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ACHAIA
History
With the decline of the Mycenaean
centres, Achaians from the Argolid came and settled here, founding
important cities. The region is named Achaia after them. Though
politically insignificant through most of antiquity, it started to play
a more dynamic role in 280 B.C., when the Achaian Confederacy was
created. In 146 B.C. the area fell to the Romans.
It embraced Christianity earlier than
the rest of Greece (St. Andrew the Apostle preached in Patras and was
martyred there). In 1205 it occupied centre stage with the founding of
the Principality of Achaia by the Franks. Before too long it passed to
the hands of the Palaiologues who ruled the Peloponnese from Mistra;
they were succeeded by the Turks in 1460. For a short period (1687 -
1715), the area was a Venetian colony. It was liberated in 1828.
A trip to Patras
Patras is the capital of the region or
prefecture. It owes its name to Patreas, chief of the Achaians. The city
is among the most important in Greece, and the largest in the
Peloponnese. It is also a major transportation centre, linking the
country with Italy and the Peloponnese with the Ionian islands. The city
extends from the shore up to the Castle. It is divided into two parts,
the upper and the lower, whose layout, parks and plazzas give it a
definite distinction. The old city, at the foot of the castle, still has
quite a number of attractive neoclassical houses, while the lower city
has many mansions, such as those housing the Municipal Theatre, the
Odeon, etc.
The Cathedral of St. Andrew, the city's patron, rises
majestically above the lower city. To the left of it stands an older
church built on the site of a Byzantine church that was destroyed by the
Turks. From here Trion Navarchon street leads to Psila Alonia - the
"balcony" of Patras - a lovely spacious square with slender
palm trees and a sun dial. Patras possesses a fine archaeological
museum, an art gallery and a printing museum. Dominating the city from
on high looms the ruined shell of the castle, whose grounds have been
transformed into a park. From here you have a view of the whole city and
the sea beyond. Patras' famous Carnival - a festive sampling of its
citizens' imagination, humour and high spirits - attracts thousands of
visitors every year. Finally, the city's innumerable pastry shops, its
quiet little cafes, its wide range of tavernas, its lively streets
bustling with locals, foreigners and transient travellers complete the
picture of Patras, beautiful and celebrated throughout Greece.
Life by the seashore
The coasts of Achaia are a delightful
concoction of picturesque villages, indented shores, gardens and shady
trees. A treat for the eye. While the heart of Achaia may be its
mountains, one cannot fail to hear its soul in the murmur of the sea.
Leaving Corinth, you take the coast road all the way to Patras. It's
more scenic than the National Road, since it's right on the water's
edge. You reach Akrata, a coastal village, set in lush surroundings on a
crystal clear sea. This was the site of ancient Aigai. In the
hinterland, a sight worth seeing is the post-Byzantine monastery of Agia
Triada (1715), which has well-preserved mosaics. Next come Platanos,
Trapeza, verdant hamlets, and Diakofto. This is where the funicular
railway leaves for Kalavrita. Continuing along the coast road, you see
the roofs of one village after another poking through the unbroken green
of the hillsides.
Stop for a while at Egion. In this town, which is divided into an
upper and a lower section, the old district near the shore is
interesting; an enormous plane tree noted by Pausanias on his travels
still reigns supreme. The church of the Virgin Faneromeni, built
according to designs by Schiller, lies in the upper town. Just outside
the town one can visit the chapel of the Virgin Trypiti, tucked into a
crevice in a rock. The parade of villages continues. Longos, with its
pebbly beach, Lambiri, with its lovely shore, Psathopirgos, a pretty
hamlet. Each one has its special role to play, its distinguishing
feature. And all of them have a little taverna or a quaint cafe where
you can relax for a while.
Right before Patras comes Rio, a
transportation hub, uniting the Peloponnese with Central Greece and
Epiros by car ferry. Jutting towards the sea, the old Venetian fortress,
the "Castle of the Morea", faded and ravaged by time, is the
first thing to strike the eye. Traversing Patras, continue along the old
Patras - Pirgos road. It is in good condition with a view of the sea and
passes endless stretches of sandy beach (Araxos) and charming villages
lapped in greenery. This little jaunt ends at Kalogria in time
for an afternoon dip and a rest on its white sand.
The mountains of Achaia
The mountain villages of Achaia are
scattered below its three highest peaks, Mts. Panahaiko, Erimanthos or
Olanos, and Aroaneia or Helmos. Set atop invisible plateaus or on
precipitous slopes amidst a riot of vegetation, these singularly lovely
and picturesque villages inspire wonder in the wayfarer.
Kalavrita
First Itinerary
One can get to Kalavrita by car from Patras, the coastal village of
Trapeza or by funicular from Diakofto. The Patras - Kalavrita road
passes by vineyards, olive groves and small, well-wooded hills. At a
certain point the landscape begins to change, becoming more mountainous
as the ascent to the magical mountains begins. Aromatic scents and cool
air win the visitor over immediately. Plane trees and walnuts stand out
to the right and left of the road.
Halandritsa: stone houses, courtyards,
narrow lanes, a ruined Frankish castle, countless churches, bell towers
with a Western touch. The heart of Achaia begins to pound. Next come the
villages of Katarrahtis, Kalanistra, Kalanos. Mihas, perched on a
hillside thick with walnut trees, catches your eye. You pass Kato and
Ano Vlassia, traditional hamlets built in 1660, and stop for a while at
Flamboura. A dirt road leads to the Monastery of Makellaria. An
inscription relates that the monastery was built by Velissarius,
Justinian's general, in 532. It contains a Byzantine icon of the Virgin,
endowed with a curious feature: from wherever you stand you have the
impression that the Virgin's eyes are following you.
Back on the main road, any one of the
many side roads you choose will take you to some forest, gorge of
Byzantine monastery. Kalavrita lies ahead. These places and their myriad
tiny villages are difficult to describe. To get to know them, you need
to get out of your car, walk through the streets, visit their castles
and churches, mingle with the people, take a drink with them and clink
your glasses in a toast. Only then will you hear the heart of Achaia
beat.
Second Itinerary
The trip on the funicular railway resembles a journey in a dream. Once
the train has left the tranquil, peaceful landscape of Diakofto, it
delves into the deep gorge of the Vouraikos river that runs down from
Helmos. Before long the little train is clutching the rails with its
"teeth". The higher you go the better you appreciate nature's
silent work. Enormous rocks, boulders gnawed by time, trees hanging from
the mountain slopes call forth awe and admiration. The first stop -
pause for breath - is at Trekilia for a quick cup of caffee; then on to
the village of Zahlorou at an altitude of 642 m.
This traditional village possesses a
rare natural beauty. The town of Kalavrita, the third stop on the
funicular, is spread out on the slopes of Helmos at an altitude of 750
metres. Numerous tall plane trees offer their welcome shade. They line
the streets like an arcade. The charming houses, streets, trees all make
you feel right at home. The town exudes tranquillity. Just outside town
a Venetian fortress, "the castle of Orea", stands atop a
bluff.
Mega Spileo
One can reach this monastery by road
from the village of Trapeza or by footpath from Zahlorou. It feels as
though the hand of God is leading you to the monastery. As soon as you
arrive, you stand speechless with the grandeur of nature. The view is a
perfect gift-offering from the monastery. You' re 1000 metres above sea
level. Behind you an enormous building resembling a fortress rises to
eight storeys within a gaping cavern in a towering clift; this is the
legendary monastery. Built in 362, it has since remained firmly wedged
in Greek history. The 17th century monastery church has wonderful, if
damaged frescoes, mosaic floors and a bronze door with relief
decoration. The icon of the Virgin Mary holding the Christ Child in her
right arm is a relief made of wax and mastich, attributed to St. Luke.
The monastery museum contains holy relics and treasures, an icon screen
of great age, carved wooden crosses, venerable manuscripts, Gospels, and
the like. The silhouettes of the monks with their long hair, full beards
and erect figures testify that another way of life - the ascetic way, so
different from our own - reigns here.
Agia Lavra
The monastery of Agia Lavra 5 km. from Kalavrita, is built at a point
which commands a view of the whole Vouraikos river valley. Constructe in
961 at an altitude of 961 metres, it once also had 961 monks. It was
here, from the present building dating from 1689, that the call for
"freedom of death" first rang out in 1821, commanding Greeks
to defend their heritage and throw off the Turkish opppressors. The
revolutionaly banner was raised in the garden under the historic plane
tree. The monastery church has a fine carved icon screen, frescoes
damaged by fire and the icon of Agia Lavra. Apart from the revolutionary
banner, the relics include a very old Gospel, a gift of Catherine the
Great; gold crosses; reliquaries and a valuable collection of early
Christian and ancient objects. On a hill opposite, a monument to the
heroes of the Revolution of 1821 looks down over the monastery.
Ski Centre
The Helmos Ski Centre lies 14 km. from Kalavrita on the main peak of
Helmos. It has two lifts to an equal number of lodges and slopes. Lift A
goes up to 1800 metres, while Lift B serves the higher peak (2440 m.).
From the higher lodge one can see the Gulf of Corinth, gleaming like a
huge lake; from the ridge of the mountain, Neraidorachi, almost the
whole Peloponnese lies at your feet. It is from Neraidorachi that one
makes the descent to the waters of the river Styx. According to myth,
the Styx marked the entrance to Hades. Its parents were Night and
Erebus. Today the loclas call it "Mavroneri" (Black Water),
because of its colour in the depths of the ravine where it flows. The
ancient Greeks believed it to be the fountain of immortality of the
gods.
The cave of the lakes - Kastria
A half-hour's drive from
Kalavrita,
near the village of Kastria, will bring you to the cave of the lakes. A
narrow passage takes you into a first small cave that broadens into an
enormous cavern 2 km. long with 15 miniature lakes formed by natural
dams. The stalagmites and stalactites with their extraordinary shapes,
the iridescent colours, the immense boulders, the small waterfalls and
the tiny lakes with their natural dams stimulate and delight the
imagination. And now let's take a trip to the cool green villages where
one can see antiquities (Klitoria, Likouria) or vestiges of Frankish and
Byzantine rule. Each village has a precious gift to offer, something
truly beautiful. You'll find so many springs on the way. Here and there
wayside shrines. Sometimes a flock of sheep will block your passage on
the road and you'll hear the cautionary growl of the sheepdog, but the
friendly nod of the shepherd will accompany you to the nearest hamlet.
Near by the village Pagrati, there is the famous "vine branch"
of Pausanias, with very big branches, dating back to thousands of years.
After that you'll spy villages climbing up a ravine (Aroania, 930 m.),
others smothered in fir trees (Kertezi, 1050 m.). The houses are all
made of stone, with roofs of tile. If you look hard, you'll even find
traditional houses with towers. All the villages have their main square,
fountain with gushing water, little cafe or taverna. Kertezi is renowned
for its bean soup and glorious wine. And each place has a story to tell,
whether about its Byzantine church and miraculous icon, its local castle
or distant myth. Whoever you meet will greet you like a dear old friend.
And it won't take long before you really are friends. It will be hard to
drag yourself away. The country folk are a warm presence in Achaia.
Their tables are laden with bread, olives, cheese, wine and kindness.
How to get there
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