An ancient hydraulic work that keeps functioning
for 2350 years!
The most ancient hydraulic work in
the world that is still being used!
Abstract:
In
Nestani, a city founded between Arcadia Argolis in Greece
Introduction
A source with
four fountains, with a fitted superscription, that still maintains its ancient
name (“Filippeios Krini” - in greek: Fountain) is still offering its water
since exactly 2.350 years, which turns it to the most ancient hydraulic work of
the world that is still being used! At
Nestani, on a hill, at the place that nowadays is called St. Nikolaos, Filippos
of Macedonia, who had encamped at the area in 338 b.C., constructed this
fountain for the needs of his troops… The city of Nestani
Since then the fountain has
suffered constructions and repairs, nevertheless what’s important is that it’s
still going on flowing.
However there is another noteworthy
hydraulic work in Nestani: The communication of its natural tunel-sinkhole with Dini[1], a sacred place of ancient
Arcadians. When Rea gave birth to Poseidon, she left him beside a source, next
to a sheepfold with lamps – that’ s why it’ s called Arna (arni in greek means lamp).
Then she told Kronos, the father of Poseidon, that she gave birth to a … horse
and not to a child! That’s how Poseidon was saved! (In the village named Milia
in Mantineia, there are still the ruins of the Temple of Hippios Poseidon Argos Argos Stymfalia Lake Arcadia cave of Kapsa land of Arcadia Argolis …
It’ s very easy to reach Nestani, via National Road of Korinthos-Tripolis, 90
minutes away from Athens.
As to the civilized city of
Nestani, it’s built amphitheatrically at the foot of Mountain Lyrkeio. Nestani
is founded over the great place of Mantineia and was controlling one of the
ancient passages of communication between Arcadia Argolis .
This city of Arcadia Arcades , who most loved
travelling. (And they still do: Only in the years 1950-1970 more than 3.000
residents of Nestani emigrated!) The city was named Nestani in 1927. Since then
it was called Tsipiana, which derives from the byzantine name Kipoi
(> Kipiana). The place name Kipiana (kipos in greek means garden), is not
strange in this mountainous place (place names like this are also given in
other mountainous places in Greece). This area is particularly fertile. Nevertheless, the fields of Nestani, are placed on the ancient Argon pedion (pedion in greek means field) - the plateau,
which one can see nowadays after the tunel of Artemisio (with direction to
Tripolis), on the right, sometimes as a lake, covered with water, and sometimes
as a wonderful plain… This water is collected from the plateau of Mantineia,
and head to Argolis, through the river Fidaris and natural tunnels, many of
which are ancient, and they were constructed by king Siranx – that’s why they
are called tunnels (siranx in greek means tunnel)… The area’s products are
wine, cereals, horticultural products, apples, honey, pears, grapes and others. The meat of
hunting also abounds.
In Nestani the
central square has such a dew, as if someone were seating under a plane tree, and
traditional cafes. Another source with four fountains is
flowing, the Kallirroi Fountain! There are also houses made of stone, as
Nestani is famous for its traditional architecture. The building of the old town hall is a
donation of the Central Club of Tsipians in Chicago
The ancient fortress of Nostea was built on a big hill with the shape of a
table, which is nowadays called Goulas (or Koulas), under the hill of
Panigyristra. It looks like a Cyclopian natural walls, which, in the popular legends,
is described as a giant who became stone. Its ruins are kept in a good condition. The
pelasgian walls of the Acropolis enclose an area of 600 square metres! The
remains, that nowadays can be seen, were built in the 4o century b.C. There is
also a temple of Dimitra, and in her honour the Mantinians performed the feast
called “Dimitria” every year. The city was already destroyed and ruined in the
era of Pausanias… On the 13th century the Franks entrenched Nestani and they used
it as a military base.
On the top of
this mount, that is stated upon the hole area, the little church of St George
is found. And also the ruins of the Holy Church of Analipsis (there are still
some of its wall paintings). On the same slope the Mitropolis is also founded (30 minutes
from Nestani), imposing on a steep mount. In the west the Holy Monastery Panagia
Gorgoepikoos or Holy Monastery of Tsipiana, basilica with three aisles covered with domes at a height of 680 m. in a forest of pines. The view to
Mantineia is extraordinary. The church was at first built about 1015. It has been renewed many times,
and once more in 16th century. The present buildings are modern, with
fragments of ancient marbles and byzantine sculptures embedded. A staircase paved with stone leads to wonderful
buildings of 1740. There are also two chapels, St Charalampos and the three Hierarchs. In its library old documents,
seals, relics of Saints [as the cara (holy head) of St. Prokopios], and also a
carved wood cross, a Great
Aikaterini’s of Russia present, are being kept! The most important document is
the Codex – Nomokanon donated from the one who paid to build the monastery (a same Codex is kept in the National Library of Athens -
n.1917), sigilium of Patriarch Grigorios the 5th. A sigilium of
the Monastery, dated of 1594, is nowadays kept in the National Library of Paris[4].
On the top of the other hill, named Stochos, (which has also slopes suitable for climbing), there is the
deserted church of St John Prodromos Thermologos. During the conquest of the
Othomans every time people suffered from elonosia (thermes) they asked for his intervention for
healing. The ruins of the church can also be seen from the National Road
Conclusions
Since this
ancient fountain keeps functioning for 2350 years, and it’s still going on
flowing and offering water to the residents, there are many more ancient
constructions in Greece
References:
Pausanias
St. Byzantios
Lex. Souda
National Library of Paris, S. Grec 704 F8.
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