Trikolonoi

Trikolonoi (Greek: Τρικόλωνοι) is a former municipality in Arcadia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Gortynia, of which it is a municipal unit.^[1] The municipal unit includes the villages of Stemnitsa (the former municipal seat), Syrna, Pavlia, Palamari and Elliniko. Stemnitsa is considered one of the most beautiful villages in Arcadia. The village's name comes from a Slavic word meaning "a thick forest shaded with trees". The town is located south of Dimitsana, southwest of Levidi and Vytina, west of Tripoli, and north of Megalopoli and Dimitsana. In 2001 Trikolonoi had a population of 1,260. The nearest communities are Dimitsana, about 9 km to the north, and Zygovitsi to the southeast. Its main industries are agriculture and services.

Geography

The village is located on the eastern slope of a valley, which has a small creek to its east. The residential area covers the eastern part of a mountain. Another mountain is located to its west and southeast. Most of the area to the west is deforested. There are forests to the south. It overlooks the Lousios river and its gorge. One can see mountains to the west, the north and the east. Several houses are abandoned. Farmlands are to the north and around the hilltop of Stemnitsa. Its main products are olives and cattle. Fruits and vegetables are not grown due to the steep hills. It has approximately 3 to 5 km of hydro lines. Its main shops and buildings lie along the main road.

Stemnitsa is nested in the mountain range of Mainalon (altitude 1050 m). It is located 45 kilometers southwest of the capital of Arcadia, Tripolis. The village is connected by a road connecting Karytaina, the Greek National Road 76 and Dimitsana (see the Karytaina-Dimitsana Road. The road is narrow and has only one lane within town limits, while it is two-laned outside the village. Greek National Road 74 is about 20 km south. From Tripolis one could drive to Stemnitsa from two different ways, one via the tourist town of Vytina and the historic village of Dimitsana (8 km away from Stemnitsa), or through the mountain of Mainalon. Either route offers views of the Arcadian country side.

History and myths

On the 2nd century A.D., Pausanias, an ancient Greek traveller and geographer, describes in his "Arcadian" stories that Hypsous (Stemnitsa's other name) was located at the foot of Mount Hypsous. According to Pausanias, the area between Hypsous and Thyraiou (Syrna) was very mountainous and dangerous due to wild animals.

According to one of the many stories, the Pelasgian king of Arcadia, Lykaonas built the village in honor of his son Ypsountas. The village was known by the name of Hypsous (Υψούς) until about the time of the Black Plague. During 746 A.D. the Black Plague killed many of the inhabitants of Peloponnesos. In an effort to increase its population the emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantine Empire), Constantine V, permitted Slavs to migrate there. That is how the subsequent name of the village "Stemnitsa" came into being.

After the overthrow of the Franks in 1430 Stemnitsa was inhabited by a number of renowned individuals, as indicated by inscriptions found on the walls of Zoodohos Pigi, a Byzantine chapel built 1433. After the fall of Constantinople in 1453 the village, due to its location surrounded by mountains and having abundant spring waters and being away from larger villages, served as a relatively safe heaven from the invading armies of the Ottoman Turks. The first mention, some say, of the word Stemnitsa, was found in Ottoman taxation documents dated 1512-1515 where the number of families appeared to be about 120. This information was published by professor John Alexandropoulos. In the Grimani Venetian Census report Stemnitsa was shown as the most populous village in Gortynia with 925 people.

By the large number of churches built there and from other descriptions one can deduce that Stemnitsa was a significant village. According to some stories there were once seven parishes, each with its own priest and church. Today one can see many small Byzantine churches some still in a relatively good condition. The church of Bafero was built in 1185 and the Zoodohos in 1433. The two larger churches are Ai-Giorgis and Agia Paraskevi. Currently one priest holds services on alternate Sundays in these two churches.

According to some, during the first years of the 2nd Venetian occupation of Peloponnesos 1685-1715, a small neighborhood was built in the location today called Kastro (i.e. fort). This is the time where, it is speculated, that a sizeable library was created. These manuscripts and books were subsequently destroyed when they were used to make gun-powder supplies during the 1821 war of independence. Others maintain that the manuscripts and books were hidden in the cistern outside the church of Bafero to save them from the invaders and were damaged due to humidity.

During the years of the Ottoman rule in Greece, Stemnitsa was a shelter for the Kolokotronis clan and other fighters of the Greek War of Independence. It was also the birthplace of Antonis Pelopidas, a member of the Filiki Eteria. After the revolution of March 25, 1821, from the end of May to mid of June 1821, it served as the first seat of the "Peloponissiaki Gerousia" (temporary Peloponnese government) of the liberated Peloponnese. The Gerousia met at the "keli" (monastery cell) of the small monastery of Zoodohos Pigi. This cell still stands there next to the church of Panagia Chrysopigi.

In 1836 the township of Hypsous was created. In 1841 it was renamed Trikolonon. As the area was not fertile, many inhabitants developed into skilled artisans of iron, copper, bronze, brass, gold, silver, producing church bells, church utensils, shotguns, etc. They excelled in the art of crafting jewelry using silver and gold.

Other information

Stemnitsa was the birthplace of the Greek Prime Minister Gennaios Kolokotronis in 1803. Another prominent figure from Stemnitsa was Dimitrios Thanopoulos, who won a silver medal in Greco-Roman wrestling at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles.

The Greek government has established a public funded smithy school where students can learn to craft jewelry from silver and gold (see Stemnitsa Silvery School). Students are trained there tuition free. In April 1996 the Pan-European Council of Silver and Gold was held in Stemnitsa.

Stemnitsa has a folklore museum, established by John Savopoulos and his wife Irine. It includes various exhibitions regarding the traditional way of Stemnitsa life in the past including how candles were made, a jeweler's workshop, a shoe repair shop and a copper tinning representation. If also houses an extensive selection of Byzantine icons, old costumes, copper- ware, guns and jewelry.

An organization which is responsible for the beautification of Stemnitsa is the Cultural and Beautification Organization "Politistikos kai Exoraistikos Syllogos Stemnitsioton Ypsountas". This organization is also in charge of the local cultural center "The Nikoletopouleion" and of organizing a number of other events which take place during the year, mainly during the months of July and August.

Seven kilometers from Stemnitsa, down by the ravine of the river Lousios one can find the monastery of St. John the Forerunner (Prodromos) built, according to some sources, around 1167, on the side of the mountain rock. It served as a center of faith and education for the enslaved Greeks during the Ottoman rule. Since 1960 the monastery is accessible to cars and there is a road linking it to the neighboring villages of Dimitsana, and Ellinikon. About 200 yards below the monastery, is the river Lousios. Near the monastery are the excavations of an ancient hospital built in honor of the ancient Greek god of medicine, Asclepius.

The village has a school, several churches (most from the Byzantine era),a few taverns and a square (plateia).

The library of Stemnitsa used to have around 5,000 volumes until the Greek War of Independence of 1821. It is now a monument and is located next to the square.

Stemnitsa was ravaged during World War II and the Greek Civil War; buildings were rebuilt later and the population began to decline slowly, emigrating to other towns and cities across Greece and abroad.

Until the 1960s, much of the village did not have electricity and until the 1980s, most of the houses were stone-built. In the 1970s, the town was illuminated for the first time. Television also arrived later on as well as computers in the late-1990s but still in small numbers.

The village and Trikolonoi was the filming location for the 1981 film Mathe paidi mou Grammata directed by Thodoros Maragos and starring Vasilis Diamantopoulos, Anna Mantzourani and Kostas Tsakonas

Subdivisions

The municipal unit Trikolonoi is subdivided into the following communities (constituent villages in brackets):

• Elliniko
• Palamari (Palamari, Psari)
• Pavlia
• Stemnitsa (Stemnitsa, Moni Agiou Ioannou Prodromou)
• Syrna (Syrna, Ano Kalyvia)

Population history

See also

• Communities of Arcadia

References

External links

• Official website of Stemnitsa and Trikolonoi or Trikolones
• Stemnitsa
• Folklore Museum of Stemnitsa
• Brief history of Stemnitsa
• GTP - Stemnitsa
• GTP - Trikolones
• Stemnitsa Museum