| Gortyna Γόρτυνα |
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| Location | |
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Gortyna
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| Coordinates | |
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Location within the regional unit
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| Government | |
| Country: | Greece |
| Region: | Peloponnese |
| Regional unit: | Arcadia |
| Municipality: | Megalopolis |
| Population statistics (as of 2001) | |
| Municipal unit | |
| - Population: | 777 |
| Other | |
| Time zone: | EET/EEST (UTC+2/3) |
| Elevation (center): | 482 m (1,581 ft) |
| Postal: | 220 22 |
| Telephone: | 27910 |
| Auto: | TP |
| Website | |
| www.gortynos.gr | |
Gortyna (Greek: Γόρτυνα), is a former municipality in Arcadia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Megalopoli, of which it is a municipal unit.[1] Its seat was in the village Karytaina. The name of the municipality was taken from the ancient settlement of Gortys.
Contents |
The municipal unit Gortyna is subdivided into the following communities (constituent villages in brackets):
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1991 | 1,500? |
| 2001 | 777 |
In the ancient times, an ancient highway linking Patras and Kalamata via Sparta passed near the Alpheus river. Ancient Gortys was known for its Temple of Asclepius, serving travelers from Athens, Sparta and Olympia. In the Greek War of Independence in 1821, Nikitas Stamatetopoulos, Ilias Mavromichalis, the Plaplouta brothers, Kanellos Deligiannis and his army headed north fo Karytaina after the events in Kalamata.
Much of the area are mountains and has a rocky landscape and bushes. The plain of Megalopolis is to the southeast. The forests are to the south and in the valleys where the Alpheus River flows to the south. It includes an old bridge which was used until the 1960s.
The population was entirely consists of agriculture and the main production was cereals and silk. Another river is the Loussios (ancient: Lussius) which flows west of Karytaina which begins east of Lagkadia. The length is about 40 km (25 mi). The origin of the name comes from the ancient form of loutra, loussis meaning bath in Ancient Greek.
| North: Dimitsana | Northeast: Trikolones | |
| West: Andritsaina | Gortyna | East: Megalopoli |
| South: Megalopoli |
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