Arcadia

Η Βυτίνα/Vitina

*The colourful and cozy interior of a coffee shop.*

*The church of Agios Trifonas, built in 1846.*

*A shop with different flavours of honey.*

The mountain village of Vitina attracts the most tourists in the county of Arcadia, in the Peloponnese. It is a beautiful village with medieval-looking buildings, and nicely decorated shops. It is at a height of 1.033 meters, on the Mainalo mountain. and it has almost 700 inhabitants.

The village of Vitina played a big role in the Greek Revolution in 1821. It was the central supply point for the revolutionaires, and as a result was burnt down seven times by the Ottomans.

The pine, fir and chestnut trees surround the mountainous area. It is a great place to visit anytime of year for the fresh air and nature.

Το ορεινό χωριό Βυτίνα προσελκύει τους περισσότερους τουρίστες στον νομό Αρκαδίας, στην Πελοπόννησο. Είναι ένα όμορφο χωριό με μεσαιωνικά κτίρια και όμορφα διακοσμημένα καταστήματα. Βρίσκεται σε υψόμετρο 1.033 μέτρων, στο όρος Μαίναλο. και έχει σχεδόν 700 κατοίκους.

Το χωριό Βυτίνα έπαιξε μεγάλο ρόλο στην Ελληνική Επανάσταση του 1821. Ήταν το κεντρικό σημείο ανεφοδιασμού των επαναστατών, με αποτέλεσμα να καεί επτά φορές από τους Οθωμανούς.

Τα πεύκα, έλατα και καστανιές περιβάλλουν την ορεινή περιοχή. Είναι ένα εξαιρετικό μέρος για να επισκεφθείτε οποιαδήποτε στιγμή του χρόνου για τον καθαρό αέρα και τη φύση.

Village Life/Η ζωή στο χωριό

A little sample of village life in rural Greece. It’s so quiet, peaceful with fresh, clean mountain air.It’s worlds away from a city like Athens.

Ένα μικρό δείγμα της ζωής του χωριού στην αγροτική Ελλάδα. Τόσο ήσυχα, γαλήνια, με φρέσκο καθαρό αέρα. Είναι κόσμους μακριά από μια πόλη όπως η Αθήνα.

“Reunion with the mother is a siren call haunting our imagination. Once there was bliss, and now there is struggle. Dim memories of life before the traumatic separation of birth may be the source of Arcadian fantasies of a lost golden age.”– Camille Paglia

“Et in Arcadia Ego”

Arcadian Mountains

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A few scenic photographs of the beautiful mountains in Arcadia, Greece.

Akovos/Arkadia

These are some black and white photographs from the pictures that I took from my fathers’ village of Akovos in Arcadia, Greece. He’s so proud! He was happy that I finally went there. It’s not an easy feat getting up there though.. In a earlier post I had published photographs of the Arcadian mountains and of a memorial service for a revolutionary battle that took place in the 19th Century.

Wild Mountain Flowers

Lonely Burnt Tree

Cars Parked on a Cliff

Aghia (Saint) Paraskevi Church

Small VIllage Path

Village Grannie (Giagia Panayoula)

Arcadian Mountains/Battle of Drabala

A few weeks ago I paid a long overdue visit to my fathers’ village called Akovos in Arcadia. The village has a very beautiful and rugged mountainous landscape where many battles were fought in ancient and modern times. I arrived on the day of a memorial service that takes place every year at Aghia Paraskevi church (near Akovos village) which over looks the landscape called ‘Drabala’ A very important battle took place at the site called the ‘Battle of Drabala’ ( June 5-7 1825) This is where the fierce battle for Greek independence against the Ottoman Turks unfolded. To commemorate the death of the soldiers wreaths were layed at the statue of Greek independence war hero Theodoros Kolokotronis. Then there was a moment of silence followed by Greek soldiers singing the national anthem.