A journey through time, in the heart of Arcadia.
History, myths, and natural beauty blend uniquely in Arcadia, a land that enchants every visitor with its splendid landscapes and monuments. Weve written many times on Travelgo about Mainalo, Parnon, and their villages. This time, well take you to historic Tegea, another lovely Arcadian destination worth discovering.
A cluster of villages (Alea, Episkopi, Rizes, Stadio, Kerasitsa, etc.), wrapped in the serenity of Arcadian nature, make up the Tegea complex, a region of outstanding archaeological and historical significance, southeast of Tripoli. With many important sights, such as the park of the Tegeatic Association, the church of Episkopi, the archaeological site, and its museums, Tegea welcomes visitors all year round, offering them a journey through time.
Journeys through history
Tegea was among the most significant cities of ancient Arcadia, seat of the last mythical Arcadian kings. In the city stood the Temple of Athena Alea, one of the most important of the Classical period. A work of the great architect and sculptor Skopas, it stood out for both its construction and its size. Inside the temple there was the cult statue of the goddess Athena made of ivory, as well as statues of Asclepius and the goddess Hygeia carved in Pentelic marble, the teeth of the Calydonian Boar, and notable votive offerings. The city had a Gymnasium, theatre, Stadium, Agora, and a Boule with three hundred councillors. At its peak the population reached 40,000, and the city minted its own coinage.
Today, in the village of Alea, about 10 km. southeast of Tripoli, visitors can see the archaeological site with the ruins of the sanctuary of Athena Alea and make a stop at the Tegea Archaeological Museum, a jewel of a museum, one of the oldest in the Peloponnese (since 1909). Awarded a Special Commendation in 2016 by the Council of Europe, the museum narrates the story of the ancient city of Tegea and the sanctuary of Athena Alea through contemporary display methods.
Continue with a stroll to nearby Old Episkopi and the Tegea Archaeological Park, home to remarkable monuments from antiquity through Byzantium. Here stands the Holy Church of the Dormition of the Theotokos, a unique relic of Byzantine architecture built, according to different views, either in the 7th or the 11th century AD, atop the ruins of the ancient theatre of Tegea, even reusing materials from it. The church was renovated by the German architect Ernst Ziller in 1889 at the expense of the Tegeatic Association, and its interior was adorned with frescoes in 1935-1936, works by the renowned painter Agenor Asteriadis.
With the Church of the Dormition of the Theotokos at its heart, the Tegeatic Association, one of the oldest charitable societies in Greece, organizes each year, during the days around 15 August, the famed religious and commercial fair, as well as the Pan-Peloponnesian Exhibition of Tegea. The events last one week, attracting crowds from Arcadia and all over Greece.
In the same area you will also see the marble statue of the Unknown Soldier, the bronze statue of the Tegean Mother, the «Monument of the Citizens», as well as the commemorative stele that recalls that in this very place the International Olympic Committee took, in 1936, the decision to establish the torch relay at the Olympic Games.
The Tegea Folklore Museum is also of particular interest, housed in the stone-built building of the old Home Economics School, and hosting a rich collection of traditional weavings, embroideries, garments, local costumes and photographs that bring the past to life.
In Episkopi Tegeas, a stones throw from the Church of the Dormition of the Theotokos, lies the charming guesthouse Τέγος Country Guest House, offering visitors to the area quality hospitality in the tranquility of nature. Routes to the rest of Arcadia complete the experience of exploration in this place. With Tegea as your base, you can plan excursions to the mountain massifs of Parnon and Mainalo, as well as to Arcadias seaside villages.
Main article photo: Tegeatic Association
