Nestani
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Nestani, Νεστάνη - κοινώς Τσιπιανά, is a small village around 15km from Tripoli in the Peloponnese, Greece. It used to be the center of manufacturing brooms.
"Η Νεστάνη (Τσιπιανά το παλιότερό της όνομα) είναι ορεινό γραφικό χωριό χτισμένο αμφιθεατρικά στους πρόποδες του Αρτεμησίου (15 χιλ. από την Τρίπολη), το πρώτο χωριό που συναντά ο ταξιδιώτης ερχόμενος από την Αθήνα από την νέα εθνική οδό.
Εχει όμορφη κεντρική πλατεία με πλατάνια και πετρόκτιστα σπίτια. Πίσω από την Νεστάνη δεσπόζει ύψωμα με χαρακτηριστικό σχήμα, ο λόφος του Γουλά με ερείπια φράγκικου κάστρου. Πάνω στο λόφο είναι το μοναστήρι της Παναγιάς της Γοργοεπήκοου, με έξοχη θέα στο οροπέδιο της Τρίπολης και περιτριγυρισμένο από δάσος με πεύκα." [1]
This famous monastery overlooking the village is dedicated and venerates the Holy Mother of God, Παναγία, Panagia, who, is said to have saved the village from utter destruction, by stopping a huge bolder ominously heading toward the village. A facsimile of a large hand could be deciphered on the side of the bolder facing the village, is attributed to be that of the Holy Mother, and was visible as late as the 1940's. The monastery was manned by monks, notable among them were; the eccentric (Παρθένιος)Parthenios and (Φιλίμον)Filimon as well as the saintly priest (Βενιαμήν)Benjamin. Ιt is now inhabited by nuns. The monastery venerates the memory of the Holy Mother on the anniversary of Her Dormission, each August 15.
The monastery is called (Μονή Παναγίας Γοργοεπίκοου)Gorgoepikοos(37° 36' 33" N; 22° 28' 18" E) - facilitator to speedier and easier childbirth. It is built on the ruins of the Temple of Demeter. At its height of population there were well over 5000 people living there but now with the move to the cities there are less than 500 permanent residents.
Nestani is in the center of Arcadia and is very close to an ancient ruin called Mantinia. The people of Nestani are thought to be descendants of the Mantinians who fled Mantinea after an invasion of snakes. They went to the mountains and the village of Nestani was born. They were called Tsipianides but then took the name Nestani after the emancipation from Turkish rule.
Nestani since the 1980s is linked with the superhighway linking Tripoli and Athens (E65) and links with GR-33), The 2 km long Artemisio Tunnel also opened in the 1980s lies north northwest of Nestani and has a rest area near the tunnel. Pine forests covers the southern and a small portion north of town, the rest of the area are mainly of rocks and grasslands. Farmlands are situated in the southwest that connects with the rest of the plain.
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[edit] Geography and information
- Location:
- Longitude: 22.465556° (22°27'56") E
- Latitude: 38.613611° (37°36'49") N
- Postal code: 220 05
- Elevation:
- Lowest: southwestern part (around 660 m)
- Centre: 671 m
- Highest: Mount Artemisio
- Dialing code: +11+(00)30-2710
[edit] Historical population
| Year | Population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 1,131 | - |
| 1991 | 881 | -250/-22.10% |
| 2001 | 778 | -103/11.69% |
[edit] Other
Nestani has a school in the western part and nearby a basketball court, a lyceum, a church, a post office, banks and a small square (plateia).
AO Nestani, a football club, will be playing in the National 4th Division in 2007-08 after winning the Arcadian title in 2006-07.
[edit] External links
[edit] See also
| Communities of Mantineia/Mantinia | ||
|---|---|---|
| Artemisi | Kapsas | Louka | Nestani | Pikerni | Sagka | Simiades | ||
