Text and research by Nikos Aivalis, translation by Eva Trombetas
Many people know the village Anogeia of Crete, but few people unfortunately know the Anogeia of Laconia, a village which has nothing to envy in beauty, nature, history and monuments. A small village just outside the famous Sparta, at the foot of Taygetos, in the upper valley of Eurotas.
The name Anogeia means high-land (ano = up/high, gaia = land/earth).The history of Anogeia is not easy to find. Nevertheless, we know that it is located in the ancient area of Faridos, for which we find references in Homer, from the epoch of achaean Lacedaemon, something that confirms the archaeological finds in the surrounding area, such as the golden cups from the Royal vaulted tomb of Vafeios, in the area of Amycles, as well as other remarkable finds, from other also Mycenaean tombs in the area. Other findings, however, show even more old activity in the surrounding areas in chronologies lost in the depths of the past. Among fields, in various places, completely abandoned to the mercy of nature and the times, scattered and uncharted one can look for that preserved by ancient relics of Faridos.
Starting from Sparta, on the road Sparta - Gythion, in about 15 minutes after the historical (but also completely neglected) Amycles, as well as Alessia, where they say that Milis, the son of Lelegas, who first discovered the mill (Pausanias 3,20,2), as we proceed we find the exit to Anogeia, Paleopanagia, refuge Taygetos. We enter the provincial road Anogeia - Arna, with a beautiful landscape, like a painting, to welcome you. With a view in front of the huge Taygetos and behind the equally beautiful Parnonas, the two mountains that embrace Laconia. From the same road, in the evening you can see the lights of the village Toriza perched on Taygetos.
Going up to Anogeia we pass through fields, with rich olive groves and orange trees. We arrive at the village square, where we are greeted by two or three small shops, in a peaceful environment, offering coffee and food. where the village gathers in the afternoons, so that people can tell their news while enjoying the tranquility of the village, as children play in the church yard. In the center of the square we find the church of St. George, as well as a fountain with a lion's head, from which cool water constantly flows. From there, someone can walk to the village, get to know the Anogeiatika houses which are examples of traditional architecture and go to the mountain to the chapel of Agia Triada, through a beautiful natural path, which passes through cypresses, pines, oaks, while around one can find sage and various other aromatic plants of Taygetos.
You should go to the holy Monastery of Panagia Katafigiotissa, a small church name and thing, as as a refuge (katafigio = refuge) is in the rocks immersed in the bosom of the mountain, in a wonderful location with wonderful views.
The visitor can find many chapels on the road Anogeia - Palaiopanagia towards Xirokampi, such as those of Agios Nikolaos, Agia Varvara, Agios Ioannis Theologos, the church of the Ascension in the village of Palaiopanagia, as well as further in the village the church of Agios Stefanos and Agioi Theodoroi. The village of Paleopanagia, a small village, where someone passes to take the road to the refuge of Taygetos, has a beautiful square that in the old days was full of life. But today it gathers people, with the few shops in the square to give life to the village. Around the village dominate olive trees, vast olive groves and estates spanning all lengths and widths of the village.
On the other side of Anogeia, someone goes to Kalyvia Sohas, where you will find the church of Agios Dimitrios as the center and the village's square. From there the visitor can wander in literally unknown paths, unrecorded. As soon as you enter the village, you meet a sign that testifies to the antiquity and the importance of the site, since there was a sanctuary of Eleusinian Demeter. Of course no one can see it, since nothing has emerged from this great archaeological find and remains literally invisible, while only small remains remain so that someone very observant, can discover the location of the sanctuary. Kalyvia Sohas have three unknown castles. One is the Sohas tower located on a hill southwest of the village. The second is on the mountain in the middle between Kalyvia Sohas and Anavryti Laconia and the third on the mountain just above Kalyvia Sohas. One can only go with information from local people to these truly forgotten sites, which are lost in the depths of time, in a veil of mystery as little is known about these sites.
This is how someone understands that wandering in this triangle of Anogeia, Paleopanagia and Kalyvia Soha, is not just for tourists, but for travelers and even more so for explorers. After wandering around the surrounding parts of Anogeia, let's say that the area changes completely from season to season. In summer we find plenty of heat and rich nature with mulberry trees and other trees to cool the village, as well as various scattered small fountains. The village, like Taygetos itself, shines under the summer sun and shows a friendly and calm face, accessible to everyone. In winter, on the contrary, nature becomes wild, Taygetos becomes more inaccessible, more sullen and wild, but also more imposing, usually wrapped in snow and with a veil of mist to embrace it. The ravines are filled with water from the snow and so you hear from the village the waters flowing everywhere.
Just outside the center of the village, on the road to Paleopanagia, before leaving Anogeia, there is a ravine with very dense vegetation of plane trees. The road passes with a bridge, but a few meters further, next to a stone fountain, there is literally invisible and mysterious a bridge much older, like a small road, wrapped with Ivy, among the dense vegetation, unknown date and origin, seems like a lost monument in nowhere. The vegetation of the stream is willows, plane trees, poplars, fig trees, wildcurrants and shrubs. The inhabitants of all these ravines are by day ferrets, hawks, hares and many beautiful little birds that give a musical note to the space, while at night foxes, owls and bats, in the moonlight seem like a small parallel society.
Leaving Anogeia in Laconia, you will have a strange feeling that will make you want to go again, as if you have left something unexplored, something else that you have to go to discover, because it is a place that you do not just see and leave, but really discover, because if you make the mistake of just going and passing without asking, without walking, exploring, you will have lost almost all the magic of the place. A village with very friendly Lacones and many Lacones who live to Usa, Canada, Australia, Germany etc, who now return to their native lands. From the old people here you can learn stories, myths and legends of the region, as well as about how the place was in the older years. Of course, apart from explorations, historical and natural monuments, the village offers excellent products, as the Laconian oil is the true gold of Laconia, the meat is usually from shepherds of the place, as well as tomatoes, oranges and more. Also many events take place in the village especially in the summer, musical festivals, choirs and others, while all religious and national holidays are celebrated traditionally and with the participation of the whole village.
In our tributes to Taygetos and Eurotas, we have written other beautiful destinations, quite close to the triangle of our journey, natural and historical destinations, unique and special waiting for you to discover them.
Many people know the village Anogeia of Crete, but few people unfortunately know the Anogeia of Laconia, a village which has nothing to envy in beauty, nature, history and monuments. A small village just outside the famous Sparta, at the foot of Taygetos, in the upper valley of Eurotas.
The name Anogeia means high-land (ano = up/high, gaia = land/earth).The history of Anogeia is not easy to find. Nevertheless, we know that it is located in the ancient area of Faridos, for which we find references in Homer, from the epoch of achaean Lacedaemon, something that confirms the archaeological finds in the surrounding area, such as the golden cups from the Royal vaulted tomb of Vafeios, in the area of Amycles, as well as other remarkable finds, from other also Mycenaean tombs in the area. Other findings, however, show even more old activity in the surrounding areas in chronologies lost in the depths of the past. Among fields, in various places, completely abandoned to the mercy of nature and the times, scattered and uncharted one can look for that preserved by ancient relics of Faridos.
 |
| golden cups of Vafeios, National Archaeological Museum of Athens |
Starting from Sparta, on the road Sparta - Gythion, in about 15 minutes after the historical (but also completely neglected) Amycles, as well as Alessia, where they say that Milis, the son of Lelegas, who first discovered the mill (Pausanias 3,20,2), as we proceed we find the exit to Anogeia, Paleopanagia, refuge Taygetos. We enter the provincial road Anogeia - Arna, with a beautiful landscape, like a painting, to welcome you. With a view in front of the huge Taygetos and behind the equally beautiful Parnonas, the two mountains that embrace Laconia. From the same road, in the evening you can see the lights of the village Toriza perched on Taygetos.
 |
| church of Agios Georgios, center of Anogeia |
Going up to Anogeia we pass through fields, with rich olive groves and orange trees. We arrive at the village square, where we are greeted by two or three small shops, in a peaceful environment, offering coffee and food. where the village gathers in the afternoons, so that people can tell their news while enjoying the tranquility of the village, as children play in the church yard. In the center of the square we find the church of St. George, as well as a fountain with a lion's head, from which cool water constantly flows. From there, someone can walk to the village, get to know the Anogeiatika houses which are examples of traditional architecture and go to the mountain to the chapel of Agia Triada, through a beautiful natural path, which passes through cypresses, pines, oaks, while around one can find sage and various other aromatic plants of Taygetos.
 |
| lion's head fountain |
You should go to the holy Monastery of Panagia Katafigiotissa, a small church name and thing, as as a refuge (katafigio = refuge) is in the rocks immersed in the bosom of the mountain, in a wonderful location with wonderful views.
 |
| monastery of Panagia Katafigiotissa |
The visitor can find many chapels on the road Anogeia - Palaiopanagia towards Xirokampi, such as those of Agios Nikolaos, Agia Varvara, Agios Ioannis Theologos, the church of the Ascension in the village of Palaiopanagia, as well as further in the village the church of Agios Stefanos and Agioi Theodoroi. The village of Paleopanagia, a small village, where someone passes to take the road to the refuge of Taygetos, has a beautiful square that in the old days was full of life. But today it gathers people, with the few shops in the square to give life to the village. Around the village dominate olive trees, vast olive groves and estates spanning all lengths and widths of the village.
 |
| Palaiopanagia village |
On the other side of Anogeia, someone goes to Kalyvia Sohas, where you will find the church of Agios Dimitrios as the center and the village's square. From there the visitor can wander in literally unknown paths, unrecorded. As soon as you enter the village, you meet a sign that testifies to the antiquity and the importance of the site, since there was a sanctuary of Eleusinian Demeter. Of course no one can see it, since nothing has emerged from this great archaeological find and remains literally invisible, while only small remains remain so that someone very observant, can discover the location of the sanctuary. Kalyvia Sohas have three unknown castles. One is the Sohas tower located on a hill southwest of the village. The second is on the mountain in the middle between Kalyvia Sohas and Anavryti Laconia and the third on the mountain just above Kalyvia Sohas. One can only go with information from local people to these truly forgotten sites, which are lost in the depths of time, in a veil of mystery as little is known about these sites.
 |
| sanctuary of Eleusinian Demeter, Kalyvia Sohas |
This is how someone understands that wandering in this triangle of Anogeia, Paleopanagia and Kalyvia Soha, is not just for tourists, but for travelers and even more so for explorers. After wandering around the surrounding parts of Anogeia, let's say that the area changes completely from season to season. In summer we find plenty of heat and rich nature with mulberry trees and other trees to cool the village, as well as various scattered small fountains. The village, like Taygetos itself, shines under the summer sun and shows a friendly and calm face, accessible to everyone. In winter, on the contrary, nature becomes wild, Taygetos becomes more inaccessible, more sullen and wild, but also more imposing, usually wrapped in snow and with a veil of mist to embrace it. The ravines are filled with water from the snow and so you hear from the village the waters flowing everywhere.
 |
| stone fountain, Anogeia |
Just outside the center of the village, on the road to Paleopanagia, before leaving Anogeia, there is a ravine with very dense vegetation of plane trees. The road passes with a bridge, but a few meters further, next to a stone fountain, there is literally invisible and mysterious a bridge much older, like a small road, wrapped with Ivy, among the dense vegetation, unknown date and origin, seems like a lost monument in nowhere. The vegetation of the stream is willows, plane trees, poplars, fig trees, wildcurrants and shrubs. The inhabitants of all these ravines are by day ferrets, hawks, hares and many beautiful little birds that give a musical note to the space, while at night foxes, owls and bats, in the moonlight seem like a small parallel society.
 |
| old bridge, Anogeia |
Leaving Anogeia in Laconia, you will have a strange feeling that will make you want to go again, as if you have left something unexplored, something else that you have to go to discover, because it is a place that you do not just see and leave, but really discover, because if you make the mistake of just going and passing without asking, without walking, exploring, you will have lost almost all the magic of the place. A village with very friendly Lacones and many Lacones who live to Usa, Canada, Australia, Germany etc, who now return to their native lands. From the old people here you can learn stories, myths and legends of the region, as well as about how the place was in the older years. Of course, apart from explorations, historical and natural monuments, the village offers excellent products, as the Laconian oil is the true gold of Laconia, the meat is usually from shepherds of the place, as well as tomatoes, oranges and more. Also many events take place in the village especially in the summer, musical festivals, choirs and others, while all religious and national holidays are celebrated traditionally and with the participation of the whole village.
 |
| the misty village of Anogeia |
In our tributes to Taygetos and Eurotas, we have written other beautiful destinations, quite close to the triangle of our journey, natural and historical destinations, unique and special waiting for you to discover them.
 |
| running waters of Taygetos, Anogeia |
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