Text and research by Giota Christoforou, translation by Eva Trombetas
So, who could have imagined that after climbing at an altitude of 1240 m. one would face a huge marble book of 24 pages. In fact, its pages always remain open, while on them are written the names of the immortal heroes. A tribute to 179 Zygovist fighters of Theodoros Kolokotronis. The book of 4 m. was created by Nikolaos Armakollas, and its material comes from white marbles of Thassos. This valuable attraction, weighing 25 tons, was evaluated by a special committee and triumphantly won its place in the Guinness Record.
And here begins the tour of the amphitheatrically beautifully built village that due to its wonderful fir-tree view, is called Zygovisti. The Kontogiannei family contributed to the creation of this small village in the 16th century. They arrived from their place, Messinia and came to a place where they could fight against the Turkish occupation. The village square is full of people on August 6th as the church of the Transfiguration of the Savior, built in 1810 within 4 months, celebrates. Besides, Arcadia is famous for its festivals, as are the Arcadians famous for their dancing and fun. The famous church has a chandelier, brought from the serai of Hursit Pasha, relic of the battle of Tripolis, as well as the remarkable wood-carved iconostasis.
The village is 5 km away from Dimitsana, and as it is said that traces of an ancient fortress could be seen up on the hill of the village, while at the same point there is the sanctuary of Artemis Callisti. Callisto, the beautiful daughter of Lycaon, was transformed into a bright star named Ursa Major also known as the Great Bear. The myth mentions the nymph Callisto, as faithful to the goddess Artemis and her virgin philosophy, so when Zeus managed to seduce her, she born Arcadas, who has given his name to Arcadia. Callisto was destined to be transformed twice according to the myth, one time by Zeus into a star and the second by Hera (wife of Zeus), into a bear.
The primary school of the village, built in 1830, is also a preserved monument. There are also two old Byzantine churches, Agios Nikolaos and Agios Ioannis Prodromos. I recommend that you sit for coffee in the village square, under the shade of plane trees, and enjoy the coming of spring chatting with the hospitable villagers.
There at the foot of Zygovisti and Zatouna, very close to Dimitsana, emerges a small valley, watered by Lousios river and beautifies the place with its greenery. There is Paleochori. It could characterize this small village, gem of the municipality of Dimitsana. Few inhabitants remained to dwell and rejoice morning and evening in the splendor of nature. Several of them emigrated for America, in the difficult years of the 1960s. But the hospitality of the few residents is reflected even in the small welcome sign at the entrance of the village. The large marble monument in the square, inscribes the names of all those who left for foreign lands, but they always think of their place. The fountain of the village is donated by the Greeks who living in other countries.
Every year, in October, for 17 years, the feast of tsipouro is organized, which is held in honor of all those people who tired to produce the goods of the earth. The feast is accompanied with revelry and dancing, just as befits the day and of course with a lot of tsipouro production of the Arcadian land (tsipouro is a greek brandy).
A village located few kilometers after Dimitsana, we seek the tree-lined slope of the stone-built village Zatouna. At the entrance of the village square (Tsagari square), we are welcomed by the church of Panagia Elovitissa, who took her name from the fir trees that surround the beautiful Zatouna. Next to it, impressive is the towering plane tree, a place of attraction for visitors, while opposite the primary school erected in 1919, by benefactors of the village, while today it operates as a Museum of Mikis Theodorakis.
Mikis Theodorakis stayed in Zatouna exiled, for 14 months, but only received well from the village and its inhabitants. His famous work, the "Ten Arcadians", in Zatuna, he wrote it and it became known worldwide. The International Museum hosts cultural events, while you will wander through objects of emotional value of the artist. Here, it is worth mentioning the municipal theater Mikis Theodorakis, which is located in Dimitsana and where concerts, festivals, theatrical performances take place.
Famous for its exports of skins, wool and silk, Zatuna, in April 1779, was attacked by the Albanians. In the inscription found in the cave, described the martyred nightmare of the inhabitants. Then the village experienced the abandonment as well as the migration of the locals for a new beginning. Fotakos, the faithful friend of Theodoros Kolokotronis, wrote: "Zatuna fed the Greek Revolution with skins, like Dimitsana with gunpowder".
Zatouna raised great people, such as the unforgettable actor, painter and prose writer Mimis Fotopoulos, actress Beata Asimakopoulou, painter Hatzigiannouli Katerina, writers such as Nikos Filis, politician Konstantinos Stephanopoulos, former president of the Hellenic Republic, but also Tsagaris Spyros who was the founder of the first newspaper agency in Athens. Also, in Zatouna were born fighters of 1821, such as Staikos Staikopoulos, a leather trader by profession, but also a hero. The heroic lad who was called the conqueror of the castle of Nafplio, on that rainy night in November, 1822. At his place of origin, outside his house, a commemorative plaque inscribes his name.
Just below the square stands impressive bell tower-clock, built in 1843. Zatouna is famous for good kaffes (kafe = coffee), of course with two FF, legacy grandfather to grandfather, of the Greek immigrant, to his children, along with the traditional cafe and the two FF in the kafe. Also, you will enjoy good food in the two taverns of the village, as well as tsipouro, in the other tavern, where was the haunt of Mikis Theodorakis.
And then go up the hill, to the chapel of Profitis Ilias, where is the highest point of the village. And because we refer to a landscape full of nature how it is possible to miss running waters and fountains, each with its name, such as Pano Vrisi, Pera Vrisi, Nerouli, Pyrgos and the Kolokotronaian Vrisi (vrisi = fountain).
There are three small villages near Zatouna that are worth getting to know. One of these villages, located 6 km from Zatouna and administratively belongs to the local community, is called Vlogos. Officially, since 1978, it is rightly called a traditional settlement, while retaining elements of the local architecture, as well as the wider area. Constantly, residents renovate the stone houses, adding infrastructure, since like the rest of the region, they open roads for forms of alternative tourism. According to the standards of the European Union and a study of architects, it is proposed as a place of complete protection. The village is surrounded by a forest with walnut trees, many years old.
If you close your eyes you can imagine the beauty of the place, all around the green color of nature and in the middle the white of the houses, a beautiful combination, alternating from the colors according to the seasons of the year. In the square of the village an old fountain quenches the thirst of visitors, while every year when our church honors the Transfiguration of the Savior, a big festival is organized with traditional music and food. In the village square, you will also see the church of Agios Georgios, built in 1815, as well as the primary school, which operated until 1969. In Vlogos there is a traditional stone guest house that offers comfortable accommodation, very good service and hospitality. From the balcony you can enjoy the unique view that this beautiful side of Arcadia.
Leaving Vlogos, we meet another quiet and picturesque village, which emerges through plane trees and walnut trees. They call it Melissopetra or Trestena. An arched fountain built in 1863 next to the church of Agios Athanasios, and opposite the traditional tavern, surround the village square. Following the alley after the fountain, there is an old mansion, which belonged to a wealthy family and is a typical example of architecture. Next to this house, there is the house of the composer Dimitris Mitropoulos, with the characteristic commemorative plaque with his name on it.
The church of Agios Ioannis, built in the 7th century, is one of the four temples that exist in Gortynia with so rare architecture. While, just outside Melissopetra, inside the rocks, there was an hermitage, as well as a chapel of the Virgin Mary. In this small village, great personalities and priests were born, such as archimandrite Eusebius Matthopoulos, who published the book "the destination of human" and who was a man, pious and full of love. In the village there is a monument in his honor. From Melissopetra also comes the archbishop of Patras and Ilia Ierotheos Mitropoulos. A spiritual who, from four years old, had as his desire to become a monk, while he learned to write and read the sacred symbols. The composer Dimitris Mitropoulos, who lived and grew up in the United States of America, was an internationally renowned artist.
The other small village is Panagia or Zerzova. You will find it at a distance of 10 km from Zatouna. Beautiful and well maintained churches of the village, patron saint of Agios Nikolaos as you enter the village, as well as Agios Georgios which is very close to it. A glance is enough for the visitor to admire the panoramic location of the village, as he will look up, from the arched fountain with the large trough and upwards to the stone houses with colorful flower courtyards, the stone-built square, while there is above the forest of trees and the chapel of Profitis Ilias. This place was once full of vineyards and olive trees, while nowadays remains of millstones, mills and winepresses testify to it. Do not think that this place does not have a place to sit down to eat, because it has a tavern called Zerzova. A tavern made with great taste, which due to its fine Arcadian menu, was voted as one of the best taverns in Greece.
Zerzova was called Panagia (the village), a name given to it by the Slavs. The church of Panagia is located a little further down and every year is honored on the 8th of September, with great pomp and traditional festival. It is also worth visiting the Folklore Museum of the village which opened in September 1999, with the care of the members of the Association of Panayiotes. These people curated and renovated an old laundry room, turning it into a museum, with exhibits and objects of everyday life of the villagers, household items, tools, objects from professions, accessible to the visitor, to put them even in operation. The visitor can also admire the primary school of the village and the church of Agios Athanasios.
So, who could have imagined that after climbing at an altitude of 1240 m. one would face a huge marble book of 24 pages. In fact, its pages always remain open, while on them are written the names of the immortal heroes. A tribute to 179 Zygovist fighters of Theodoros Kolokotronis. The book of 4 m. was created by Nikolaos Armakollas, and its material comes from white marbles of Thassos. This valuable attraction, weighing 25 tons, was evaluated by a special committee and triumphantly won its place in the Guinness Record.
And here begins the tour of the amphitheatrically beautifully built village that due to its wonderful fir-tree view, is called Zygovisti. The Kontogiannei family contributed to the creation of this small village in the 16th century. They arrived from their place, Messinia and came to a place where they could fight against the Turkish occupation. The village square is full of people on August 6th as the church of the Transfiguration of the Savior, built in 1810 within 4 months, celebrates. Besides, Arcadia is famous for its festivals, as are the Arcadians famous for their dancing and fun. The famous church has a chandelier, brought from the serai of Hursit Pasha, relic of the battle of Tripolis, as well as the remarkable wood-carved iconostasis.
 |
| church of the Transfiguration of the Savior, Zygovisti |
The village is 5 km away from Dimitsana, and as it is said that traces of an ancient fortress could be seen up on the hill of the village, while at the same point there is the sanctuary of Artemis Callisti. Callisto, the beautiful daughter of Lycaon, was transformed into a bright star named Ursa Major also known as the Great Bear. The myth mentions the nymph Callisto, as faithful to the goddess Artemis and her virgin philosophy, so when Zeus managed to seduce her, she born Arcadas, who has given his name to Arcadia. Callisto was destined to be transformed twice according to the myth, one time by Zeus into a star and the second by Hera (wife of Zeus), into a bear.
 |
| Zygovisti |
The primary school of the village, built in 1830, is also a preserved monument. There are also two old Byzantine churches, Agios Nikolaos and Agios Ioannis Prodromos. I recommend that you sit for coffee in the village square, under the shade of plane trees, and enjoy the coming of spring chatting with the hospitable villagers.
 |
| Zygovisti |
There at the foot of Zygovisti and Zatouna, very close to Dimitsana, emerges a small valley, watered by Lousios river and beautifies the place with its greenery. There is Paleochori. It could characterize this small village, gem of the municipality of Dimitsana. Few inhabitants remained to dwell and rejoice morning and evening in the splendor of nature. Several of them emigrated for America, in the difficult years of the 1960s. But the hospitality of the few residents is reflected even in the small welcome sign at the entrance of the village. The large marble monument in the square, inscribes the names of all those who left for foreign lands, but they always think of their place. The fountain of the village is donated by the Greeks who living in other countries.
 |
| Paleochori |
Every year, in October, for 17 years, the feast of tsipouro is organized, which is held in honor of all those people who tired to produce the goods of the earth. The feast is accompanied with revelry and dancing, just as befits the day and of course with a lot of tsipouro production of the Arcadian land (tsipouro is a greek brandy).
 |
| feast of tsipouro, Paleochori |
A village located few kilometers after Dimitsana, we seek the tree-lined slope of the stone-built village Zatouna. At the entrance of the village square (Tsagari square), we are welcomed by the church of Panagia Elovitissa, who took her name from the fir trees that surround the beautiful Zatouna. Next to it, impressive is the towering plane tree, a place of attraction for visitors, while opposite the primary school erected in 1919, by benefactors of the village, while today it operates as a Museum of Mikis Theodorakis.
 |
| Zatouna |
Mikis Theodorakis stayed in Zatouna exiled, for 14 months, but only received well from the village and its inhabitants. His famous work, the "Ten Arcadians", in Zatuna, he wrote it and it became known worldwide. The International Museum hosts cultural events, while you will wander through objects of emotional value of the artist. Here, it is worth mentioning the municipal theater Mikis Theodorakis, which is located in Dimitsana and where concerts, festivals, theatrical performances take place.
 |
| Mikis Theodorakis in Zatouna, 1968 |
Famous for its exports of skins, wool and silk, Zatuna, in April 1779, was attacked by the Albanians. In the inscription found in the cave, described the martyred nightmare of the inhabitants. Then the village experienced the abandonment as well as the migration of the locals for a new beginning. Fotakos, the faithful friend of Theodoros Kolokotronis, wrote: "Zatuna fed the Greek Revolution with skins, like Dimitsana with gunpowder".
 |
| Mikis Theodorakis Museum |
Zatouna raised great people, such as the unforgettable actor, painter and prose writer Mimis Fotopoulos, actress Beata Asimakopoulou, painter Hatzigiannouli Katerina, writers such as Nikos Filis, politician Konstantinos Stephanopoulos, former president of the Hellenic Republic, but also Tsagaris Spyros who was the founder of the first newspaper agency in Athens. Also, in Zatouna were born fighters of 1821, such as Staikos Staikopoulos, a leather trader by profession, but also a hero. The heroic lad who was called the conqueror of the castle of Nafplio, on that rainy night in November, 1822. At his place of origin, outside his house, a commemorative plaque inscribes his name.
 |
| statue of Staikos Staikopoulos in Nafplio |
Just below the square stands impressive bell tower-clock, built in 1843. Zatouna is famous for good kaffes (kafe = coffee), of course with two FF, legacy grandfather to grandfather, of the Greek immigrant, to his children, along with the traditional cafe and the two FF in the kafe. Also, you will enjoy good food in the two taverns of the village, as well as tsipouro, in the other tavern, where was the haunt of Mikis Theodorakis.
 |
| traditional kaffenio (kafenio = cafeteria) |
And then go up the hill, to the chapel of Profitis Ilias, where is the highest point of the village. And because we refer to a landscape full of nature how it is possible to miss running waters and fountains, each with its name, such as Pano Vrisi, Pera Vrisi, Nerouli, Pyrgos and the Kolokotronaian Vrisi (vrisi = fountain).
 |
| Pano Vrisi |
There are three small villages near Zatouna that are worth getting to know. One of these villages, located 6 km from Zatouna and administratively belongs to the local community, is called Vlogos. Officially, since 1978, it is rightly called a traditional settlement, while retaining elements of the local architecture, as well as the wider area. Constantly, residents renovate the stone houses, adding infrastructure, since like the rest of the region, they open roads for forms of alternative tourism. According to the standards of the European Union and a study of architects, it is proposed as a place of complete protection. The village is surrounded by a forest with walnut trees, many years old.
 |
| Vlogos |
If you close your eyes you can imagine the beauty of the place, all around the green color of nature and in the middle the white of the houses, a beautiful combination, alternating from the colors according to the seasons of the year. In the square of the village an old fountain quenches the thirst of visitors, while every year when our church honors the Transfiguration of the Savior, a big festival is organized with traditional music and food. In the village square, you will also see the church of Agios Georgios, built in 1815, as well as the primary school, which operated until 1969. In Vlogos there is a traditional stone guest house that offers comfortable accommodation, very good service and hospitality. From the balcony you can enjoy the unique view that this beautiful side of Arcadia.
 |
| church of Agios Georgios, Vlogos |
Leaving Vlogos, we meet another quiet and picturesque village, which emerges through plane trees and walnut trees. They call it Melissopetra or Trestena. An arched fountain built in 1863 next to the church of Agios Athanasios, and opposite the traditional tavern, surround the village square. Following the alley after the fountain, there is an old mansion, which belonged to a wealthy family and is a typical example of architecture. Next to this house, there is the house of the composer Dimitris Mitropoulos, with the characteristic commemorative plaque with his name on it.
 |
| Melissopetra |
The church of Agios Ioannis, built in the 7th century, is one of the four temples that exist in Gortynia with so rare architecture. While, just outside Melissopetra, inside the rocks, there was an hermitage, as well as a chapel of the Virgin Mary. In this small village, great personalities and priests were born, such as archimandrite Eusebius Matthopoulos, who published the book "the destination of human" and who was a man, pious and full of love. In the village there is a monument in his honor. From Melissopetra also comes the archbishop of Patras and Ilia Ierotheos Mitropoulos. A spiritual who, from four years old, had as his desire to become a monk, while he learned to write and read the sacred symbols. The composer Dimitris Mitropoulos, who lived and grew up in the United States of America, was an internationally renowned artist.
 |
| Arcadian from Melissopetra, internationally renowned conductor, Dimitris Mitropoulos |
The other small village is Panagia or Zerzova. You will find it at a distance of 10 km from Zatouna. Beautiful and well maintained churches of the village, patron saint of Agios Nikolaos as you enter the village, as well as Agios Georgios which is very close to it. A glance is enough for the visitor to admire the panoramic location of the village, as he will look up, from the arched fountain with the large trough and upwards to the stone houses with colorful flower courtyards, the stone-built square, while there is above the forest of trees and the chapel of Profitis Ilias. This place was once full of vineyards and olive trees, while nowadays remains of millstones, mills and winepresses testify to it. Do not think that this place does not have a place to sit down to eat, because it has a tavern called Zerzova. A tavern made with great taste, which due to its fine Arcadian menu, was voted as one of the best taverns in Greece.
 |
| tavern Zerzova |
Zerzova was called Panagia (the village), a name given to it by the Slavs. The church of Panagia is located a little further down and every year is honored on the 8th of September, with great pomp and traditional festival. It is also worth visiting the Folklore Museum of the village which opened in September 1999, with the care of the members of the Association of Panayiotes. These people curated and renovated an old laundry room, turning it into a museum, with exhibits and objects of everyday life of the villagers, household items, tools, objects from professions, accessible to the visitor, to put them even in operation. The visitor can also admire the primary school of the village and the church of Agios Athanasios.
 |
| Folklore Museum of Panagia |
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