Dimitsana is a historic village in the Peloponnese, capital of the province of Gortynia in the prefecture of Arcadia. With the implementation of the Kallikratis plan, it is the seat of the Municipality of Gortynia. Its population according to the 2011 census is 342 inhabitants, while in 2001 it had 611 inhabitants. It has been characterized as a traditional settlement.
Dimitsana is built in a mountainous location, on a hill and at an altitude of 946 meters, [1] from the meridian side of which there is a wonderful view of the plain of Megalopolis and Taygetos. It is the seat of the enlarged municipality of Gortynia, while until recently it was the seat of the Municipality of Dimitsana. Its history begins in Homeric times, when in its place was the small Arcadian city of Teuthis.
It is a community together with the villages of Paleochori, Karkalou and the monasteries of Aimyalon - Philosofou, with a total population of 740 inhabitants.
During the years of Ottoman rule, Dimitsana played an important role with the "secret school" and in 1821 with the "Dimitsani gunpowder" that she prepared. It is the homeland of the National Martyr Patriarch Gregory of ED, whose statue dominates the central square of the village, which was donated by Maraslis, and the Metropolitan of Old Patras Germanos, where both houses are preserved.
The museum of Dimitsana, which is housed in the Library, exhibits textiles, looms, folk art items and an archeological collection. Just outside Dimitsana is the Open Air Museum of Hydrokinesis, which aims to highlight the traditional hydropower facilities that used to be very popular in the area.
Dimitsana is a stone-built settlement with remarkable mansions, most of which are restored today. The settlement is a typical example of Gortynia architecture and is characterized as traditional.
Sights inside the settlement are:
The Dimitsana Library, The library is housed in a part of the Dimitsana School. It was founded in 1764 and was enriched with books for 57 years. During the revolution of 1821 part of the books were used to make cartridges as there was a shortage of paper. Today it numbers more than 35,000 volumes, manuscripts and documents.
House of Old Patras Germanos.
House of Patriarch Gregory of ED
The house of Patriarch Gregory of Ed. Today it functions as an Ecclesiastical Museum.
The Church of Agia Kyriaki, was built in 1834 and is a single-aisled basilica with a dome covered with copper sheets.
The Church of Agios Charalambos was built in 1832-4 and was the first cathedral of the city.
The Church of the Brigadiers
The Girl's School that was built in the period 1898-1910 with a donation from Andreas Syggros. It is a typical example of a two-grade school of this period. It operated until 1930 as a girls 'school and then housed the Psofidos Magistrates' Court.
Xenios Tower
Xenios Tower was built in 1850-51 by Pyrsogiannites and Lagadian builders. This mansion for its time had unreal dimensions. It was 18 meters high (as much as a six-storey apartment building), 5 floors and 520 sq.m. area.
Just outside the settlement is the Open Air Museum of Hydrokinesis, created in 1997 with the restoration of abandoned pre-industrial facilities, which relied on hydrokinesis.
In the wider area important sights are the old and new Monastery of the Philosopher as well as the Monastery of Prodromos located inside the gorge of Lucius.
Also of interest are Zygovisti, the monastery of Kernitsa and the Monastery of Aimiala, with a great relationship with the region of Alagonia, Messinia, where a large part of the population came from during the Turkish occupation, as mentioned in his book by Agisilaos Kalamaras.
