Jaap van 't Veen's photos with the keyword: Areopoli

One of the must see sights in Areopoli is the dual church of Agios Charalambos and Panagia. The church - located in the centre of the town - offers frescoes dating back to 1869. It has an interesting stepped belfry with stone reliefs.

The town of Areopoli is built at the foot of the Elias Mountain at an altitude of 250 meters. According to tradition, the name Areopoli is attributed to the god of war Ares. The village used to be called Tsimova before being renamed to Areopoli in 1912. Like the rest of the Mani settlements, Areopolis is known for its major contribution in the Greek War of Independence against the Ottoman Empire. The Greek War of Independence started in Areopolis on March 17, 1821 by Petros Pierrakos, also known as Petros Mavromichalis, the last bey of Mani. Nowadays Areopoli is a popular holiday destination offering many sights like stone houses, churches, imposing traditional Mani towers and cobblestoned streets. At the central square of the village “Platia Athanaton” one will come across the statue of Petrompeis Mavromichalis, the famous chieftain and offspring of the Mavromichali family. Areopoli is also starting point for a Mani Peninsula-visit.

Areopoli is a quaint traditional village in the central part of Mani, located at the feet of the Agios Elias mountain. The village is considered being one of the prettiest in Greece. Originally its name was Tsimova, but in 1836 it was renamed Areopoli, after “Ares”, the god of war, to commemorate its role in the Greek War of Independence. Areopoli played a very important role in the Greek liberation fight. On the square of the village, on March 17 of the year 1821, the people of Mani raised the banner signifying the start of the revolution against the Turkish occupation. The flag of the National uprising in Areopoli, nowadays is a relic on display in the National Historical Museum of Athens. Through the years Areopoli developed into a commercial centre of importance for the entire area. It is the ‘capital’ of Mani. The village offers a small historical center with stone built houses and some of the traditional Mani-tower houses (built for social and defensive reasons). Along the main street one comes across the dual churches of Panagia and Charalambos (main image).