Holy Monastery of the Philosopher (Krifo Scholio)

It was founded in 963 AD by the chief secretary of the Byzantine Emperor Nikephoros II Phokas, Ioannis Lampardopoulos, who also gave the name “Philosopher” to the Monastery. In 1691, the Monastery was relocated (New Monastery) for easier access.
The Old Monastery is the most historic in Arcadia, and is also known as “Krifo Scholio”, since, according to tradition, a secret school operated there during the Turkish occupation, which later evolved into a great priestly school that operated in the New Monastery.

Famous from one end of the Greek territory to the other, the Holy Monastery of the Philosopher, besides being a religious beacon throughout the centuries, was also a source of education for thousands of people and leading figures of the church during the “dark” years of the Ottoman occupation in Greece.

Built on the sacred rock of Monopori, almost wedged on the ravine of the river Lousios, the Monastery of the Philosopher is a great monument of tradition, history and religiosity of the Greeks. It consists of two monastic complexes, the Old and the New one, which are located at a short distance from each other.

The Old Monastery of the Philosopher was founded in 963 AD by the chief secretary of the Byzantine emperor Nikephoros II Phokas, Ioannis Lampardopoulos, who was better known in the region as “Philosopher”. In fact, according to historical reports, the emperor himself became a monk at the Monastery after resigning from his office. In the sigillion of the Old Monastery, there is the first historical reference to Dimitsana.

Today, although it is in ruins, its katholicon is preserved, which is an excellent example of Byzantine art, with frescoes from the 14th century. In addition, remains of two turrets are preserved, one on the extreme left of the building and one on the right, as well as the supply pipe that brought water to the Monastery.

However, the fact that it was built on hard-to-reach terrain, which posed obstacles both to the supply and to the approach to the Monastery, is considered to this day as one of the main reasons for its relocation to a new, more accessible place, despite the economic boom it experienced during the 17th century.

Therefore, the Old Monastery of the Philosopher was moved to a new location further east, at about one kilometer. The New Monastery was founded in the year 1691, and according to the founding inscription placed above the lintel of the main entrance, it was built with the care and expense of the monks Pachomios, Grigorios and Parthenios, as well as of the abbot Anthimos. The archmaster of the Monastery, which today is a glebe of the Holy Monastery of Saint John the Baptist, was George Arvanitis, who came from Bithekouki in Northern Epirus.

Today, the tower, in which monks and visitors reside, is preserved in a very good condition, as well as the katholikon, dedicated to the Dormition of the Virgin Mary. The katholikon is in the form of crossed-dome plan of complex tetragonal type and has simple facades with poor ceramic decoration. The frescoes that adorn the temple are of Cretan style and are attributed to the painter Victor. It also has a remarkable wood-carved iconostasis.

Over the centuries, the Monastery of the Philosopher became a spiritual and educational center, even taking the nickname “krifo scholio” (secret school) since the years of the Old Monastery. Later, after its establishment in the new location, it developed into a significant hieratic school, from which 7 Patriarchs, 70 Bishops and approximately 3,500 scholars graduated. During the Turkish rule, according to tradition, it also functioned as a school for young Greek children who learned the language and the traditions before the liberation of the Greek territory.

The school operated in New Monastery until 1765 AD, and then it was moved to Dimitsana together with its great library. In 1834 AD, it was closed by a decree of the Regency, and specifically, of the responsible minister Schinas, who ordered its dissolution and the sale of its property.

In 1955, it was declared a preserved monument, while in 1992 it began to be radically renovated under the supervision of the Ministry of Culture. Today, it functions as a men’s monastery.

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Διαδρομες

Δημητσάνα - Μονή Ζωοδόχου Πηγής

Ιερά Μονή Ζωοδόχου Πηγής

Το γραφικό και ιστορικό χωριό της Δημητσάνας αποτελεί βασικό θεματοφύλακα ιστορικών και λαογραφικών παραδόσεων του ελληνικού γένους. Στη βιβλιοθήκη της, εκτός από τα εμπλουτισμένα με 35.000 τόμους βιβλίων ράφια.

Ιερά Μονή Τιμίου Προδρόμου

Χτισμένη στη βάση ενός απότομου κάθετου βράχου, περίπου 200 μέτρα από την όχθη του ποταμού Λούσιου, η Ιερά Μονή Τιμίου Προδρόμου, με την πλούσια ιστορία και προσφορά στον αγώνα των Ελλήνων για την απελευθέρωση, προκαλεί δέος σε κάθε επισκέπτη.

Ιερά Μονή Φιλοσόφου (Κρυφό Σχολειό)

Ιδρύθηκε το 963 μ.Χ. από τον αρχιγραμματέα του βυζαντινού Αυτοκράτορα Νικηφόρου Β’ Φωκά, τον Ιωάννη Λαμπαρδόπουλο, που της έδωσε και το προσωνύμιο “Φιλοσόφου”. Το 1691, η Μονή μεταφέρθηκε σε νέα τοποθεσία (Νέα Μονή) για ευκολότερη πρόσβαση.

Μονή Αιμυαλών - Ληνός Κολοκοτρωναίων

Ο ληνός είναι ένα παραδοσιακό αγροτικό κτίσμα που χρησίμευε σαν βοηθητικός εργαστηριακός χώρος ή σαν αποθήκη για τα σταφύλια και τον πρόχειρο βρασμό του μούστου.

Υπαίθριο Μουσείο Υδροκίνησης

Η νεροτριβή και ο αλευρόμυλος, το ρακοκάζανο, το βυρσοδεψείο και ο μπαρουτόμυλος, συνθέτουν τα κομμάτια ενός ολοκληρωμένου “παζλ” παράδοσης, το οποίο φιλοξενείται στο Υπαίθριο Μουσείο Υδροκίνησης.

Δημόσια Ιστορική Βιβλιοθήκη Δημητσάνας

Οικία Παλαιών Πατρών Γερμανού

Η οικογένεια του Παλαιών Πατρών Γερμανού εγκαταστάθηκε στη Δημητσάνα περίπου το 1720 και, σύμφωνα με πληροφορίες, διέμενε στην εν λόγω οικία μέχρι και το 1897.

Υπαίθριο Μουσείο Υδροκίνησης

Ιερά Μονή Αιμυαλών – Ληνός Κολοκοτρωναίων

Ιερά Μονή Ζωοδόχου Πηγής Στεμνίτσας

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Δημητσάνα - Μονή Τιμίου Προδρόμου

Αρχοντικό των Δεληγιανναίων

Το οίκημα δεσπόζει στον Πάνω Μαχαλά του ιστορικού χωριού Λαγκάδια, το οποίο, εκτός από σημαντικούς χτίστες, χάρισε στην Ελλάδα την περίφημη οικογένεια των Δεληγιανναίων, προεστών του Μοριά πριν από την Επανάσταση. Από την οικογένεια Δεληγιάννη προήλθαν και δύο Πρωθυπουργοί στα χρόνια μετά την απελευθέρωση.

Αγιονέρι

Σύμφωνα με όσα αναφέρουν οι γραφές ιστορικών της Επανάστασης, στις 20 Μαρτίου του 1821, στην περιοχή “Αλώνι του Καλλιντέρη” στο Αγιονέρι Γορτυνίας, οι Γεώργιος και Δημήτριος Πλαπούτας κήρυξαν τον απελευθερωτικό αγώνα ενάντια στον Οθωμανικό ζυγό.

Ιστορικός Πύργος Πλαπούτα

Ο ιστορικός Πύργος του Στρατηγού Πλαπούτα που έπαιξε σημαίνοντα και καθοριστικό ρόλο στην Επανάσταση του 1821 δεσπόζει αναστηλωμένος στο χωριό Παλούμπα, τη γενέτειρα του Δημήτριου Πλαπούτα

Ληνός των Κολοκοτρωναίων

Ιερά Μονή Τιμίου Προδρόμου Στεμνίτσας

Οικία Παλαιών Πατρών Γερμανού

Δημόσια Ιστορική Βιβλιοθήκη Δημητσάνας

Υπαίθριο Μουσείο Υδροκίνησης

Ληνός των Κολοκοτρωναίων

Ιερά Μονή Τιμίου Προδρόμου Στεμνίτσας

Dimitsana - Monastery of Zoodochos Pigi

Holy Monastery of Zoodochos Pigi

Built only ten years after the fall of Constantinople, the Holy Monastery of Zoodochos Pigi or Chrysopigi kept alive the flame of liberation during the difficult years when Greece was under Ottoman occupation.

Holy Monastery of Saint John the Baptist

Built at the base of a steep vertical rock, about 200 meters from the bank of the Lousios river, the Holy Monastery of Saint John the Baptist, with its rich history and contribution to the struggle of the Greeks for liberation, inspires awe in every visitor.

Holy Monastery of the Philosopher (Krifo Scholio)

It was founded in 963 AD by the chief secretary of the Byzantine Emperor Nikephoros II Phokas, Ioannis Lampardopoulos, who also gave the name "Philosopher" to the Monastery. In 1691, the Monastery was relocated (New Monastery) for easier access.

Aimyalon Monastery-Linos of the Kolokotronis family

A linos is a traditional agricultural building that served as wine press for the grapes and the rough boiling of the must.

Open-Air Waterpower Museum

The fulling mill and the flour mill, the still, the tannery and the gunpowder mill compose the pieces of a complete "puzzle" of tradition, which is housed in the Open-Air Waterpower Museum.

Dimitsana Historic Public Library

The picturesque and historical village of Dimitsana is a key depository of historical and folklore traditions of the Greek nation. In its library, apart from the shelves enriched with 35,000 volumes of books, the visitor can also admire important relics and memorabilia from various moments of the glorious past.

House of Germanos III of Old Patras

The family of Germanos III of Old Patras settled in Dimitsana around 1720 and resided in this house until 1897. Today, in the renovated building there are exhibits that are family heirlooms of the great hierarch, as well as excerpts from his autobiography.

Dimitsana - Monastery of Saint John the Baptist