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Stemnitsa (Template:Lang-el) is a greek village in the northwestern Arcadia,in Peloponnesos. It is located 220 kilometers (approx. 137 miles) from Athens, the capital of Greece. It is the seat of the municipality of Trikolonoi, which also includes the surrounding villages of Syrna, Pavlia, Palamari and Ellinikon. It 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 Dimitsaina. Trikolonoi had a municipality population of 1,260 in 2001. Its nearest neighbouring 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 slopey hills. It has approximately 3 to 5 km of hydro lines. Its main shops and buildings are within the main road.

Stemnitsa is nested in the mountain range of Mainalon (altitude 1050 m). It is located 45 kilometers south-west of the capital of Arcadia, Tripolis. The village is connected by a road connecting Karytaina and 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, from Magnisia of Asia Minor, who was travelling in Greece, 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. During 746 A.D. the Black Plague killed many of the inhabitants of Peloponnesos and in an effort to increase its population the emperor of Constantinople, Konstantin E., decided to permit Slavs to migrate there. That is how the subsequent name of the village "Stemnitsa" came into being meaning a thick forest shaded with tall trees.

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. The first mention, some say, of the word Stemnitsa, was found in Turkish taxation documents dated 1512-1515 where the number of families appeared to be about 120. This information was found and published by professor John Alexandropoulos. In the Grimani Venitian 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, despite the lack of any serious effort for their proper maintenance. 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.

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 Turks.

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 Turkish 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 Peloponnisian 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.

The Greek government has established a public funded school where young adults can learn to make jewelry from silver and gold. The first director of the school was Lambis Katsoulis. Currently about 20-30 students are trained there every two years, tuition free. In April 1996 the Pan-European Council of Silver and Gold was held in Stemnitsa.

Prominent figures include Dimitrios Thanopoulos,who won a silver medal in Greco-Roman wrestling at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles.

Nearby,7 kilometers from Stemnitsa, down by the ravine of the river "Lousios" one can find the holy monastery of St. John the Forerunner (Prodromos) built, according to some sources, around 1167, on the side of the mountain rock and it appears to be hanging there as an eagle's nest. Built in such an out-of-the way place it served as a center of faith and education for the enslaved Greeks during the Turkocracy. Since 1960 one can drive to about 800 yards from the monastery. Later on road ways were built to make the monastery accessible from the neighboring villages of Dimitsana, and Ellinikon. This easy access to the monastery, some would say, has destroyed the essence of the monastery, that of being a place of silence for prayer. About 200 yards below the monastery, is the river Lousios with its roaring crystal clear waters. Near the monastery are the excavations of an ancient hospital built in honor of the god of medicine, Asklipeios.

One can find a museum of Folk Art in Stemnitsa established through the effort of Mr. 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.

Another organization which is also responsible for the beautification of Stemnitsa is the Cultural and Beautification Organization Politistikos kai Exoraistikos Syllogos Stemnitsioton "Ypsountas". This group of "patriotes" was headed for many years by the visionary Basili Papaxeimona and has beautified every corner of Stemnitsa with rebuilt or repaired fountains, bridges, walkways, etc. This organization is also in charge, I believe, of the local cultural center "The Nikoletopouleion" and of organizing a number of other events which take place during the year, but mainly during the months of July and August.

Information

The village was known by the name of Hypsous (Υψούς) until about the time of the Black Plague. In the 1500s, it was the most populated village in Gortynia. This was the place of birth of Greek Prime Minister Gennaios Kolokotronis in 1803.

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

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 also has a silvery school (see Stemnitsa Silvery School).

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

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.

Municipal districts

• Elliniko
• Palamari
  • Psari
• Pavlia
• Stemnitsa
• Syrna or Sirna
  • Ano Kalyvia

Population history

The municipality today covers about 39.44% of the municipal population.

Other

Stemnitsa has a school, a lyceum (middle school), churches, a post office and a few squares (plateies).

External links

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

See also

• Communities of Arcadia

Template:Arcadia

1. De Facto Population of Greece Population and Housing Census of March 18th, 2001 (PDF 39 MB). National Statistical Service of Greece. 2003.

• Cities and towns in Arcadia
• Trikolones