Veligosti
Encyclopedia
Veligosti is a Greek
settlement located around 12 km (old: 14 km) south of Megalopoli, 3 km SSE from the nearest interchange with the GR-7
/E65
(Kalamata
- Megalopoli - Tripoli
), about 48 km northeast of Kalamata
, about 4 km west of Leontari
and about 40 km (old: 47 km) west-southwest of Tripoli
. Veligosti is also in the municipality of Falaisia
. Veligosti is connected by a road to Tripotamo
and Vasta
-Sparta
Road.
and the ruins of the Byzantine settlement and a water tower are still visible today.
During the Frankish period
, according to the Chronicle of the Morea, Geoffrey I Villehardouin made it a barony (one of the twelve in the Peloponnese). The barony was destroyed in about 1300, and during the Ottoman period
it lost its importance.
The highest recorded population were in the early to mid-20th century, the population has been falling since the mid-20th century, particularly after the two conflicts, the World War II
and the Greek Civil War
as people went for a better lifestyle and jobs elsewhere in Greece and the other parts of the world (mainly North America
), its decline has rarely slowed in the late-20th century. The census between 1991 and 2001 grew slightly. Its median age is around in the 40s range.
The census was one of the few places in Arcadia where the population did not change between 1991 and 2001.
The forest fire that ravaged the southwesternmost portion of Arcadia on Sunday, August 26, 2007 that included Derveni, Chirades
and Tourkoleka
entered the village and burnt much of the forests to the west and some farmlands that are not groves in the area, the fire entered during the morning hours and exited during the evening hours with some slowdown by firefighters along with their vehicles, choppers and planes. The village mainly suffered minor damages to its houses.
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
settlement located around 12 km (old: 14 km) south of Megalopoli, 3 km SSE from the nearest interchange with the GR-7
Greek National Road 7
The Moreas Motorway is a motorway in Peloponnese, Greece. Locally it is known as the Moréas , which was the medieval name of the Peloponnese. The A7 begins just west of the Isthmus of Corinth, branching off from Greek National Road 8A...
/E65
European route E65
European route E 65 is a north-south Class-A European route that begins in Malmö, Sweden and ends in Chaniá, Greece. The road is about in length.-Itinerary:* Sweden** E 65: Malmö – Ystad* Baltic sea, ferry Ystad-Świnoujście* Poland...
(Kalamata
Kalamata
Kalamata is the second-largest city of the Peloponnese in southern Greece. The capital and chief port of the Messenia prefecture, it lies along the Nedon River at the head of the Messenian Gulf...
- Megalopoli - Tripoli
Tripoli, Greece
Tripoli is a city of about 25,000 inhabitants in the central part of the Peloponnese, in Greece. It is the capital of the prefecture of Arcadia and the centre of the municipality of Tripolis, pop...
), about 48 km northeast of Kalamata
Kalamata
Kalamata is the second-largest city of the Peloponnese in southern Greece. The capital and chief port of the Messenia prefecture, it lies along the Nedon River at the head of the Messenian Gulf...
, about 4 km west of Leontari
Leontari
Leontari is a town, seat of the former municipality of Falaisia, in the southwestern part of Arcadia...
and about 40 km (old: 47 km) west-southwest of Tripoli
Tripoli, Greece
Tripoli is a city of about 25,000 inhabitants in the central part of the Peloponnese, in Greece. It is the capital of the prefecture of Arcadia and the centre of the municipality of Tripolis, pop...
. Veligosti is also in the municipality of Falaisia
Falaisia
Falaisia is a village and a former municipality in Arcadia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Megalopoli, of which it is a municipal unit. The seat is in Leontari, 5 km north of the village Falaisia...
. Veligosti is connected by a road to Tripotamo
Tripotamo
Tripotamo may refer to several villages in Greece:*Tripotamo, Arcadia, a village in Arcadia*Tripotamo, Evrytania, a village in Evrytania...
and Vasta
Vasta, Greece
Vastas is a Greek settlement and a community located around 13 km west-northwest from Megalopoli 2 km directly east of Messinia. Vastas is in the municipality of Megalopoli. Vastas is connected with a road linking the GR-7 west-northwest of Veligotsi and other roads linking with nearby...
-Sparta
Sparta
Sparta or Lacedaemon, was a prominent city-state in ancient Greece, situated on the banks of the River Eurotas in Laconia, in south-eastern Peloponnese. It emerged as a political entity around the 10th century BC, when the invading Dorians subjugated the local, non-Dorian population. From c...
Road.
Nearest places
- Kotsiridi, NNE
- LeontariLeontariLeontari is a town, seat of the former municipality of Falaisia, in the southwestern part of Arcadia...
, east - Kalyvia, ESE
- EllinitsaEllinitsaEllinitsa is a village in Arcadia, Greece. It is located around 15 km south of Megalopoli, 6 km south from the nearest interchange with the GR-7/E65 , about 45 km northeast of Kalamata, about 4 to 5 km west of Leontari and about 43 km west-southwest of Tripoli. Ellinitsa...
, south - Paradeisia, WSE
- TripotamoTripotamoTripotamo may refer to several villages in Greece:*Tripotamo, Arcadia, a village in Arcadia*Tripotamo, Evrytania, a village in Evrytania...
, NNW
Geography
Veligosti is situated in a valley area where it is a basin of the Alfeios River. The geography consists of farmlands that covering the village area, the remainder of the land are forested that covers much of the area, the hills cover the western and the eastern portions of the municipality. The mountains which include the Lykaio and Tsiberou can be seen to the northwest, the north and the east along with parts of Megalopoli, the mine and its power plant.Population
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1981 | 175 |
| 1991 | 98 |
| 2001 | 131 |
History
Veligosti was first founded during the Byzantine eraByzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
and the ruins of the Byzantine settlement and a water tower are still visible today.
During the Frankish period
Frangokratia
The Frankokratia or Frangokratia , also known as Latinokratia is the period in Greek history after the Fourth Crusade , when a number of Western European Crusader states were established in Greece, on the territory of the dissolved Byzantine Empire .The term derives from the fact that Orthodox...
, according to the Chronicle of the Morea, Geoffrey I Villehardouin made it a barony (one of the twelve in the Peloponnese). The barony was destroyed in about 1300, and during the Ottoman period
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
it lost its importance.
The highest recorded population were in the early to mid-20th century, the population has been falling since the mid-20th century, particularly after the two conflicts, the World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and the Greek Civil War
Greek Civil War
The Greek Civil War was fought from 1946 to 1949 between the Greek governmental army, backed by the United Kingdom and United States, and the Democratic Army of Greece , the military branch of the Greek Communist Party , backed by Bulgaria, Yugoslavia and Albania...
as people went for a better lifestyle and jobs elsewhere in Greece and the other parts of the world (mainly North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
), its decline has rarely slowed in the late-20th century. The census between 1991 and 2001 grew slightly. Its median age is around in the 40s range.
The census was one of the few places in Arcadia where the population did not change between 1991 and 2001.
The forest fire that ravaged the southwesternmost portion of Arcadia on Sunday, August 26, 2007 that included Derveni, Chirades
Chirades
Chirades is a Greek settlement in the southwest of Arcadia located about 3 km southeast of the old GR-7 21 km southeast of Megalopoli, about 37 km northeast of Kalamata, about 59 km southwest of Tripoli and about 59 km southeast of Andritsaina...
and Tourkoleka
Tourkoleka
Tourkolekas is a Greek settlement in the southwest of Arcadia, located 15 km south of Leontari around 26 km southeast of Megalopoli, about 30 km from Kalamata, about 55 km southwest of Tripoli and northwest of Sparta. Tourkolekas is in the municipal unit of Falaisia...
entered the village and burnt much of the forests to the west and some farmlands that are not groves in the area, the fire entered during the morning hours and exited during the evening hours with some slowdown by firefighters along with their vehicles, choppers and planes. The village mainly suffered minor damages to its houses.
External links
- History and Information about Veligosti
- http://users.hol.gr/~zeritis/
- Kotsiridi on GTP Travel Pages