerning the reformation of the pavements but there was not any progress. The two central places of Agios Ioannis and Kimisis heotokou have to be maintaining because here take place the social events. The potholes and the broken piece of cement prove the indifference and the abandonment. Last year, the floodlights were installed to light Ι what?

The half part of the old primary school some other time was used as communal office and now is abandoned too. The building of the high-school recently restored with a cost of 2.500.000dr. has remained closed. There were some proposals to be used for the accommodation of the formative arts or the nursery school, without any result.

ROAD CONSTRUCTION

The rural road has been maintained imperfectly, and there were not any other opening during the last 3 — years. The road Platsa Milea has not been finished and the road connecting Platsa to Agios Dimitrios is in a very bad condition. We have heard that there will be some interventions but nothing more.

WATER SUPPLY:

Some time ago, the water main of the region was connected to the bore of Agios Nikolaos.

Apart the increased transportation cost, because of the difference of altitude. The residents ask why there is not a secondary water main with potable water from the Viros springs as it happens to the other municipal districts of Neohorio, Agios Nikolaos, Riglia where there are external drinking fountains, and the existing one which is brackish could be used for domestic use only.

The municipal district of Platsa is one of the greater six districts of the Municipality of Lefktron.

We do not know how the decision concerning the appropriation of funds   is taken. No important work has been executed during the last 3, 5 years in the area. Why?

Antonis Roumaneas

LOCATION Π HISTORY Π MONUMENTS: The picturesque village Milea appears through the fresh gorge, with its stony houses and the narrow streets, mountaineering towards the Taygetos mountain rocks. During the Turkish domination, here, was the Episcopacy seat (Milea and Kastania) and Captaincy seat too. The first Bey was Panagos Kyvelos. Theodoros Kolokotronis lived here for three years, during his boyhood with his uncle Anagnostis and his brothers Giannis and Christos (they bought them both and took them back from Turks). His father, Konstantis Kolokotronis, was inhumed here after he has been butchered by the Turks. The churches: Metamorphosis, Agios Nikolaos, Agios Ioannis, Kimisi Theotokou (Dormition of Virgin Mary), Agia  Anastasi / Resurrection/ (Analipsis / Assumption), Agios Georgios, are the places of worship and prove the high religious sentiments of the residents. At the far end, the Monastery of Panagia Giatrissa appears a Sacred place of pilgrimage for Maniates. The towers of Giatrakos family ruined now, of Kakarouka, Routzounis, Giannakourou, etc. maintained and restored, their presence stamps the history of Mani.

POPULATION Π OCCUPATION:

According to the census of 1928, the number of residents in the settlements of Milea at that time, per community, was:  Dagrianika 341 residents,  Grabelia  82, Kato Hora 192 and Xanthianika 241. Today there are 363 residents at the municipal district of Milea (census of 2001) (census of 1991 = 195 residents). There is an increase in population of 168 residents. Their main occupation is the olive grow and the cattle breeding. They also have market gardens for their own use and to increase the family income.

ROAD CONSTRUCTION:   The village is at 15 km away from the main road. The first part of 5-6 km is a recently asphalt road way and it is in a good condition. The rest part of the road needs to be maintained, the dangerous turns have to be opened,   the bushes obstructing the visibility of the drivers to be cleaned up, and to asphalt it.  A  second connecting road with the region of Plats is, one more time, send to the calends, because the  relative study was send back from the Region of Peloponnese  to the Prefectural self-government of Messenia because it has to be completed. This is a 40 years work. The works to the third part, which will connect the region to the monastery of  Giatrisa and the region of Inner Mani (Municipality of Sminou), have already began, but nobody knows when it will be ready. All these works of the three road axis are very important and, when they will be ready, they will contribute to the development of this mountainous area.

WATER SUPPLY:  The water supply of the area is from the local sources of Diros. The network is very old and in several parts is destroyed.  A great part of the tubes is made by asbestos cement, which is dangerous for the residentsΥ health. The reevaluation of the water from 10 to 70 drachmas per m3 and the charges which are 3.000dr. Imposed by the Municipal authority of the region (1999), roused feelings of chagrin and indignation of the residents, because they donΥt see any changing measures.  We refer to this matter again hopping that they will take some drastic measures. We must note that the water supply works were performed with the residents personal work offer, about 40 years ago and the cost of the works was almost negligible.

MUNICIPAL SCHOLL Π PUBLIC AREAS Π PLAYGROUND: The maintenance works have recently started at the Primary school. We hope they will end soon and the local community will take the decision about its use.

The garbage must be carried away from the public areas, places, roads connecting the settlements between them.

At Xanthianika community, Belitsakou brothers, with their own expenses, constructed a playground. Let’s hope that other people will follow them.

PROPERTY OF THE REGION Π CULTURAL EVENTS: The garbage collection is only once a week and that is insufficient. Recently there is a Cultural Association of   Milianites living in Athens Panagia Giatrisa. We give them our wishes to achieve their targets for the good of their motherland.

The natural beauty of Milea, with its idyllic locations, the many temples and their development can be the attracting points for the visitors. We have this obligation to the memory of the eminent child of Mani, the literary man Nikita Nifakis.

Antonis Roumaneas

Himara is a nice, traditional village of the Eastern Inner Mani, over the historic bay of ancient Tefthroni, today named Kotronas (center of the Municipality of eastern Mani) and the other tower-villages around.

Its name appears for the first time – accordingly to the scientific research of K. K. Komi – in the notebook of the practical doctor from Lagia Mr. Papadakis  (1715) and later in the historical poem of Nikita Nifakis as Τvillage shining like the moonΥ!  Close to the village, at Vlistiko location, where there are the Himara source as well as the old church, there are the ruins of the old settlement (Paliohora), quoted by the Duce Never (1618).  In this same book there is a reference to another old settlement of Mani Mavrianos.  That means that the region of Himara is inhabited for centuries.

We are wondering about its name and the relation between the village and the village Himara at North Epirus. There is the same architecture -tower villages- and the same the laments too. Who were first installed in the region of Mani, when and where?

The first residents of Himara where three Maniates friends and fighters too: Hasanis, Zervogiannis and Tavoularis. From these three come the families of today Mihalakos, Thomakos, Goulakos, Stefanakos, Alevisakos, Koursarakos, Fotakos, Lekarakos, etc.  There are some important monuments at Himara today: the church Agios Nikolaos close to the central road. Agios Georgios, at the historical location Trikefali. There is also Agia Barbara, and Panagia Eniameri ( 9 days Virgin Mary). The priest of the village is papa- Panagiotis Zagoriannakos, coming from Drosopigi a village of the Inner Mani. he was attracted by this village and is working hard there.

How is Himara today? There are only a few residents (35 to 40!). Recently there was the water supply installation from Agia Marina springs of the eastern Taygetos.

2 years ago, a marriage between two young person’s took place at the village; Politimi B. Mihalakakou from Himara and Georgio Bourazani from Kokala – eastern Mani, after a long time of thirty years!  The public school of Himara is closed 25 years ago. What could we do to make this village alive?

G.P. Dimakogiannis

LYGEREAS village is located in the northern part of Mani (Kato Mani), amongst the south Taygetos Mountains, between the villages of Krini, Sidirokastro, Konakia and Platanos.  Two ranges, Loutsa (855m) and Taifas (687m), protect the village from the weather. Lygereas is the smaller municipal district of the Municipality of Gythion and it consists of Lygereas village and the settlements of Ano Asteri (before Pano Sola) and Kato Asteri (before Kato Sola). It is 17 km. from Gythion and you can drive there from the Gythio – Areopolis or the Sparti – Gythio roads.

The settlement Ano Asteri, following the Presidential Decree, is a traditional settlement.  In that area apart from the old houses there is  the Maniatiko cluster of towers of Voutsiliani and the historical Skoufomitis. This location historically is particularly important because there was the residence and the hide-out of Captain Zaharias Barbitsiotis.

Skoufomitis is a natural well-fortified location. From this point, you can survey the surrounding area. Even now, there is still the small church of Panagitsa built by Captain Zaharias. It is a very old church and its hagiographies dated from 1844. Near the church, there is the abandoned settlement of Skoufomiti, with the traditional houses, most of them in ruins. There lived Zaharias and his officers.

Today we can see the ruins of ZahariasΥ towers as well as the cistern. Under the ruins there is a cave called ΤThe Hole of ZahariasΥ. The entrance to this cave is not easily accessible but, if you reach it, you can see inside the stalactites and stalagmites. According to tradition, there are three caverns far away from the entrance. Zaharias used the cave to store the munitions of his army and to escape when he was in danger. At the inner side of the cave there are landslides, blocking the access to the rest of the room and the other caverns.

It is probable that the locations of Sola and Skoufomitis (today they are settlements) existed before Lygereas village. Lygereas was the motherland of Harilaos Vasilakos, the Olympic champion (2nd in the 1896 Olympic Games).

For the last ten years there has been a very active association in the village and which publishes a bimonthly journal ΤCaptain Zaharias of ManiΥ. At the head of this important effort is the well-known, devotee of Mani, Donald – Georgios McPhail (his wife is Lili Vasilakou).  The association has carried out some important infrastructure works in the village (roads, traffic-signs, a cultural center, telephone, etc.) and the village escapes from ΤignoranceΥ.

The village is watered from Agia Marina. There are olive trees and some walnut trees, oak trees, almond trees, cherry trees, locust trees, Indian figs, etc. The wild animals in the area include foxes and badgers and, up to a few years ago there were jackals too. Amongst the many birds in the area are thrushes, quails and partridges.

The climate is Mediterranean, mild during the winter and pleasant in the summer.

Finally, we will have a look at the churches of Lygereas village:

– Zoodohos Pigi (Source of Life): this church is the metropolis of Lygereas. ItΥs celebration is on the Friday after Easter. It is a basilica style and there is a very nice bell-tower.

– Sotiras:  is located at pano Asteri and it is the biggest church of the area.

– Panagia:  the small church of Panagia (Virgin) is at the top of Skoufomitis. There are some marvelous hagiographies dated 1844. ItΥs celebration is on 15th August.

– Agios Nikolaos: located in the   cemetery of kato Asteri. There are hagiographies and itΥs celebration is on 6th December.

– Agia Kyriaki: a small church contemporary to the Panagia church, in Skoufomitis, and it is recently being restored.

1. P. Dimakogiannis

The famous Leader of Vandals arrived to Alika during the 5th century, with his fleet. He was the terror of the coastal area during the Byzantine times.  He could not imagine that a descendant of Eleftherolakonon (Free-lakones) fighters should beet him and should have to abandon the area ashamed.

How many thousands were our ancestors? To-day we see the abandon-ment of the region, in the  Municipal District of Alika there are only 100 residents.

The historical research gives us the result that here there was an ancient Maniatikos settlement  – Paliohora. The recent settlement of Alika is mentioned for the first time in the report of the Venice mission on 1571 as Casala Alika.

Alika is the motherland of two important historical families of Mani: Mavromihalaii (Areopoli  – Limeni) and Grigorakides (Gythion – Mavrovouni – Agorano etc.).

It deserves to have a look at the ancient Kainipoli located at the settlement   Kyparisso at the coastal zone of Alika, the most important town of Eleftherolakones, founded by the Tainarious and was named Tainaros. There, there are two important locations of the ancient times: the edifice of Dimitra and the Temple of Aphroditi. It is considered that from their stones, and at the same place was built the Christian churches of Virgin and Agia Paraskevi.  Kainipoli was a religion center of common worship at the ancient times.

The new religion arrived here earlier than at the rest of Mani. Here there are three old Christian churches of 5th – 6th century studied by the Byzantinologist  N. Drandakis: the church of Agios Andreas (Alika), Agios Petros and the Convent at Kyparissos. Here we find many war towers and country seats. To this historical and marvelous place we built the new houses of concrete and this is a great discord for the area and must be recon-strutted by stone.

We have to make reference to the set-element which are at the region. Alika, Marathos, Kyparissos, Ai-Filipides,  Katanemistika, Tsakalounes, Pano-Alika, Agia-trias, Armyro, etc. The residentsΥ occupation is mainly the cattle breeding, agriculture (olives), fishing, and building construction. During the summer there are many tourist and migrates who come back here for their vacations. That time the watering problem is very important. Certainly, this is not the only problem of the region, for the residents and the visitors too.  The roads network has to be developed and there is no sea wall at Kyparissos, etc.

Although these problems, the residents resist to them and to the time and remain at the region working on  the stone creating big families – at the primary school of Alika there are 13 pupils – and they wish for the development of the region and a better way of life!

1. P. Dimakogiannis

Η It is really a tough land. There are no vineyards, no orchards, trees, fruits and grass. Only a  stony land  without earth.  Vahos village is located eastern from the village we referred before, half hour away, over the canyon. It is consisted from 100 houses without vineyards and orchards with 300 armed infidel men. The residents carry earth from the villages around to plant maize, to make bread for their food. They steal this earth.

They are black colored, short, with a big head, round eyes, a bulldog voice, prominent ears, thick black hair, broad shoulders, slight figure, thin thigh, wide sole and they jumped from one rock to the other like a flea bite. There are orthodox but they are not interested about their religion. Those who live around Mani, they are afraid at their  sight. They do not breed pigs or cows and donkeys, but many goats. Their cloths are made by fine and black color goatsΥ wool. They wear black color cap and on their feet, rustic shoes made by cow and goat leather. Their arms are pintail, sis, harbia and rifles. They get gunpowder  from Kithira exchanging it with goats. (….)Θ

This is the description of Vahos village and its residents by the Turkish traveler Evlia Tselembi, on 1670.  In the chapter with the characteristic title the vilaeti of Mani, a land of people without faith and mercyΣ he is enjoyable (and obviously afraid and imaginative to his description)! There are written references about Vahos of our days, with its wild flowers, the aromatic plants and herbs (oregon, thyme, sage,… mulberries, prickly pears and fig-trees, … on 1618 in the well-known list, composed during the negotiations between the Duck of Never and Maniates.

The past and today, the history and the present, in the case of this village, as all around the region of Mani are have close ties.  you cannot make a step in Mani without walking on its historyΣ!  In the region of Vahos, they have found a scripture of the roman period (1st century B.C.). Its name comes from the ancient God Vakho (Dionysos). It is said that Vakhos offered the vineyard, and as the most precious gift he offered Τthe waterΥ to the village.

Vahos village, at the doorway of the Inner Mani, is a picturesque village at the borderline between Prosiliaki (Eastern) and Aposkieri (Western) Mani, as well as the Inner and the nether Mani. Before, it belongs to the Municipality of Karnoupolis, later it became a community of the region Gythion and recently jointed voluntarily to Areopolis, Kelefa and Kouskouni forming the Municipality of Areopolis. Now is a Municipal District of the Municipality of Oitylon.

Let the writer – researcher and lawyer Stavro P. Patrianakos talk about the financial and social life of Vahos of the older times:

There was   export of acorn, oregon, olive oil and figs from Vahos, and at the same time Gythion was developing fast.  Mystras (or Myzithras) has become an important commercial center and Sparti (during the Otto period and after a some centuries) raised to the first range of the history. There was some commercial activity to Tsipa too (S. Oitylo).

About 1850, Papoulakos (the holly fatherΣ according the elders)  passed from Vahos and then, went to Kotronas where he was arrested.  During Otto period, to confront the revolts in Mani, some towers was destroyed or cut that means, they abated the height. In Vahos, none of the towers remained to its initial height. There were the towers of Levakos, Panagiotakos, Panagiotounakos, Petropoulakos, Stamatakos, and at Skala the tower of Demoirakos.

On 1861, the second hagiography of the church Agiani Klimatsina, and on 1863 the church Panagitsa of Lakka is built (property of Panagiotakos as a church of Zoodohos Pigi). During this period, many houses are built which exist until our days in a good condition. At the front side the year of construction is indicated.

There is an important number of residents and Vahos is one of the big villages of Mani. The main settlement is (Hora, Klimatsina).

CENSUS:  on 1829, from the French delegation, Vlahos 100, Scala 17, Klimatsina 40.

Numbers referred to houses:  1844- Vahos 454 persons, 1861 – -539,  1879 – 577,  1889 – 488,  1920 – 556,  1940 – 580 and  1980 – 120.

On 1880 the old public fountain is built close to the older one. The is an arch and illegible scriptures, drinking trough and reservoir for the garden watering. There was also a plate with a cross and the phrase: ΤJesus Christ Win.Υ

Here was the center of the village. The women came here to take water, they washed their cloths and the blankets, and then, they put them dry all around the rocks of Kakia Skala, they boiled loupina and watered their animals.

Animation center of the village was also Nerodiavasia as well as the central place of the village, Platzari or Skamnia. There, were the most one of the caffeine (there were so many at the village), where could stay only the men and they played cards, drunk and song.

On 1892 they built the church of Virgin (ended on 1895) at the place of the old one. All the residents worked personally to build it.

At the eastern side, close to the church, there is the girls school, propriety of the church.  The plot and the house construction are a donation of Ioannis Theodorakos, and the house should be used as residence of the priest.

Donator of the village was Ioannis Stamatakos too, an intellectual personality of the village who offered his property to the hospital of Gythio, to consulate the suffering persons. Nikolaos Petrakos also offered his aid to the village in many ways and Athanasios Tanoaks who, according his will provided with a dowry the poor girls of the village.

Panagiotis Zervogiannakos donated the plot at Platzari and Andreas Syggros built a boy-school. But some children only went to school and even less went to the high school at Acropolis.

Churches of the modern and post-Byzantine times, according the researcher Archeologist and Professor of the University Nikolaos Mandrakes:

Agios Ioannis, Panagia Mesostartissa – which is celebrate the day of entrance of the Virgin in the church – pained with many holly icons. Agios Nikolaos all painted with holly icons too. Agia Kyriaki – the cemetery of the village. Agii Anargyri, a ruined church. Agios Dimitrios ruined too.

The life has to go on in Vahos says Patrikanakos and he exposed his ideas. Here are some of them:

the resolution of some main problems (as to wide the bridge of Stavros and some binds to make wider as well as to put asphalt on the road Stavros – Oitylo. The widening and maintenance of the communal and rural roads, the construction of some places for parking areas and drillings for water) these will permit to the village to survive and to be developed. …….

There are three main locations which need to be reformed: Platzari – the Primary school, Nerodiavasia – the fountain – the small fountain and Agios Georgios and Panagia Kotrona and he place around it.

Among his many proposals, the writer and legist too from Vahos refers that they must built the Gate to the Inner ManiΣ at the region of Stavros.  When you pass to the southern area, the visitor can distingue the total change of the environment and the characteristics of the Inner Mani: stone, stone, only stone!

G.P. DIMAKOGIANNIS

On the east side of Kalamata lies Verga, a small town of 2200 citizens, which tries to conserve its colour and picturesqueness.

Selitsa and Almyro are the two other quarters that constitute the Municipal  Compartment of Verga.

Selitsa is on the mountain Kalathi. The highest peak of this is called ΗBourolivasΘ (1350 m) and gives the impression of scraping the sky. The sight of the mountain is wild. It is full of canyons and steep rocks that suit the rugged environment. The view is fascinating, while the landscape reflects itself on the blueish waters of the Messinian gulf. The road to the village passes by Sotirianika. This quarter can be the starting point for the fans of paragliding who after their short aerial wandering, end up to the beach of Kalamata.

Selitsa is also the birthplace of the politician and Prime Minister Alexander Koumoundouros.

Almyro was named after the existing salty water fountain. Pausanias mentions that in between Fera and Avia Ηthe water is saltyΘ.

This area is the place of the ancient Gerinia, above which is the mountain Kalathio and the temple Klaia, which used to be the borders of Messinia and Laconia.

When the English wanderer Morritt visited Mani in 1795 said: ΗWe reached easily the area of Kalamata with the salty springs. These existed since the ancient times in between Feres and Avia and now they divide Kalamata from ManiΘ.

Similarly, the French Puqueville writes:

ΗAlmyron, 11/2 leagues away from Kalamata, is the stair to the village Selitsa, which has 300 houses the residents of which are strong and brave and they never come to wedding with the Greeks of the towns which are under the Turkish DominationΘ.

Before the Revolution, Almyro was the name of the periphery from the ΗKapetaniatikousΘ towers to the village Jiannitsanika outside Kalamata. It was divided in the areas of the mill stones, Almyro and Ajiaso.

The narrow road between mountain Kalathio and the sea, which is one mile long, used to be a place both of defense and attack since the ancient times, during the French and Venetian Rule and up to the Turkish Domination.

In 21-22 June 1465, when the Greek-Venetian Bodies were informed about the arrival of Tsourachan Omar Bey, they abandoned Kalamata and intrenched themselves in Almyro Ηso as to be helped by the energy of the place, although they did not have enough forces.Θ

In September 1685, the people of Mani and the mercenaries of Morozini confronted Captain Pasa. Also, here, there was the legendary revolution of the maniatic people, which was particularly brave although unlucky, in 1770.

Since, then, Almyro became the border of the liberal Mani, in contradiction to the enslaved Messinia. Close to Kalamata and near the gorge Xerila, there was a bridge and the Maniatic tower.  In 1781, when Mani became an independent sovereignty, there was always a Turkish and Maniatic guard controling each other. From this very place, also sounded the song of freedom.

Verga means a supple branch from a tree or bush. Meteaphorivally, Verga was called the fortification wall built on the east side of a shallow gorge by the Greeks so as to confront the Turks on a narrow road between the Kalathio mountain and the beach, which was 1,50-1,70 m tall and 0.80 m broad.

In memory of the event, the area was called Verrga.

This monument of modern history has been damaged and only a small part of it is reserved. However, we shall refer to this and to other monuments in a following issue.

The monument of Verga that prohibited Ibraym from entering Mani, despite the constant calls of the President of the local council, the constant calls of the deputies of our region to the Ministry of Culture for the conservation of the village and the promises of the Minister, is falling apart.

Time and human abandonment leave their trace every year.

Urban Planning: The delay of urban planning has delayed any constructing activity. Urban planning has been postponed for two years, since there is the issue for the bordering of the gorges and the issuing of geological research.

The weakness in finding solutions to problems, such as the contribution of land, the percentage of the shared maintenance expenses and the places of public benefit extended  this abeyance, which appeared in 1996 and goes on until today.

Landslips-Landslides: Nowadays, a lot of landslides have been observed in the area of the two rocks before the church of Evagelistria. The landslip was visible three months ago and it was provoked, according to special reports, by the erosion of the road. The particular road that leads to the upper village was constructed 25 years ago and at the spot of the erosion there was a hollow that was filled with debris to widen the road without the necessary works of support. Later on, however, there was a problem because of the rain, during the winter, and the road started sliding. If there are no interventions, there is a possibility for the road to collapse. Both the Local and the Municipal council were occupied with this subject. A temporary solution is the digging of metal pipes in the ground 30 m deep so as to lead the water deeper in the ground.

Drainage: The project on drainage is progressing and it will contribute to the maintenance of cleanness of the Messinian gulf.

Road construction: During the last decade, a lot of roads have been both opened and paved with asphalt. The road now connects the old village to Ano Selisa and it is 15 km long. It is a very important construction, which is going to solve a lot of communicative problems. The road of Agio Spiridon is widened and paved with asphalt after the installation of a water pipe, 3.5 Km long.

Shared maintenance expenses: The park in Almiro, after the tornado of the 16th and 17th March was destroyed. This image of abandonment can be replaced by a new image of tidiness and as a consequence, attract people to visit the place for rest and entertainment.

The cemetary is full, whereas its expansion is of first priority.

The construction of a football court for the needs of the football team that competes in the AΥ local category on the one hand, and for the rest of the residents, on the other, can now take place, since the appropriate place has been found and there are the funds from the Dragona inheritance.

Transportation-Water supply: Transportation by buses covers only 1/4 of the Municipal Compartment. However, there are possibilities for expansion and this is what the Prefecture must do.

The last works for the water supply are sufficient for the main part of the village, while in the rest, measures are being taken to deal with the situation.

The inclusion of Verga in the Complete Programs of Development will contribute to the development of the area. Efforts are being made for the characterization of Verga as a traditional village. It is a village created 300 years ago. It is of great history and remarkable traditional features, which will further help to the touristic development and to the improvement of the economical and life standards of the residents.

Antonis Roumaneas

The history of Pyrgos begins in 1565 ac, when the Manolitsi or Manos family arrives to the area. They arrived from Constantinople where the name Manos still exists or from the coast of N. Epirus. Anyhow, it is certain that they came from the villages Nomitsi  and Katifari. At first, they lived in the Black Cave, which is very big and still shows marks of inhabitancy. The choice of the cave was not accidental, since not far away lies another one which is smaller and has a water fountain ΗskafidiΘ; in fact, this is where the name of the area came from.

They first started building the church of Saint Dimitrios, which exists until this day and has also been renovated.

This area used to be part of Milea, which is the oldest village of the region.

This was the reason why there were conflicts between the villagers of Milea, who wanted to go to their land, which was in the area of Skafidi, and those of Skafidi. In the end, the villagers of Skafidi were forced to move upwards to the cliff.

It is not proven whether they were forced to do so or whether they were bribed. It is certain, though that they built the first tower in the place of the square ΗPalaiopyrgosΘ. The village was named after that first tower ΗPyrgosΘ. The Manolitsi family that dwelled in Pyrgos, had 5 children. They were all boys; the first was called Jiannis, but since he had a big head he was called ΗKefalasΘ (Ηbig headΘ) and thatΥs how the family Kefalea got its name. The same applies to all the other sons, whose families were called Petrea, Stratea, Makrilea and Koufakea.

Pyrgos has the church of Ai Jiorgi, which is a Byzantine church plenty of frescos and many smaller ones, which are not easily distinguished because they are very small and they look like the other houses. These are Ai Stratigos, Ai Spiridon, The sleeping of Mary, Prophet Ilias in the center of the village and not on a cliff as it is used.

The name of the above churches is the proof of the names of the members of the Manolitsi family. It was a custom to build churches by the name of the protector saint.

(The above were taken from the historical documents of the village Pyrgos).

Pyrgos was the first base of the Municipality of Lefktro, which was created in 9 March 1835 as the Municipality of Vitilo up to 1840 when Platsa took its place after the decision of 27.11.1840 concerning the merging of municipalities.

In 1928 there were 426 residents, in 1991 there were 181, while in 2001 there were 185. It is situated within a distance of 8 km from the main road of Kardamyli-Areopoli, near Stoupa. Moving around in the village one comes across the two floor stone houses, which are still in good condition, the picturesque lanes, which connect the neighbourhoods and remind us of the Aegean islands. Next to the church of Ai Jiorgo, lies the old primary school, which is now used for social events.

The magnificent view, the peacefulness, the dry and healthy climate attract a lot of tourists, not only in summer but also permanently.

Although, the infertile and mountainous ground drove away many inhabitants, who went to the cities, today, part of them comes back, especially those who are pensioners.

Furthermore, the lack of means of transportation is a big problem. There are the local buses from the other villages (Saidona, Milea), but they are not convenient for those who want to go to the doctor, to the pharmacy, or shopping and return on time. This can be easily solved from the Municipality, since there is sufficient number of buses. A doctor visits the village every 15 days. The roads are not sufficient and in bad condition.  The water supply is also problematic.

The Cultural Association of Pyrgo in Attica, Agios JeorjiosΣ offers a great deal of help and it is a source of love and creation.

The aim of the local administration should be the achievement of a better quality of life in an organized and cohesive manner improving its services, giving priority to the everyday needs of the residents. The local administration should not forget this.

Antonis Roumaneas