A village with a long history, Karyes in Laconia stretches across the foothills of Mount Parnon, in an area lush with chestnut and walnut trees. Known since antiquity, it is directly linked to the famed Caryatids.
The mountain that separates Arcadia from Laconia, Parnon, hides wonderful traditional villages and idyllic trails amidst lush nature for exploration enthusiasts. One of the villages worth discovering is Karyes, on the northeastern side of Laconia. Karyes stands on the site of the ancient city of the same name, from which the Caryatids of the Erechtheion on the Acropolis take their name.
Karyes, Laconia: A village with a long history
35 km from Sparta, you will come upon Karyes, a main village that spreads across the foothills of Parnon, at an elevation of 950 m, surrounded by chestnut and walnut forests. Until 1930 the settlement was called Arachova, when it was renamed Karyes.
Karyes has been known since antiquity and is directly linked with the Caryatids and the sanctuary of Artemis Caryatis, which stood within the ancient settlement. The Caryatids, the Maidens of Karyes, were virgin priestesses who danced the ritual dance each year at the "Karyateia", the festival in honor of Artemis Caryatis. The Maidens of Karyes became renowned for their artistic dance and their harmonious poise, so that all harmonious female forms, mainly in sculpture, began to be called Caryatids.
The faithful replica of the Erechtheions Caryatids that dominates a high rock at the entrance to the settlement serves as the symbol of the village. Other sights include the Clock on a hill to the west of the settlement, the arched bridge over the Deirou River, the villages central square with the Church of Saint Andrew, as well as the centuries-old Plane Trees of Menelaus next to the Church of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary.
Karyes makes an ideal base for activities on Parnon and tours of its villages, even getaways as far as Mystras and Geraki. The European trail E4 passes through the village, starting from the Pyrenees, entering Greece from the north at Florina, and ending at Zakros in Crete.
The Caryatids Monument
The Caryatids Monument, according to historians, stands atop the ancient acropolis of Karyes and is a replica of the section of the ancient Temple of the Erechtheion on the Acropolis of Athens. It was inaugurated in 1983 on the initiative of the Association of Karyates Worldwide and with the funding of many donors. It now serves as the villages symbol and signifies the connection of the present with the areas illustrious past. Access to the monument is via the villages central square, from which signposts mark the route to the site.
