The monasteries of Mt Menalon

The great monasteries of the Peloponnese were nuclei of social, economic and cultural intensity, and their locations were places of defensive power. Indeed, the mapping of the region's monasteries reveals locations with cryptic and defensive virtues, always, however, in close proximity to places of significant productive potential - that is, wealth.

The most important monasteries of Mt Menalon area are the Prodromos monastery and the Philosophos monastery (Old and New) - near Dimitsana, the monastery of Aemyalon and the deserted monastery of Agioi Apostoloi near Zygovisti, the monastery of Zoodochos Pigi in Stemnitsa, the monastery of Agioi Theodoroi near Elati, the monastery of Panagia Kernitsa near Nymphasia and the monastery of Epano Chrepa in Perithori. The abandoned monasteries of Panagia Vlacherna and Eleousa in Vlacherna, as well as Panagia and Agios Nikolaos monasteries in Valtesiniko, and the Sfyrida hermitage are also of interest.

The buildings and the katholikon of Prodromou monastery, Old and Bew Philosophou monastery and Zoodochos monastery of Stemintsa are noteworthy.

Discovering the monasteries and hermitages through the trails

The great roads of Antiquity and the Middle Ages, were traced through particular morphological features of the mountain landscape: most oof these roads went through gorges rather than open slopes, preferring densely wooded valleys to bare ridges, and instead of crossing uncovered plateaus they disappear into the labyrinths of the hills. It is easy to explain this planning: the old roads were carved in troubled times and their routes had to be as short as possible and cryptic.

Later, on these very morphological features - ravines, gorges and hidden valleys - the monasteries were built: in times of instability and fear, the monks sought locations that were both cryptic and naturally fortified.

Thanks to this geographic coincidence, all major hiking trails of Mt Menalon, such as the five Long Trails designed by SAOO and the Menalon Trail, pass through the monasteries of the mountain.

The trails between Dimitsana and Stemnitsa goes near or through the three monasteries of Loussios valley: Prodromou monastery and Ols and New Philosoplou monastery.

Άλλες διαδρομές περνούν από τη μονή Αιμυαλών, την έρημη Agii Apostoli monastery near Zygovisti και τη μονή Ζωοδόχου Πηγής της Στεμνίτσας.

Πιο δυτικά, οι άλλες πεζοπορικές διαδρομές περνούν κοντά από τη μονή Αγίων Θεοδώρων στην Ελάτη, μέσα από τη μονή Κερνίτσας στη Νυμφασία και από το παλιό ασκηταριό της Σφυρίδας.

Οι δύο μεγάλες διασχίσεις του Μαινάλου, το Κίτρινο και το Πορτοκαλί Μονοπάτι, εκκινούν από τη Βλαχέρνα και από τις μονές μονή Ελεούσας και μονή Παναγάις Βλαχέρνας. Λίγο βόρεια του Βαλτεσινίκου βρίσκονται οι μονές Παναγίας και Αγίου Νικολάου.

Τέλος, η διαδρομή του Ε4 περνά κοντά από τη μονή Επάνω Χρέπας, κοντά στην Τρίπολη.

Text and photos by T. Adamakopoulos