Geraki (Evrotas)
|
Local community Geraki Τοπική Κοινότητα Γερακίου (Γεράκι) |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
|
|||
| Basic data | |||
| Country |
 Greece
|
||
| region | Peloponnese | ||
| Regional district | Laconia | ||
| local community | Evrotas | ||
| Parish | Geronthres | ||
| Geographic coordinates | 37 ° 0 ′ N , 22 ° 42 ′ E | ||
| Height above d. M. |
333 m (average) |
||
| surface | 104.103 km² | ||
| Residents | 1252 (2011) | ||
| Population density | 12.03 inhabitants / km² | ||
| LAU-1 code no. | 43040301 | ||
| Local division | 2 | ||
Geraki ( Greek Γεράκι ( n. Sg. )) Is a village on the Greek peninsula of Peloponnese . Together with Velota (Βελωτά, 8 inhabitants) it forms a local community in the municipality of Geronthres in the municipality of Evrotas in the Greek region of Peloponnese .
geography
With 104.103 km² Geraki is the largest local community in the municipality of Evrotas. It is located in the Geronthres district in the north of the municipality. Neighboring villages are in the north Kallithea as well as Kosmas and Vlisidia of the municipality of Notia Kynouria , in the east Karitsa and Alepochori, in the south Vlachiotis and Myrtia and in the west Grammousa, Vrontamas and the village Agii Anargyri of the municipality Therapnes .
The village of Geraki is located on the southern foothills of the Parnon Mountains on the eastern edge of a fertile plain, 42 km southeast of Sparta and about 20 km north of the mouth of the Evrotas in the Laconian Gulf .
history
The area has been inhabited for 6000 years, Neolithic and Bronze Age finds have been made on the top of the hill near the village . On the hill are the remains of the Pelasgian wall from 1100 BC. Chr. Still well preserved. The settlement was called Geronthrai in antiquity and belonged to the Spartan Periöken cities. A festival was held every year in honor of the god of war. Later, at the time of Pausanias (2nd century AD), the settlement was part of the so-called Eleuthero- Laconic cities. In Byzantine times, Geraki was called Hierakion and flourished in the 12th century. After the Franks invaded the Peloponnese in 1204, Geraki became the seat of a barony under Guy de Nivelet, who built a fortress southeast of the city (and today's village) on a rocky ridge . A new city developed under it. After the battle of Pelagonia , the Franks had to return Geraki to the Byzantines (around 1260), the city became the seat of a bishop and was only overtaken by Mystras in the late Byzantine period . Like the rest of Laconia, Geraki became Turkish in 1460 and lost its importance.
Byzantine churches of the village
- Agios Sozon is a cross- domed church from the end of the 12th to the beginning of the 13th century. Spolia from the ancient Geronthrai are inserted into the outer walls . Inside, frescos have been partially preserved, for example a panagia in the conche of the apse , including the Lord's Supper .
- Agios Nikolaos is a two-aisled church from the end of the 13th century. Only the (probably older) north nave has an apse and inside three blind arches - niches . The frescoes inside show, among other things, the Archangel Gabriel to the left of the door , in the first niche on the left Saint Dimitrios killing the dragon and in the reveal of the last niche the local saint of Sparta, Agios Nikon. On the back of the brick iconostasis there is an excellent representation of Mary of Egypt (she is receiving communion from the monk Sosimus ), which is attributed to the painting school of Constantinople .
- Agios Ioannis Chrysostomos was built during the construction of the Franconian city in the 13th century. The small, single-nave church is built from rubble stones and spoil. The frescoes inside show the "Panagia Platytera" (the Mother of God as a symbol of the incarnation ) in the apse conche , and in the vault in front of it the Ascension of Christ . In the rest of the vault there are paintings from the life of Christ and Mary, opposite the entrance the Saints Dimitrios, Georgios and Nikon, on the west wall the "Crucifixion". The door posts contain a market regulation of the Roman emperor Diocletian from the year 301: It was supposed to stop the price decline in the Roman Empire with the help of the maximum price setting.
- On the outskirts is the oldest church of Geraki, the church of Panagia Evangelistria from the middle of the 12th century. Spolia was also used in its construction, for example a triglyph plate can be seen on the south wall . The outside of the drum is decorated with brick arches. The particularly beautiful, but only partially preserved frescoes from the end of the 12th century were probably created by an artist from Constantinople. In the dome you can see the Pantocrator about prophets, surrounded by angels , and two evangelists in the pendentives . Christ's descent into hell can be seen on the north wall and the “crucifixion” on the west wall. The front page is adorned with “Christ's Birth” and “Entry into Jerusalem”. To the left and right of the iconostasis are the saints Sozon and Panteleimon, on the back there are other saints.
- The largest church in Geraki is Agios Athanasios, a cross-domed church from the 13th century. While the south side looks representative, the north side is simply designed. The “Panagia” is preserved in the apse conche, including “Melismos”, a representation of Christ as a naked infant on the altar. In the Naos you can see “Mary in the Temple” on the left, opposite the “Last Supper” (with Judas leaning over the table and reaching for the fish). The north wall shows Agios Georgios and Archangel Michael , above his fight with the dragon.
Agios Nikolaos
Agios Ioannis Chrysosthomos
Agia Panagia Evangelistria
Agios Athanasios
Franconian city and fortress
Going up from the street you first pass the single-nave Agia Paraskevi Church, the barrel-vaulted transept used to have a narthex in the south and a side chapel in the north. Inside the iconostasis is an arch that is decorated with typical Franconian animal medallions . In the apse conche the "Panagia" is depicted, including four hierarchs . Further frescoes can be found in the north and south vaults (scenes from the life of Christ). The church founder is shown on the west wall with his family and the church model.
Farther up is the one-room church Zoodochos Pigi, which contains very beautiful frescoes from the late 15th century.
The wall ring of the castle is thick towards the south and reinforced with two towers, one of which is half destroyed. In the northeast the wall is still crowned by battlements , on the inside there is a battlement . There is also a cistern there . Inside the castle is the former bishop's church of Agios Georgios from the 13th century. Originally it consisted of two naves, and it wasn't until the 14th century that another ship was added to the south and the narthex was built. Inside there is an unusual and richly decorated canopy on the left of the north wall : "The crescent moon" with stars indicates Islam, a "lily" indicates France. Of the frescoes, the "Panagia Platytera" flanked by archangels in the apse conche should be emphasized.
literature
- Franz N. Mehling: Greece. Knaurs Kulturführer, Verlag Droemer Knaur Munich 1982, p. 229. ISBN 3-426-26053-0 .
- Richard Speicher: Peloponnese. Kohlhammer Art and Travel Guide, Kohlhammer Verlag Stuttgart 1989, pp. 311-317. ISBN 3-17-010031-9 .
- Ioulia Stavros Papageorgiou (Ιουλία Σταύρος Παπαγεωργίου): Τοιχογραφίες του 15ου αιώνα στο κάστρο Γερακίου Λακωνίας: ένα ζωγραφικό εργαστήριο της όψιμης παλαιολόγειας περιόδου στους ναούς της Ζωοδόχου Πηγής , των Ταξιαρχών, του Προφήτη Ηλία και της Αγίας Παρασκευής . 2007, p. 517 (297; 103; 116) ( on-line ).
Individual evidence
- ↑ Results of the 2011 census at the National Statistical Service of Greece (ΕΛ.ΣΤΑΤ) ( Memento from June 27, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) (Excel document; 2.6 MB)
- ↑ Fresco 1: Christ followed by the apostles, one of two women kneeling in front of him takes his left foot (anointing of the feet of Maria Magdalena?) In the German Digital Library
- ↑ Fresco 2: Birth of Christ and Annunciation to the Shepherds in the German Digital Library
- ↑ Fresco 3: Christ as Pantocrator sitting on a throne with Mary, accompanied by two angels in the German Digital Library
- ↑ a b Fresco 4: Maria with child in the German digital library
Web links
- Geraki, Ministry of Culture and Sport
- Mural Zoodochos Pigi ( Memento from December 13, 2013 in the Internet Archive )