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The Arachova is a mountain village located at the foot of Mount Parnassus in altitude of 950 m. It belongs to the prefecture of Viotia and is about away 160 km from Athens. Beautiful stone houses and narrow streets around water sources is the first images visitors see. Arachova, despite the high level of tourism development has retained its traditional character, while offering the amenities and activities, which the visitors are seeking.

If you visit Arachova during Easter you will be given the opportunity to experience up close the «Panigyraki», a three-day, double celebration for polioucho city of St. George and the Battle of Arachova (November 1826). The village of Arachova combines grandeur with wild scenery, breathtaking views, healthy climate, peculiar architectural homes, nightlife and winter sports. It is a winter destination that offers visitors adventure, variety, and yet calm and relaxation for those who wish!

Historical Years

The area of Arachova is ancient history. It is full of ancient settlements, dating back to 1200 BC, and scattered traces of antiquity from Parnassus to Zemeno and below to the valley of Pleistou. At Korykeio Andro, the oldest traces are aged back to the Neolithic period (3000, for example, approximately). On the west side of Arachova was Anemoreia or Anemoleia, a homeric town, such as is Kyparissos, located in the east of Arachova. Lykoreia, an ancient town high on Parnassus, takes us back to the times of the Great Flooding. Then in Liakoura, the most high peak of the mountain (2457 m) stood still the ark of Defkaliona and Pyrra, who gave birth to Hellin, the fisrt of the Hellenic race. But the name Parnassos itself, a prohellenic word, brings us to the depths of time, before 2000 BC.

The first traces of occupation in the Arachova are found in the form of settlements on the hill “Koumoulas” Parnassus, where there are relics Middle (1,900 – 1,600 BC) and Late hellenic period (1,600 – 1,100 BC), and at the “Kastrouli” of Zemenos (Late hellenic years) and at ” Kastroulia ¨ , low near the river Pleistos.

The area of Arachova in antiquity (after the 10th century BC) was in Phocis and the habitation is thick, particularly in the classic (500 – 300 BC), Hellenistic (300 – 100 BC) and Roman times (100 BC 400 BC) in two major cities in “Paliopyrgo” and “Nekrotafeio” and, in the form of small settlements, in wider areas of Parnassus, “Pania” and “Elaiwna”.

In the area of “Pania” there is also the old-christianic settlement (4th 7th century AD), characterized by the existence of three one-room temples. The habituation of the area is continued in the same settlement until the Middle years (l0os – llos AD) and then moved to the site of the current settlement. The French historian Pouqueville says that Arachova in the 13th century was ruled by a noble of the family de Nolse. Also Kyriacos traveler from Ancona in 1435, who passed through Arachova says that the city was highly populated.

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I debated this in B&W. But I do love the colors in the rock and trees against that sky. El Capitan is so impressive and I could probably take a 1,000 pictures of it and no two would look the same.

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One of the 7 World Wonders- historic capital of the Inca Empire

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The legend is saying that on the night between 14th and 15th August in the far year 1512, the Mother Mary appeared to two vineyard watchmen. She begged them to relay a message to authorities regarding the renovation of the church, which was in very bad shape. In the following years the church was enlarged. In the year 1520 it was adorned with the painting “Apparition of St. Mary” by Francesco Valerio. Eventually the church became the most important pilgrimage centre of the entire Istria. (http://ift.tt/1fnW3eq)

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Claude Monet garden, Giverny, France.

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SunSet@Kanyakumari, Tamilnadu (India)

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