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THE MEGALOPOLIS ANCIENT THEATER
The Megalopolis Theater,
the «largest in Greece» according to Pausanias, is another
outstanding sample of the ancient powerful Arcadian Federation. It sat
20.000 people and it had excellent acoustics. Many of its marbles remained
intact through the centuries hence, today, we can enjoy ancient drama played
in it. Following a government decision, the theater is being restored and
soon it will be as it was originally.The
Arcadia Federation Parliament was housed next to the theater it was supported
by marble columns and it had a capacity of 6.000 participants.Today
the Megalopolis population is 4.684. The town is built at an alititude
of 430 metres in the valley along which river Elisson flows, a tributary
of river Alpheus, a God of the ancient Arcadians.
THE MEGALOPOLIS POWRERPLANT
Megalopolis is one of the
most important energy production centers in Greece. The Electricity Company
of Greece uses the local lignite and they have installed four electricity
producing units totaling 850 megawatts. The town economy as well as that
of whole district, are based on these units. An important investment for
the District Heating of the Megalopolis City-core is already scheduled,
using wasteheat from the Powerstation and Biomass .The
town has the infrastructure required for a comfortable life, such as public
services, banks, medical center, hotel, restaurants and recreation sports.
It should be mentioned that there exist two athletic meetings stadiums,
one open air and one closed, which meet the sports requirements of the
district.
YTHE MEGALOPOLIS MOTOCROSS COURSEFIELD
There is also an amateur
moto-cross field which is used for motorcycle racing. The use of the ground
is free for all motorcycle race fans. There is also activities in flying
sports due to the existing flying sports center, with its infrastructure
continuously undergoing impovements.In
the sector of culture, the Cultural center of Megalopolis Town as well
the town Cultural Society are intensely active.Many
and varied cultural events are scheduled for August, such as ancient drama,
music concert and dances. The cultural society schedules discussions, projections
and exhibitions.
LYKOSSOURA
Following the Pausanias route
towards the west, one finds the temple of Despoina, revered and honored
by the Arcadians who considered her as the daughter of Poseidon and Demetra.
Pausanias mentions that, at the temple entrance, there was a mirror in
which, if one looked, he could not see himself but the statues of the goddesses,
i.e. Despoina, Demetra and Artemis. Further up, one finds the town which,
according to Pausanias, «the sun saw and men were taught from it
to build other cities too» and they learned how to live in organized
urban societies.Today there are numerous
archeological findings exhibited in a small beautiful Museum , besides
the ruins of the «oldest town of the world».
The Lycaeum mystic ceremony
LYCAEUM
The mountain of the Gods
of the Arcadians rises prominent in the same area. This mountain of the
gods, with its profusion of light and colors, was sacred to the ancient
Arcadians as these ancient ancestors of ours wanted Zeus born at Crete
as place and brought up by the three local nymphs, Ango, Neda and Theissoa.
On the top of this mountain on which the Lycaean Zeus was frenziedly adored,
there was the famous sacrificial and the god's sacristy into which it was
forbidden to step and where matter was said to lose its shadow and glow
by itself. This sacrificial altar and the sacristy of Lycaean Zeus, who
overturned the physical phenomena, were the great temple where the ancient
Arcadian peak which they considered also as the center of the Earth.On
the mountaintop, at Prophitis Elias, at an altitude of 1.420 m, there were
a temple of Pan, an altar, an hippodrome and a stadium lie today to the
north of the village of Ano Karyes. Today, the «Lycaean» games
are held, every fourth year, besides these ruins.
LOUSSIOS, THE SPRING OF FREEDOM
To the west of Carytaina,
flows river Loussios named thus as, according to legend, Zeus was bathed
(bath = loussis in ancient greek ) in it after his birth.Loussios
flows along a beautiful ravine in which Kolokotronis and other chieftains
had their retreat during the Independance Revolution of 1821,against Ottoman
Empire. In the area, one will discover the Secret School, the Aimyalon
Philosopher and the Saint Ioannis monasteries, all very important and with
a significant course and history through the ages. Today, they are pilgrimage
points for the Greeks, as the heart of the uprising Nation beat there.In
order to reach the river, one must turn north, before Carytaina, towards
the beautiful Stemnitsa and the historic Dimitsana, both important highland
traditional villages. |
