2 nd GYMNASIUM OF MESSINI

TOURISM AND ENVIRONMENT

CURRENT STATUS OF TOURISM IN MESSINIA  Almost exclusively happens during the summer months  Sufficient infrastructures  Numerous beautiful beaches

ARCHAEOLOGICAL MONUMENTS AND OTHER SIGHTSEEING  Ancient Messini  Polilimnio  The Castles (Methoni, Pylos, Kalamata, Koroni)  The beaches

ANCIENT MESSINI

Ancient Messini  Ancient Messini is located 30km, northwest of Kalamata and 20km north of Messini. It was one of the biggest cities in Greece during the Hellinistic and Roman years. It was the capital of the free Ancient Messini.

ANCIENT MESSINI  The ancient area is grouped for the needs of better understanding in units such as the theater, the market, the stadium, the Iroo, the krini, the Ikies and the byzantine construction areas.  The modern place is meant to be the two closest housing areas which are: the kinotita and the arsinoi.  Fortunately, Ancient Messini never got destroyed or covered by modern housing areas. That’s why the continuous excavations bring to light more evidence about the history of the people who built it and lived there until the invasion by the Goths in 395 a.c.

ANCIENT MESSINI  The Arcadian gate  The Theatre  The Stadium  Asklipios’ buildings

THE ARKADIAN GATE  It is maintained in a rather good condition. The city’s trademark is the two square towers that protected the outside entrance from the east and the west.

THEATRE  The theatre of Ancient Messini( the theatre) was constructed in 3 phases starting from the 3 rd century B.C. until the 3 rd century A.D. ; it took its current form during the roman years.

STADIUM  The Stadium belongs to one of the most marvelous construction complexes in terms of preservation. The south part of the Stadium includes 18 rows of seats. An undetachable characteristic of the Stadium is the row. It is located north of the Stadium.

ASKLIPIO  It was the most conspicuous site in Messini, the centre of public life, operating at such a long side the nearby agora.  More than 140 pedestals for brome slather, mincingly for political figures, end 5 diases surround the Doric order temple and the altar, while many are placed along the stars.  The Acklipia consists of an almost square open area with 4 internal stocks, open to the central open-air countryard.

POLILIMNIO

POLILIMNIO  Polimnio which is located in Boufradas municipality, 32 klm from the capital of the country, Kalamata, is a small paradise surrounded by lakes, vineyards and olive tree fields. A virgin area in the country of Messinias that is characterized by the unspoilt nature and the crystal clear turquoise waters.

POLILIMNIO At this place there have been some interventions, like the construction of two parking areas in two different places of the gorge and simple path, making it accessible to the people: The biggest lakes of the area: Mavri Limna Mavrolimna Kadi Kadoula Panagou Italou Stathoulas

POLILIMNIO The first lake is Mavri Limna. The view here is peaceful with planes all around. Springs flow in to the lake from every point. Mavrolimna is as big as Mavri Limna but is more impressive because it is surrounded by steep slopes and rocks and it has four small waterfalls at its entrance. Kadi. West of the lake at its entrance is the 25 meter imposing waterfall. The depth of the lake is undefined. Under Kadi there is one beautiful lake called “child of Kadi or Kadoula”.

POLILIMNIO The lake was named after an Italian who drawned there during the occupation. On the left side of the lake there is a small waterfall with a special flow. Panagos lake is named after a man names Panagos, who drawned in the lake. The lake has a circular shape band is surrounded by rich vegetation. Stathoula lake is a lake of an oblong formation approximately 20 metres long and 7 to 8 metres wide. The vegetation is rich. On the south side of the lake are the steep hillsider.

POLILIMNIO

CASTLES OF MESSINIA

 Kalamata  Pylos  Methoni  Koroni

CASTLE OF KALAMATA  In 1500 b.c, on the rock, Acropolis, of the current castle of Kalamata prince Faris founded his kingdom as well as his town, named after him, Farai. During the 6 th b.c century, on the ancients ruins of the town of Farai, the Christians built a church to which they vowed a picture of Virgin Mary. Because of her beautiful, black eyes Mary (Kalomata means beautiful eyed in Greek). The town of Farai was named Kalamata after “kalomata” Virgin Mary.

FRANKS PERIOD  When, in 1205, Kalamata and its castle were enslaved by the Frank conquerors, the rock of Acropolis of the ancient Farai was fortified with thick stone walls and become a fortress. (and mainly the side of the church they used it for maition, they put around ts walls 2,5 meters fat and they built a tower with a lot of flors). The church was used as a mold. Around it thick walls of 2,5 meters were erected and a multi- storey tower was built.  The first floor of the tower was on the top of the church dome.  The Frags ruled Kalamata for 255 years. They came in 1205 and they were driven away by the Turkes in 1460.

CASTLE OF PYLOS  The Οthomans began building the castle of Pylos in 1575 by aim of its construction was to control the north entrance into the cove of Navarino. It was named Niokastro contrury to the castle of Koryfasio, which controlled the west entrance and the old harbor. It stayed in the possession of Turks until 1686, when it was given to Veneti. In 1715 the Turks recaptured Newcastle together with Koroni and Palionavarino. After Greece liberated, it was used as a prison before being handed to the Archeological office.

THE CASTLE TODAY  In its current from it consists of the hexagonal acropolis and its rampart two quadrangular bastions. Within the walk very few buildings have been saved from destruction

CASTLE OF PYLOS  In 1998 the place was given to the Authority of Marine Antiquities. The visitor has the chance to see the castles acropolis, the temple of Metamorfosi Sotiros  During the years , Niocasto was renovated extensively.

CASTLE OF METHONI  The imposing castle of Methoni is situated on the southwest point of peloponnisos in the country of Mesinia. The harbor of this fortified town has been famous since the years.

CASTLE OF METHONI  The name of the city and its citizens’ was chosen by Pausanias to be Methoni, named after his daughter Enea and after the island which was near the city and was called “Mothon lithos”.  Later the city was fortified and favored by many emperors.

CASTLE OF METHONI  Today the walls of city still stand imposing. The castle of Methoni occupies all South Western corner.

CASTLE OF KORONI  The castle which was given as a feud to Vileardouinous family did not remain the possession of Franks for long. In 1206 Veneti, who were looking for new naval stops for commercial reasons succeeded in conquering Koroni

TURKS PERIOD  In 1500 Bagiazit conquered the castle of Methoni and the people in Koroni were so terrified by the slaughter in Methoni that they finally surrendered. In 1532 Koroni was conquered by the allied navy of king Charles the 5 th.  The ruins of the castle, a silent witness of all evils that were bestowed upon Pelloponisos during the ruling by the Eneti and the Turks, today are ravaged.

THE CASTLE TODAY  You can go up the castle quite easily if you follow the path going through the cobble – stone pavements. The main entrance of the castle is in the north side.  There are no inhabitants living in the castle today apart from a couple of families who live in houses which have been rebuilt or renovated.

MESSINIAN MANI

 The area of Messinian Mani has 6000 inhabitants and consist of 19 districts the capital of which is Kardamili

THE VILLAGES OF MANI  Two of the main villages are Kardamile and Stoupa.  In Kardamile the old town with its inhabited towers has been preserved.

 There we find the postbyzantine church of Agios Spyridon the bell of which was looted by pirates.

 Stoupa is characterized as the fairy of the Messinian bay. It is newly founded village which developed quickly in a famous tourist attraction the picturesque beaches attract the visitors from all over the world.

 Finally the main beaches in the municipality, safe for swimming with clean water are Ritsa, Kalamitsi, Foneas, Kaminia, Kalogria, Stoupa and Platis ammos.

MESSINIA’S BEACHES

MAIN FEATURES  Easily accessible  Boast translucent water  Many touristic facilities

MESSINIA’S BEACHES  The beaches in Messinia are countless, and cater for every taste.  White sand, thick pebbles, steep rocks.  A big impressive beach is the one in Kalamata. The big beach with the palm trees and the colorful umbrellas along the boulevard of Navarinou is one of the most beautiful sports for a walk in Kalamata.

 Another wonderful beach is Agios Nikolaos beach. The beach consist of a fine pebbles.  Messinis beach, Bouka is one of the biggest and best organized beaches of messinia’s. It is a large area covered with fine pebble, and many facilities.  Finally, another wonderful beach is Finikounta’s beach. In the center of Finikounta you will find the beach full of tourists. Beautiful sand and amazing waters are the reasons why people prefer it. MESSINIA’S BEACHES

TAYGETOS  The range of Taugetos, has long now been connected to the ancient Greek mythology and was named after Taygeti one of the seven Atlantides or Pleiades, daughters of Atlanta and Pleoni.  During the Byzantine years Taygeto’s name Pentadaktylos because of its five tops.  The range of Taygetos is 115km long, 30km maximum wide and covers an over of 2500 km which consists of four main parts a)the north, b)the middle east, c) the west and d) the south Taygetos that forms the peninsula of Mani.

TAYGETOS  Taygetos consists mainly of linestones and marble, while it is rich in water.  The climate is generally mild with immense snowfalls during the winter.  The biggest part is covered with trees and pines and has a big number of streams and small rivers.  Taygetos shows a big variety of flora and fauna because of its size with 25 exclusively native species while it is a crossroads for the migrant birds.

TAYGETOS  Taygetos like most mountains in Greece faces environmental problems, for effuse land clearings and overgrazing, which unfortunately has prevented the nature process of tree regeneration.  Also quarrying activities road construction works and arbitrary building can cause irreparable changes to the environment.  In Taygetos there are still small villages of distinct local color and it still operates an a shelter at the altitude of 1600 meters.

RESEARCH RESULTS

Do you believe that our beaches are clean and accessible to the visitors?

The morphology of Messinia affects tourism?

Are there sufficient infrastructures and facilities capable of covering the needs of tourism in our area?

TourEn Project Team STUDENTS: Galanopoulou Kontantina, Douroumi Antonia, Dimopoulos Giorgos, Karteroliotis Dimitris, Mouselinou Georgia, Mouselinos Spiros, Polixronis Vasilis, Nikolopoulos Giannias, Douroumis Panagiotis, Tsami Eleni, Farmaki Anastasia, Poulakou Eleftheria, Papakotsi Lydia, Sourilas Aleksandros, Stasinopoulou Vasiliki, Routsis Aleksandros, Kiriakakis Marios, Mourikis Panagiotis TEACHERS: Zevgitis Thodoris, Cronias Giorgos, Mitropoulou Georgia, Klabatsea Spiridoula