- Palaio Loutro
Palaio Loutro (Παλαιό Λουτρό) is a small mountainous village situated in the prefecture of
Messinia ,Peloponnese , SouthernGreece . It is located a few kilometres from Hora, the site of Nestor's Palace, and the seaside port ofPylos . Palaio Loutro means 'old bath' in reference to the river that runs between the village and a mountain the locals refer to as 'to koufiero'.Before
World War II , Palaio Loutro had a thriving agricultural community. It suffered immensely from the occupation of Greece between 1941 and 1944; residents fled Nazi forces and sought refuge in the nearby mountains when Palaio Loutro was set alight to avenge the death of German troops in the area as a result of battles with theGreek Resistance . The village also suffered as a result of theGreek Civil War that ravaged Greece in the from 1946 until 1949.In the 1950s and 1960s, many of its young people emigrated primarily to
Australia but also to theUnited States andGermany . Others left for nearby larger Messinian towns and to the prefecture's capital,Kalamata . Many also settled in Greece's capital,Athens .Palaio Loutro is known for the river that passes near the village, its scenic views and its annual
patron saint festival (panigyri) held in the summer that attracts many visitors, including children and grandchildren of the village's former residents. In recent years, former residents of the village and their descendants have begun rebuilding their ancestral homes which are used in the summer months.The town has two churches,
Saint Demetrius and Saints Anargyroi (Cosmas and Damian ). The latter was carved out of the mountain facing the village and many residents sought refuge there when Palaio Loutro was set alight by the Nazis in World War II.References
ee also
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Communities of Messenia
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