Tegea

Tegea (10km from Tripolis) is located in the same area where ancient Tegea used to be, in the center of the fertile plateau of Tripolis, the most important town of Arcadia in the antiquity. Tegea consists of 16 communities that spread over the homonymous fertile lowland of Tripoli’s plateau: Stadio (contains the settlements of Agio Sosti and Akra), Episkopi, Rizes, Magoula, Alea, Kerasitsa, Vouno, Strigou (contains village Demiri), Tziva, Lithivounia, Mavriki, Garea, Manthyrea, Kandalo, Kamari, and Psyli Vrysi. The above villages recently became a municipality, the municipality of Tegea.

The area of Tegea is mostly rural. Very well known are the agrarian products of Tegea: cherries, sour cherries, apples, broad beans, potatoes, garlic etc. Next to village Vouno is lake Taka where a big developmental project is in progress for the construction of a water reservoir with the allowance of European Community.

Tegea is also known for the big fair organized by the Tegeatic Union that takes place at Episkopi on the 15^th of August. Very important is also the agricultural exhibition organized every year during the fair.

Only 10 km from Tripolis on the road to Sparta, between the villages of Alea and Stadio, there is the region of Ancient Tegea, whose presence in the ancient history is very important. The ancient temple of Alea Athena was destroyed by fire around 395 and was rebuilt in 340 BC by sculptor Skopa to house the ivory statue of Athena, of which only a few fragments remain. The Romans in 31 a.c. conquered Tegea and the emperor Oktavianos stole the statue of Athena from the temple. The Tegea museum, located at the village Alea, displays numerous local archaeological finds.

Tegea used to have an important market, a marble theatre (175b.c.) and a stadium where the local games Aleea used to take place. Tegea was destroyed the 4^th a.c. century and on the ruins the Byzantine city, Nikli, was built. The church of Episkopi (1888) was built on the conge of the theatre. In the grove near the church a beautiful mosaic that dates back to 5^th century is preserved. It depicts males and females that represent the 12 months. The museum of Tegea houses findings that come from the excavation of the area. The ruins of the ancient sanctuary of Goddess Artemis Knakeatidos are near Mavriki.

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