East Mani ( Greek : Ανατολική Μάνη - Anatolikí Máni ) is a municipality in Laconia , Peloponnese , Greece . Its seat of administration is the town Gytheio (before 2011 the small town Kotronas ). It is a mountainous and rocky area. Its economy relies on fishing, olive oil and tourism.
41-480: East Mani comprises the southeastern part of the geographic and historical region of the Mani Peninsula , also known as Laconian Mani ( Λακωνική Μάνη ) or Inner Mani ( Μέσα Μάνη ), in juxtaposition with the northeastern part of Mani (Messenian or Outer Mani), which is covered by the municipality of West Mani . The town of Kotronas was founded in around 1500 BC. It emerged to become a major port. Kotronas
82-674: A continuation of the Taygetos mountain range, the western spine of the Peloponnese. There are many theories regarding the etymology of the word Mani. The most accepted one is that it represents the natural evolution of the medieval name of the region, which was Maini, of uncertain origin. The name "Mani" may come from the name of the Frankish castle le Grand Magne . The terrain is mountainous and inaccessible. Until recent years many Mani villages could be reached only by sea. Today
123-663: A few years, were reinstated in 2009. However, in December 2010 services ceased again due to the general suspension of railway services in the Peloponnese. Tripoli is home to the two largest Armed Forces bootcamps in Greece, one operated by the Hellenic Army and one by the Hellenic Air Force : the 251st Army Training Battalion and the 124th Basic Training Wing . Tripoli hosts three sport clubs with presence in
164-477: A hot-summer Mediterranean climate ( Köppen : Csa ). Ιt is located in the center of the Peloponnese , at the western border of a large basin (a polje at about 650 m in altitude, a length of ca. 30 km and a width between 12,5 and 2,5 km). The city is today the capital of the regional unit Arcadia (residents, city alone, ca. 30 000, district with hinterland ca. 47500, 2011 Greek census ). At its west
205-624: A large segment of the local population until the Greek War of Independence when they fled to the Turkish stronghold at Tripoli . Following the war Vardounia's Greek population was reinforced by settlers from Lower Mani and central Laconia. Administratively, Mani is now divided between the prefectures of Laconia (Kato Mani, Mesa Mani) and Messenia (Exo Mani), in the periphery of Peloponnesos, but in ancient times it lay entirely within Laconia,
246-466: A narrow and winding road extends along the west coast from Kalamata to Areopoli , then south to Akrotainaro (the pointed cape, which is the southernmost point of continental Greece) before it turns north toward Gytheio . Another road, that is used by the public buses of the Piraeus –Mani line, which has existed for several decades, comes from Tripoli through Sparta , Gytheio , Areopoli and ends in
287-514: A popular tourist destination. As they are partly underwater, visitors tour them in gondola -like boats. Gytheio , Areopoli , Kardamyli, and Stoupa are filled with tourists during the summer months, but the region is generally quiet during the winter. Many inhabitants work as olive farmers, and devote the winter months to the olive harvest and processing. Some of the villages in the mountains are less tourist oriented and often have very few inhabitants. The introduction of Christianity came late in
328-612: Is a geographical and cultural region in the Peloponnese of Southern Greece and home to the Maniots ( Greek : Mανιάτες , romanized : Maniátes ), who claim descent from the ancient Spartans . The capital city of Mani is Areopoli . Mani is the central of three peninsulas which extend southwards from the Peloponnese. To the east is the Laconian Gulf , to the west the Messenian Gulf . The Mani peninsula forms
369-805: Is also known for honey and extra-virgin olive oil , soft-pressed from partially ripened olives of the Koroneiki variety, which are grown on mountain terraces. Today the Mani's coastal villages are full of cafés and souvenir shops. The peninsula attracts visitors for its Byzantine churches, Frankish castles, sandy beaches and scenery. Some popular beaches during the summer are Kalogria and the beaches by Stoupa harbor, while Kardamyli and Agios Nikolaos have good pebble and sand beaches, too. The ancient tower houses of Mani ( pyrgospita ) are significant tourist attractions, and some offer accommodations for visitors. The Vlychada Caves at Pirgos Dirou, near Oitylo , are also
410-509: Is at the centre of the Peloponnese, Tripolis is a transportation hub. Corinth is 75 kilometres (47 miles) NE, Pyrgos 145 kilometres (90 mi) E, Patras 144 km (89 mi) NW, Kalamata 65 km (40 mi) SW, and Sparti 60 km (37 mi) S. Tripoli is mainly accessed from Athens and the rest of Greece through the A7 toll motorway , which runs northbound towards Corinth and southbound to Kalamata. An alternative toll-free route
451-506: Is included in a list of abandoned Byzantine sites from 1467, corresponding with the years after Mehmed's conquest of this part of Greece. However, following the Ottoman conquest of Morea , it seems that the cultural and administrative centre of the Tegean plain was moved from Mouchli to Drobolitza. This was development occurring some years after the conquest, sometime after 1467. After 1540,
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#1732772983590492-597: Is the -óggonas ending, a corruption of éggonos , "grandson". A skull of Homo sapiens dating to more than 210,000 years ago was found in the Apidima Cave on the western side of the peninsula. As of 2019 this was the oldest evidence of Homo sapiens in Europe. Neolithic remains have been found in many caves along the Mani coasts, including the Alepotrypa Cave. Homer refers to a number of towns in
533-549: Is the GR-7 which used to be the main highway to Tripoli before the construction of the motorway. The city is also accessed by GR-74 and GR-76 from Pyrgos and by GR-39 from Sparta . Tripoli is served by the metre gauge railway line from Corinth to Kalamata of the Hellenic Railways Organisation (OSE). The line was renovated and passenger services to Árgos and Corinth, which had been suspended for
574-682: The Despotate of the Morea . In 1460, after the fall of Constantinople , the Despotate fell to the Ottomans . Mani was not subdued and retained its internal self-government in exchange for an annual tribute, although this was only paid once. Local chieftains or beys governed Mani on behalf of the Ottomans. The first of these was Limberakis Gerakaris in the 17th century. A former oarsman in
615-554: The Gerolimenas port near Cape Matapan . Mani has been traditionally divided into three regions: A fourth region named Vardounia (Βαρδούνια) to the north is also sometimes included but was never historically part of Mani. Vardounia served as a buffer between the Ottoman-Turkish controlled Evrotas plains and Mani. A contingent of Muslim Albanian settlers were relocated to the region by the Ottomans. These settlers formed
656-937: The Peloponnese region as well as of the regional unit of Arcadia . The homonymous municipality had 44,165 inhabitants in 2021. In the Middle Ages the place was known as Drobolitsa, Droboltsá, or Dorboglitza, either from the Greek Hydropolitsa, 'Water City' or perhaps from the South Slavic for 'Plain of Oaks'. The association made by 18th- and 19th-century scholars with the idea of the " three cities " (Τρίπολις, τρεις πόλεις "three cities": variously Callia, Dipoena and Nonacris, mentioned by Pausanias without geographical context, or Tegea, Mantineia and Pallantium, or Mouchli , Tegea and Mantineia or Nestani, Mouchli and Thana), were considered paretymologies by G.C. Miles. An Italian geographical atlas of 1687 notes
697-566: The Venetian fleet turned pirate, he was captured by the Ottomans and condemned to death. The Grand Vizier pardoned him, on condition that he took over control of Mani as an Ottoman agent. Gerakaris accepted, using the opportunity to carry out his feud with the strong Maniot family of the Stephanopouloi: he besieged their seat at Oitylo , captured 35 of them, and had them executed. During his twenty-year reign, he shifted allegiance between
738-540: The 10th century to preach Christianity to the Maniots . Although the Maniots began to convert to Christianity century due to Nikon's preaching, it took more than 200 years, i.e. until the 11th and 12th centuries to eliminate most of the pagan Greek religion and traditions and for the Maniots to fully accept Christianity. After his sanctification by the Greek Orthodox Church, St. Nikon became patron saint of
779-731: The Greek uprising, Albanian mercenaries of the Ottomans slaughtered 3,000 Greeks in a few hours upon entering the city. Total massacre and destruction of the city was avoided after intervention of Osman bey, leader of the Albanian mercenaries. Before the Greek War of Independence , under the Ottoman name of "Tripoliçe", it was one of the Ottoman administrative centers in the Peloponnese (the Morea Eyalet , often called "pashalik of Tripolitsa") and had large Muslim and Jewish populations. Tripolis
820-579: The Mani as well as Sparta. Patrick Leigh Fermor wrote of them: Sealed off from outside influences by their mountains, the semi- troglodytic Maniots themselves were the last of the Greeks to be converted. They only abandoned the old religion of Greece towards the end of the ninth century. It is surprising to remember that this peninsula of rock, so near the heart of the Levant from which Christianity springs, should have been baptised three whole centuries after
861-632: The Mani region, and some artifacts from the Mycenaean period (1900–1100 BC) have been found. The area was occupied by the Dorians in about 1200 BC, and became a dependency of Sparta . After Spartan power was destroyed in the 3rd century BC, Mani remained self-governing. As the power of the Byzantine Empire declined, the peninsula drifted out of the Empire's control. The fortress of Maini in
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#1732772983590902-564: The Mani: the first Greek temples began to be converted into Christian churches during the 11th century A.D. A Byzantine Greek monk called Nikon "the Metanoite" ( Greek : Νίκων ὁ Μετανοείτε ) was commissioned by the Church in the 10th century (900's AD) to spread Christianity to areas such as Mani and Tsakonia , which had remained pagan . St. Nikon was sent to the Mani in the latter half of
943-414: The Ottomans. There is also evidence of a sizeable Maniot emigration to Corsica sometime during the Ottoman years. Petros Mavromichalis, the last bey of Mani, was among the leaders of the Greek War of Independence . He proclaimed the revolution at Areopoli on March 17, 1821. The Maniots contributed greatly to the struggle, but once Greek independence was won, they wanted to retain local autonomy. During
984-724: The Tripoli-Basin, the " Argon Pedion " (an almost separated side basin in the northeast of Tripoli), the Basin of Levidi and the Basin of Vlacherna Arcadia /Hotoussa/ Kandila ). The peculiarity of all plains and basins in Arcadia is the coincidence with intensive karstification : Water seeps into the underground, rather than eroding and draining the topography by surface waterways. All drainage runs through ponors (in Greek: καταβόθρες) and subterranean waterways. There are 45 ponors in
1025-775: The Venetians and the Turks. Following the failure of the Orlov Revolt , in 1776 Mani's autonomous status was recognized by the Porte, and for the next 45 years until the outbreak of the Greek War of Independence in 1821, eight rulers (" beys ") reigned over the peninsula on behalf of the Porte: As Ottoman power declined, the mountains of the Mani became a stronghold of the klephts , bandits who also fought against
1066-431: The above named basins. There are 7 ponors around Lake Taka. When winter rains are heavy, the ground is flooded or temporary lakes form, even today, as drainage through ponors is often slow which causes land cultivation delays. The municipality of Tripoli was formed at the 2011 local government reform by merging these 8 former municipalities, that became municipal units: The municipality has an area of 1,475.805 km ,
1107-454: The arrival of St. Augustine in far-away Kent . 36°33′32″N 22°25′49″E / 36.5590°N 22.4303°E / 36.5590; 22.4303 Tripoli, Greece Tripoli ( Greek : Τρίπολη , romanized : Trípoli ; Katharevousa : Τρίπολις , romanized: Trípolis ) is a city in the central part of the Peloponnese , in Greece . It is the capital of
1148-513: The city borders the thickly wooded mountain-area “ Mainalo ”. The Tripoli Basin has gradually been rainwater regulated (mainly after 1945) and turned into farmland. In the southwest floods, which appear in the basin occasionally after rainy winters, as in 2003, formed the temporary Lake Taka . This lake was regulated by a new pond, to retain water for irrigation. Because of its inland location and high altitude, Tripoli's climate has some continental characteristics, such as some very cold lows during
1189-547: The city is enclosed around the castle walls that were built during the Ottoman occupation of Greece . An industrial park has been built in the southwest. In the large Tripoli Basin and in vast parts of the wider geological formations of the Arcadian Highland tectonics in the dominant carbonate rock "Tripoliza" of the Peloponnese developed a special topography: There are several plains, "intra mountainous basins", even "closed basins": Besides small basins, there are
1230-520: The district dominated by Sparta . The Messenian Mani (also called aposkiaderi , a local expression meaning "shady") receives somewhat more rainfall than the Laconian (called prosiliaki , a local expression meaning "sunny"), and is consequently more productive in agriculture. Maniots from what is now Messenian Mani have surnames that uniformly end in -éas , whereas Maniots from what is now Laconian Mani have surnames that end in -ákos ; additionally there
1271-423: The focus seems to have changed from the fortress itself, to the settlement below it called Tarabluca , that would be the next political centre of the plain. French archaeologist visited the ruins of Tarabluca in 1829, and could still observe the ruins of Drobolitza at this time. In spring 1770 during a Greek uprising known as Orlov Revolt , the revolutionary armies were halted out of Tripolitsa. In retaliation for
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1312-418: The fort of Goriza e Mandi et Dorbogliza ; a subsequent Italian geographical dictionary of 1827 attributes the name Dorbogliza to the ruins of Mantineia ( Mandi ) and states that it is located north of Tripolizza . In 1463, it was spelled Droboliza and existed in ruins. The Ottoman Turks would later refer to the town and district as Tripoliça, Trepoliça, and Trapoliça. Little is known about Drobolitza, but it
1353-607: The independent Greek state was established in 1830, the old Ottoman buildings of Tripolizza, such as the walls, were completely destroyed or demolished. Tripoli was renamed and rebuilt and was developed as one of the main cities of the Kingdom of Greece , serving as the capital of the Arcadia district. During the 19th and the 20th centuries the city emerged to be the administrative, economic, commercial and transportation center of central and south Peloponnese. The city of Tripoli has
1394-575: The municipal unit 119.287 km . The municipal unit of Tripoli is subdivided into these communities: Tripoli is the flagship campus of the University of the Peloponnese , founded in 2000. UoP Tripoli is the location of the School of Economy , Management and Informatics , composed of the Department of Economics and the Department of Informatics and Telecommunications . Because it
1435-469: The reign of Ioannis Kapodistrias , they violently resisted outside interference, to the extent of Mavromichalis' sons killing Kapodistrias . In 1878 the national government reduced the local autonomy of the Mani, and the area gradually became a backwater; inhabitants abandoned the land through emigration, with many going to major Greek cities, as well as to western Europe and the United States. It
1476-779: The south became the area's centre. Over the subsequent centuries, the peninsula was fought over by the Byzantines , the Franks , and the Saracens . After the Fourth Crusade in 1204 AD, Italian and French knights (known collectively by the Greeks as Franks) occupied the Peloponnese and created the Principality of Achaea . They built the fortresses of Mystras , Passavas , Leuktron (Beaufort) , and Great Maina . The area fell under Byzantine rule after 1262, forming part of
1517-501: The winter months. Summer temperatures can exceed 38 °C (100 °F) and in winter temperatures below −10 °C (14 °F) have been observed on several occasions. Snow or sleet can occur several times between November and early April. Its main plazas are aligned with the main street and with a highway linking to Pyrgos and Patras . One of them is named Kennedy, the other is named Georgiou B' ( George II ). The southern part has its main street named Washington. The main section of
1558-616: Was formed at the 2011 local government reform by the merger of the following 4 former municipalities, that became municipal units: The municipality has an area of 619.277 km, the municipal unit 108.879 km. The population development of the municipal unit and the larger municipality East Mani are listed below. This Peloponnese location article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Mani Peninsula The Mani Peninsula ( ‹See Tfd› Greek : Μάνη , translit. Mánē ), also long known by its medieval name Maina or Maïna ( Greek : Μαΐνη ),
1599-512: Was named by Homer . Part of the Mycenaean navy that sent out to Troy was stationed there. When the Dorians took over Mani, Laconia and parts of Messenia, Kotronas' role as a major port was replaced by Gytheio . In the Roman period , Teuthrone, the ancient name of Kotronas, was a member of the Koinon of Free Laconians . Kotronas suffered greatly from pirate raids. The municipality East Mani
1640-417: Was not until the 1970s, when the construction of new roads supported the growth of the tourist industry, that the Mani began to regain population and become prosperous. Despite the region's aridity, Mani is known for its unique culinary products such as glina or syglino (pork or pork sausage smoked with aromatic herbs such as thyme , oregano , mint , etc. and stored in lard along with orange peel). Mani
1681-473: Was one of the main targets of the Greek insurgents in the Greek War of Independence, who stormed it on 17 October 1821, following the bloody siege of Tripolitsa , and exterminated the Muslim and Jewish populations. Ibrahim Pasha retook the city on June 22, 1825, after it had been abandoned by the Greeks. Before he evacuated the Peloponnese in early 1828, he destroyed the city and tore down its walls. After