By Nicolas Bard

Kyparissia is a picturesque town of Messinia and the headquarters of the Municipality of Trifylia with about 5,000 permanent residents. It is amphitheatrically built at the foot of Mount Aigaleo (also known as “cold”) and reaches the coast of the Ionian Sea, with its altitude ranging from 0 to 116 meters. Kyparissia is 67 kilometers from Kalamata and 255 kilometers from Athens, and has evolved into a significant agricultural and shopping center in the area.

According to mythology, its name comes from Kyparissos, son of Minya. THE Cypressgood hunter and friend of God Apollokilled once in hunting a deerand since then struck. Shortly before he died, the gods regret him and heard his pleas, making him cypress. Another theory wants the name of the town to come from the many cypresses growing in the area, and create lush forests.

In 2010, the archaeological excavation brought to light significant findings, which reveal that the area was inhabited since the late Hellenistic times (2nd century BC) and its occupation continued until the late Roman era (4th century BC). The excavation revealed an extensive complex of houses, part of the ancient coastal settlement, as well as many ceramics, coins, hooks and needles for sewing the nets, an indication that the main occupation of the residents was fishing.

Unlike ancient times, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the area of ​​Kyparissia, as well as the neighboring areas of Pyrgos, Filiatra and Gargalians, flourished financially with the flourishing of commerce and the cultivation of raisins, as well as its large exports to Europe and in Europe. The wider area of ​​Trifilia played an important role in its production raisinduring the last quarter of the 19th century to the beginning of the 20th century, with raisin cultivation gradually evolving into monoculture.

Around the cultivation and trade of raisins, the so -called “raisin society“, That is, a large portion of the world, living and prospering exclusively from it. An entire chain of professions, from raisins and raisins, bankers, brokers, orders, insurers and lawyers, to the loaders, the mowers, and the handwriters, lived and rich!

Today’s Kyparissia is separated In the Upper and Lower Town. The Upper Town is a traditional, preserved settlement with many scattered historical monuments, such as the Castle of Arcadia (with panoramic views of the Ionian Sea), the Arcadia Square, the fountains at the entrance of the fortress, the public baths and the picturesque cobbled streets, and the lower town are more modern.

In the upper side of the settlement is the Folklore Museum of Kyparissiaaimed at preserving, promoting and preserving all kinds of traditional material or spiritual creation of Trifilia inhabitants. There are various exhibitions from time to time, and cultural events are held. The museum is housed in the restored building of the old province. In this building he served as a governor the Christakis Palamasand also stayed there for about a year, as did the brother of Kostis Palamasin the years he was a student.

Around the town you will find many beautiful beaches to dive, while it is worth pointing out that the wider coastal front of the Kyparissian Gulf is, after Zakynthos, the most important nesting area in the Mediterranean for the Caretta Caretta turtles Nature. The deep -seated Ionian beaches in combination with the lush hills and historical monuments of the area compose a charming Greek image, extremely representative of the Messinian identity.