Akovos ( el, Άκοβος) is a mountain village and a community in the municipal unit of

Falaisia Falaisia ( el, Φαλαισία, before 1918: Μπούρα - ''Boura'') is a village and a former municipality in southwestern Arcadia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Megalopoli, of whic ...

, southwestern

Arcadia Arcadia may refer to: Places Australia * Arcadia, New South Wales, a suburb of Sydney * Arcadia, Queensland * Arcadia, Victoria Greece * Arcadia (region), a region in the central Peloponnese * Arcadia (regional unit), a modern administrative un ...

Greece Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders wit ...

. It is situated in the foothills of the

Taygetus The Taygetus, Taugetus, Taygetos or Taÿgetus ( el, Ταΰγετος, Taygetos) is a mountain range on the Peloponnese peninsula in Southern Greece. The highest mountain of the range is Mount Taygetus, also known as "Profitis Ilias", or "Prophet ...

mountains. Its nearest villages are

Dyrrachio Dyrrachio ( el, Δυρράχιο) is a mountain village in the municipal unit of Falaisia, southwestern Arcadia, Greece. Dyrrachio had a population of 299 in 2001. It is considered a traditional settlement and is situated at an altitude of in the ...

and

Leptini Leptini ( el, Λεπτίνι) is a mountain village in the municipal unit Falaisia, southwestern Arcadia, Greece. In 2011 Leptini had a population of 43. Leptini is 1 km east of Akovos, 2 km west of Dyrrachio and 24 km south of Megalopoli. Leptini ...

. It is west of Dyrrachio, 4 km northeast of Poliani (

Messenia Messenia or Messinia ( ; el, Μεσσηνία ) is a regional unit (''perifereiaki enotita'') in the southwestern part of the Peloponnese region, in Greece. Until the implementation of the Kallikratis plan on 1 January 2011, Messenia was a ...

), south of Leontari and south of

Megalopoli Megalopoli ( el, Μεγαλόπολη) is a town in the southwestern part of the regional unit of Arcadia, southern Greece. It is located in the same site as ancient Megalopolis ( grc, Μεγαλόπολις, literally ''large/great city''). When ...

. In 2001 its population was 182 for the village, and 202 for the community, including the village Goupata.

History

Peytier - Kololotronis and his personal escort

Theodoros Kolokotronis Theodoros Kolokotronis ( el, Θεόδωρος Κολοκοτρώνης; 3 April 1770 – 4 February 1843) was a Greek general and the pre-eminent leader of the Greek War of Independence (1821–1829) against the Ottoman Empire. Kolokotronis's gr ...

married and settled for several years in Akovos. In 1825, he fought a battle nearby in the village of Drampala against

Ibrahim Pasha of Egypt Ibrahim Pasha ( tr, Kavalalı İbrahim Paşa; ar, إبراهيم باشا ''Ibrāhīm Bāshā''; 1789 – 10 November 1848) was an Ottoman Albanian general in the Egyptian army and the eldest son of Muhammad Ali, the Wāli and unrecognised K ...

. While waiting in Akovos for Ibrahim's forces, Kolokotronis vowed with the villagers that he would build a larger church, and he carved his initials into a stone of the Agia Sotira church. The anniversary of the battle is celebrated by the town on the day of the

Pentecost Pentecost (also called Whit Sunday, Whitsunday or Whitsun) is a Christian holiday which takes place on the 50th day (the seventh Sunday) after Easter Sunday. It commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and other followers o ...

. , his home is the village's Cultural Centre.

Overview

In keeping with its name for water, the village has a number of water fountains, one of which is named "Neraidovrysi".

Population

Goupata

Part of the Akovos community, Goupata is a small settlement of less than 50 people near the village of

Kamara Kamara may refer to: ;Places * Lato pros Kamara or simply Kamara, an ancient city on Crete * Kamara, Estonia, a village * Kämara, Estonia, a village * Kamara, Arcadia, Greece, a village * Kamara, Corfu, Greece, a village in the municipal unit Ach ...

and the Kato Gianei settlement. It is about north of the center of Akovos.

Religion

One of the churches in Akovos is Saint Nicholas Orthodox Church, an

Eastern Orthodox Eastern Orthodoxy, also known as Eastern Orthodox Christianity, is one of the three main branches of Chalcedonian Christianity, alongside Catholicism and Protestantism. Like the Pentarchy of the first millennium, the mainstream (or " canoni ...

church. There are many chapels in the village and they hold celebrations throughout the years. A festival is held on St. George's Day, due to the historic tradition of Kourbani. It was started in the village by Kolokotroni's father-in-law, who offered a calf each year to St. George. Now, only visitors have right to the food from a donated calf. There are also festivals on the day of the Pentecost in an Agia Triada. Festivals are also held at the church of Virgin Mary and Agia Paraskevi. Another chapel is Agia Solomoni.

People from Akovos

Maria Menounos Maria Menounos (, gr, Μαρία Μενούνος ; born June 8, 1978) is an American journalist, television presenter and actress. She has hosted '' Extra'' and '' E! News''; she was a TV correspondent for '' Today'', ''Access Hollywood'', and ...

' father, Costas Menounos * Sotirios Christopoulos

References

External links

Akovos
(official site - Greek)

(Greek)

(Greek) {{Falaisia Falaisia Populated places in Arcadia, Peloponnese