56:
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653:, for Her guidance throughout the whole War of Independence. In the same place where it is located today, there was a small chapel that the revolutionaries used for praying for the Divine assistance prior to the Battle of Valtetsi. In the construction, people form the nearby villages participated. Marble and stones were taken from the nearby mountains
63:
43:
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Everyday life was extremely hard since cattle keeping (mostly sheep and also some goats) was the local profession for ordinary villagers. The typical family lived in a constant move. When it was not the
Ottoman occupant's menace it was the strong winter which obliged shepherds to take their herds to
522:
brought a desperate situation to
Valtetsi due to the village economic dependence from the trading markets in the City of Tripolis. Since most of the sheep and goats were confiscated by the Nazi occupants, the lack of food and the inflation made everyday life very difficult for the villagers because
621:
and the
Valtetsiotes took place. The villagers, peasants and shepherds fought against the communist forces but outnumbered and badly equipped were defeated. The communists recaptured the village and burned nearly a half of the houses. They gathered most of the population taken prisoners in the
405:
Today's
Valtetsi is a touristic attraction, showing the typical highland mountain village with a number of nearly 300 semi-stable people living. When the month of the Anniversary of the Greek War of Independence arrives, a new revolution, takes place with historical re-enactments and special
477:
In the following years, with the liberation of Greece, Valtetsi remained very close to
Kolokotronis' affections. All the villages in the mountainous Arcadia and Valtetsi in particular were extremely loyal to the military party and their leaders such as the proper Kolokotronis,
580:. With the Nazi occupation over, after the liberation a vacuum of power was created in most rural areas. Communist chieftains started to campaign village by village so as to obtain adherents of their so-called liberation army and fight the British-backed governmental troops.
672:, shows a wide variety of instruments, typical dresses and valuable objects such as ancient pictures where the visitor may glance at the way of living of the villagers throughout the different years. A special section is dedicated to the 1821 Revolution and their heroes.
359:, which impoverished the region to an extent of very difficult subsistence, and the advent of modernization with the boom of urban life made younger generations to flee for new experiences at first towards nearby cities in the Argolid, second to
622:
church's yard and started shooting with no distinction of men, women and children. Most of the population was decimated. By the time the
Hellenic Army freed the village a couple of months later, Valtetsi was about to become a ghost place.
331:
It soon became characterized by a strong common ethic code which was strictly guarded by the
Valtetsiotes, who were renowned as warlike highlanders with an austere way of life and love for Greek tradition and Christian faith.
692:
located in the central square of the village where according to the legend, the archistratigos sat under the shadow and planned the whole operation of the Siege of
Tripolitsa. It is said that he gave to each of his
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they could not manufacture the goods and products derived from these animals like milk, butter, cheese and furs. This way they were unable to buy other essential goods such as bread, farine or oil and medicine.
402:, progress arrived to the villages, mainly in terms of communication. New roads and tunnels were built with European funds and telephone netting plus TV provision finished with centuries of isolation.
470:
arrived to the village with a strong army and camped at
Valtetsi, establishing the Maniot seat of campaign and headquarters for the first time since the medieval period outside the limits of
534:
455:, the combined action of the Maniot warriors and the local brigands helped the Greek side to win the battle and to take effective control nearly half of the Peloponessus.
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448:
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and with the help of the local villagers, succeeded in fortifying the four hilltops by building small housetowers and installing defensive batteries. During the
519:
312:
Valtetsi used to be an isolated place, connected to other villages with three narrow paths only, each one guiding to the major mounts in the region: one to the
418:
broke out, Valtetsi became the key headquarters of the revolutionary army. The short distance within the village and
Tripolis -which being the capital of the
697:
the special commands under this historical tree. The myth tells that under the shade of the old platanus the future of the whole modern Greece was decided.
84:
735:[Results of the 2021 Population - Housing Census, Permanent population by settlement] (in Greek). Hellenic Statistical Authority. 29 March 2024.
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33:
933:
614:. When an order of massive execution was given the whole population rebelled against the partisans and expelled them from the village.
595:
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150:
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The pastoral way of living was kept for nearly 400 years until the early 1950s. The negative impacts of the Second World War and the
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returning to Valtetsi in April. When September arrived, they started the herd's move again, this time to the summer camps in
474:. During the siege itself, the Valtetsiotes fought under the command of Petrobey and took part in the capture of the city.
606:. Immediately they started to chase down those persons who were known for having relatives abroad, mainly the ones in the
832:
Kostas Ath. Sarantopoulos "Βαλτέτσι 1944 – Μαρτυρία (Valtetsi 1944 - Martyrdom)", Armos Editors, Athens 2003, pg.139 -140
55:
841:
Kostas Ath. Sarantopoulos "Βαλτέτσι 1944 – Μαρτυρία (Valtetsi 1944 - Martyrdom)", Armos Editors, Athens 2003, pg.141-142
217:
850:
Kostas Ath. Sarantopoulos "Βαλτέτσι 1944 – Μαρτυρία (Valtetsi 1944 - Martyrdom)", Armos Editors, Athens 2003, pg.281
502:
government which they saw as undermining the local regional interests in behalf of centralization of power following
859:
Kostas Ath. Sarantopoulos "Βαλτέτσι 1944 – Μαρτυρία (Valtetsi 1944 - Martyrdom)", Armos Editors, Athens 2003, pg.282
553:
was very supported by the local population. After each operation German razzias were common due to the evil work of
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732:
594:. Immediately he gave orders to confiscate the church and the main houses to make their own headquarters. For the
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568:. Those who stayed had to face another major problem that was already growing inside the whole Greece:
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informants and they generally finished with brutal reprisals such as shootings and house burnings.
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By 1944, the majority of the 1500 people of the village had relocated in nearby places such as
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became the main objective of the rebels- and the topographic characteristics of the place made
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649:) was built in 1837 under the command of Theodoros Kolokotronis and was dedicated to the Holy
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348:. The existence of nearby marshes, worsened the living conditions up to a level that a strong
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733:"Αποτελέσματα Απογραφής Πληθυσμού - Κατοικιών 2021, Μόνιμος Πληθυσμός κατά οικισμό"
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250:
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Toynbee A.: "The Greeks and their Heritages", Oxford University Press, Athens 1981
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and an altitude of 1,050 m. It is a small plain terrain surrounded by four hills:
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The disaster that both wars caused in the region, slowly overcame as the rest of
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celebrations which are attended by national and regional political celebrities.
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and the doctrine of rebuilding Europe. With the accession of the country to the
324:. This is possibly the reason why it was one of the most famous dens chosen by
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epidemic struck the village even at the beginning of the Twentieth century.
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Tzavaras, Ath.: "Agapite Aderfe Vasileie", Ekdosis Exantas, Athens 1999
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In the morning of July 15, 1944, a strong battle between the communist
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resistance fronts, communist partisans were also active, notably the
506:' principles of a national, western, unitarian and homogenous state.
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363:, Greece's capital city (notably in some of the neighbourhoods of
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590:"liberated" Valtetsi in May 1944 under the command of kapetan
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stronghold because only a few people accepted to be named as
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to choose it as his stronghold prior to the final assault.
892:
801:
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261:: Mountainous Arcadia) at a distance of 12 km west of
375:) and in the end overseas abroad to America being the
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whose building was the house of the local chieftain
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Valtetsi during World War II and the Greek Civil War
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537:soldiers were hidden or sheltered by villagers. A
387:the three main places chosen as destinations.
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410:Valtetsi during the Greek War of Independence
8:
545:, led by a former Troezenian officer in the
301:due to their shepherd's life and also some
934:
920:
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18:
713:List of traditional settlements of Greece
1379:Populated places in Arcadia, Peloponnese
293:It was later improved by a migration of
237:) is a village in the municipal unit of
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610:that were labelled as reactionaries or
529:was also heavy in the zone, where many
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942:Subdivisions of the municipality of
466:, the commander-in-chief and bey of
336:milder weathers and pastures in the
874:(in Greek). arcadia.ceid.upatras.gr
666:Folklorical and Ethnological Museum
598:members, Valtetsi was considered a
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41:
686:Historical Tree of Kolokotronis
249:. It is located in the Central
708:List of settlements in Arcadia
1:
486:against the civil party of
1400:
647:Εκκλησία Κοίμησης Θεοτόκου
642:Dormition of the Theotokos
447:, under the leadership of
309:resettled in the village.
449:Kyriakoulis Mavromichalis
416:Greek War of Independence
234:
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897:(in Greek). valtetsi.org
893:
870:
806:(in Greek). valtetsi.org
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774:(in Greek). valtetsi.org
771:Το Βαλτέτσι στην ιστορία
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751:(in Greek). valtetsi.org
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488:Alexandros Mavrokordatos
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431:Theodoros Kolokotronis
283:traditional settlement
179: • Community
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394:with the help of the
320:and the third to the
281:. It is considered a
205: • Summer (
127:Administrative region
100:37.47750°N 22.28472°E
803:Το Βαλτέτσι στο 1821
748:Τοποθεσία Βαλτετσίου
551:Apostolos Kouvelakis
464:Petros Mavromichalis
543:resistance movement
518:and the subsequent
460:Siege of Tripolitsa
289:Historical Synopsis
96: /
16:Community in Greece
1288:Municipal unit of
1246:Agios Konstantinos
1237:Municipal unit of
1171:Municipal unit of
1130:Municipal unit of
1091:Municipal unit of
1030:Municipal unit of
994:Municipal unit of
951:Municipal unit of
681:
635:
626:Places of interest
453:Battle of Valtetsi
441:
414:In 1821, when the
253:in what is called
105:37.47750; 22.28472
1361:
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612:monarcho-fascists
604:Village Guardians
592:Fotis Gatsopoulos
504:Adamantios Korais
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516:Second World War
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572:. Besides the
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484:Mavromichaleoi
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328:and brigands.
305:chased by the
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255:Ορεινή Αρκαδία
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163:Municipal unit
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458:Prior to the
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81:Coordinates:
57:
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35:
30:
20:
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1343:Palaiochouni
1339:Mavrogiannis
1139:Agia Varvara
1074:Palaiopyrgos
899:. Retrieved
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267:Chomatovouni
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251:Peloponessus
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151:Municipality
1305:Arachamites
1210:Psili Vrysi
1198:Lithovounia
1021:Zevgolateio
1003:Agiorgitika
966:Chrysovitsi
961:Alonistaina
651:Virgin Mary
574:non-marxist
539:nationalist
279:Dovrouleika
132:Peloponnese
103: /
1368:Categories
1330:Kerastaris
1258:Merkovouni
1142:Alepochori
1069:Orchomenos
1007:Elaiochori
986:Tselepakos
901:2007-07-21
878:2007-07-21
810:2007-07-21
778:2007-07-21
755:2007-07-21
695:kapetaneoi
688:is an old
655:Kalogeriko
527:Resistance
295:Tsakonians
275:Katsikeika
174:Population
88:37°28′39″N
1298:Agriakona
1261:Pallantio
1204:Manthyrea
1195:Kerasitsa
1162:Vourvoura
1153:Pigadakia
1132:Skiritida
1100:Artemisio
1093:Mantineia
1083:Vlacherna
1079:Panagitsa
1039:Chotoussa
953:Falanthos
894:Αξιοθέατα
588:partisans
585:communist
492:Aromanian
480:Nikitaras
385:Argentina
346:Dimitsana
303:Souliotes
188:Time zone
91:22°17′5″E
34:Community
1374:Valtetsi
1353:Valtetsi
1326:Kaltezes
1314:Athinaio
1302:Ampelaki
1290:Valtetsi
1269:Perthori
1222:Stringos
1192:Kandalos
1183:Episkopi
1149:Kollines
1122:Simiades
1116:Pikernis
1053:Kardaras
1014:Partheni
1011:Neochori
996:Korythio
871:Βαλτέτσι
702:See also
690:platanus
659:Rezeniko
619:andartes
600:royalist
578:EAM-ELAS
496:Kolettis
494:blooded
490:and the
326:klephtes
314:Taygetus
307:Ottomans
239:Valtetsi
235:Βαλτέτσι
227:Valtetsi
168:Valtetsi
69:Valtetsi
26:Βαλτέτσι
23:Valtetsi
1348:Paparis
1335:Manaris
1323:Dorizas
1279:Tripoli
1265:Pelagos
1252:Evandro
1239:Tripoli
1207:Mavriki
1201:Magoula
1145:Kerasia
1112:Nestani
1048:Kandila
983:Silimna
971:Mainalo
944:Tripoli
566:Troezen
562:Ermioni
531:British
482:or the
472:Laconia
445:Maniots
423:vilayet
420:Ottoman
369:Kastela
365:Piraeus
338:Argolid
318:Menalus
263:Tripoli
243:Arcadia
156:Tripoli
144:Arcadia
116:Country
1275:Thanas
1226:Tzivas
1218:Stadio
1189:Kamari
1108:Loukas
1104:Kapsas
1061:Levidi
1032:Levidi
980:Roeino
549:named
392:Greece
381:Canada
361:Athens
350:dengue
322:Parnon
299:Attica
247:Greece
120:Greece
1319:Dafni
1272:Skopi
1255:Makri
1229:Vouno
1214:Rizes
1186:Garea
1173:Tegea
1119:Sanga
1065:Limni
1017:Steno
976:Piana
719:Notes
427:Morea
367:like
342:Tegea
271:Mylos
259:Greek
231:Greek
214:UTC+3
193:UTC+2
1309:Asea
1180:Alea
1057:Komi
1043:Dara
684:The
664:The
657:and
638:The
583:The
564:and
533:and
514:The
468:Mani
443:The
383:and
344:and
277:and
218:EEST
596:EAM
425:of
371:or
207:DST
197:EET
1370::
462:,
379:,
285:.
273:,
269:,
245:,
241:,
233::
182:70
935:e
928:t
921:v
904:.
881:.
813:.
781:.
758:.
661:.
645:(
257:(
229:(
220:)
216:(
209:)
199:)
195:(
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