Glykorrizi (Greek: Γλυκορρίζι), formerly known as Mourtatou (Μουρτάτου), is a small village situated in the Peloponnese. It is located in the north-western part of the prefecture of Messinia, belonging to the municipilaty of Aetos. The population of the community has been estimated at 60 people but during the summer this number may more than double. Its elevation is 260 m. In the surrounding area, a few other villages can be found including Kamari, Siderokastro and the municipality's seat, Kopanaki.
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| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1981 | 151 |
| 1991 | 137 |
| 2001 | 222 |
The village is located nearly 3 km north of the GR-9A/E55 (Patras - Pyrgos - Kalamata), east of the main junction with the GR-9, the railroad with its nearby stations in Kopanaki or at Kalo Nero, WSW of Tripoli, northwest of Kalamata, 300 km WSW of Athens and about 70 km southeast of Pyrgos.
The village has about 5 km of paved road, 6 km of gravel road and has about 5 km of hydro and phone lines.
Much of the area are mountainous and are also forested with pine, cypresses and cedars, farmlands are around the village and barren land are at the highest elevations.
The area in which the village is found has been continuously populated for at least the past 400 years, according to both Venetian and Byzantine records, but had never numbered more than a handful of families. The village experienced a steady increase in inhabitants prior to and after the Greek War of Independence.
Since the end of the Second World War and the Greek Civil War a significant portion of the local population resettled in Athens or immigrated to Australia, the United States and Canada.
Its economy is based mainly on agricultural products.
The community currently has two small cafes, or kafeneia as they are known in Greek, a church dedicated to the Virgin Mary and a smaller chapel of St. John which served as a Krifo scholio during Ottoman rule. There are two churches, two cafeterias located in the upper and lower portions and a big square. It also had a school with public grades, it is now made into a commonplace for its inhabitants. At the entrance, the fabulous Avaros spring is situated nearby. The nearest school and high school is in Kopanaki.
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