Andritsaina

Infobox Greek Dimos
name = Andritsaina
name_local = Ανδρίτσαινα


periph = West Greece
prefec = Elis
province =
population = 2152
population_as_of = 2001
population_ref = [http://web.archive.org/web/20060413201756/http://www.statistics.gr/gr_tables/S1100_SAP_1_monimos2001.htm source]
pop_dens = 16
area = 131.2
elevation = 705
lat_deg = 37
lat_min = 39
lat_hem = N
lon_deg = 21
lon_min = 54
lon_hem = E
postal_code = 270 61
area_code = 26260
licence = ΗΑ
mayor =
website =


caption_skyline =
city_

city_

districts =
party =
since =
elevation_min =
elevation_max =

Andritsaina ( _el. Ανδρίτσαινα), also Andritsena is a community and a municipality located in the southeastern part of the Elis Prefecture in the middle of a highway, GR-76 between Krestena and Megalopoli. The road in the town is narrow with only one lane from the circle to the eastern part of the village. It is also the seat of the province of Olympia. The distance from Krestena is around 45 km SE and 62 km SE of Pyrgos, 47 km SE from GR-9/E55, about 25 km SW of Karytaina and about 280 km SW of Athens, 45 km NW of Megalopoli and the old GR-7/E55 and NE of Figaleia, the Temple of Epicurian Apollo and Vassai. The prefecture of Arcadia borders Andritsaina to the north and east. The area in ancient times used to be in Arcadia. Andritsaina belongs to the administrative prefecture of Ilia.

General information

Andritsaina is a village with a long history; it flourished mainly during the occupation of the Franks (12th-13th AD) and is mentioned in the chronicles of Moreas. The village played a crucial role during the Orlov Revolt and the Greek War of Independence. In 1826, Andritsaina was destroyed by Ibrahim's troops.

How the village got its name

According to tradition, Andritsaina owes its name to the wife of a Cretan shepherd named Andritsos or Andrikos, who-chasing his runaway sheep-came to a spring on mount Lykaion. There he built a hostel that after his death was kept by his wife Andrikaina (meaning "the wife of Andrikos"). From her name and from the local pronunciation of "ke" as "tche", the small hotel was named "the hostel of Andritsaina". When houses were built in the surrounding area, the settlement was named "Andritsaina".

Description of the village

Today, the village impresses the visitor by its old mansions, its cobbled streets and its square ("plateia"), surrounded by tall trees and with a magnificent view of the nearby mountains. I Trani Vrysi (literally meaning "the Great Tap") is located on the opposite side of the "plateia" and is the Peloponnese's oldest tap, built in 1724. The famous library built in 1840 by the donations of a humanist living in Paris with roots from Andritsaina named Agathofron Nikolopoulos is located in Andritsaina. Its collection comprises rare 16th and 17th century manuscripts, rare Greek or foreign books, important documents from the period of the Greek War of Independence and rich folklore material. Today, the library has more than 40000 books.

Itineraries

The Temple of Epicurian Apollo is easily accessed from Andritsaina as it is located only 14 km from the village. One can also visit the ancient Arcadian city of Figaleia located near today's Pavlitsa, as well as the river Neda.

Nearest places (commune)

*Karytaina NW
*Sklirou N

ubdivisions:

*Karmi
*Myloi
*Sykies

Municipal districts

*Andritsaina
*Chelidoni
*Dafnoula
*Dragogi
**Kastrougaina
**Plateia
*Fanari
*Koufopoulo
*Linistaina
*Matesi
*Theisoa
*Rovia
*Sekoula
**Baleika
*Amygdalies

Population:

The population fell to 575 people.

History

Andritsaina was ruled by the Venetians and the Ottomans. It became a part of Greece after the Greek War of Independence. Its economy grew steadily during those years. Andritsaina was paved with asphalt in the 1930s. After World War II and the Greek Civil War, its buildings were reconstructed. In the late 20th century, a greater part of the town was asphalted. Electricity, radio and automobiles were introduced in the mid-20th century, television in the late-20th century and computer and internet at the turn of the millennium. The Olympic flame which was for the 2007 Summer Olympics passed through the town along with the surrounding villages by the road or highway in April 2004 not long after the start of the route. The flame stopped for a night and moved on to the GR-7 and Messinia the next day.

The area around Andritsaina was struck by a dangerous fire in the summer of 2007 that destroyed the surrounding area. The fire came northwest from Alifeira and south from Vasses. The fire destroyed almost every part of the forest. However, the fire did not affect the villages Theisoa and Matesi in the northeastern parts, where no damages were reported. The fire broke out on Saturday August 25 and Sunday August 26 2007 and continued for several hours. The rebuilding of the vicinity are in progress, portions will be replanted, few of the houses will be rebuilt.

Famous persons originating from Andritsaina

*Panagiotis Anagnostopoulos, a revolutionary leader
*Anastassios Christopoulos, a revolutionary leader
*Athanassios Kanellopoulos, politician

Other

The community has a school, a high school and a senior school, many churches, a library (Nikolopoulios Library) and a traditional square ("plateia") with a statue and a tree. The area west of Andritsaina is mainly covered with grass and bushes. Pine trees are found in the east, south and north. Three mountains surround the town and north of Andritsaina is the Alfeios River. The road to Epicurium and Figaleia is about 500 m west.

External links

* [http://www.gtp.gr/LocPage.asp?id=4632 GTP - Andritsaina]
* [http://www.gtp.gr/LocPage.asp?id=4631 GTP - Municipality of Andritsaina]
* [http://www.caingram.info/Greece/Pic_htm/andritsena.htm Andritsaina Village]
*Geographic coordinates: coord|37|38|49|N|21|54|14|E|region:GR

References

* "Mount Lykaion throughout the centuries", K. Potamianos, Kotylion Association edition, Athens 2005.

External links

* http://www.agrotravel.gr/agro/site/AgroTravel/t_docpage?doc=/Documents/Hierarchies/areaofinterest/Ileia/andritsaina&sub_nav=Lodgings

ee also

*Communities of Ilia