Foinikounta

 

Foinikounta or Finikouda, and formerly known as the Tavern or Lachanada Beach, is a coastal settlement near Methoni and is administratively part of the Municipality of Pylos - Nestoros, in the Prefecture of Messinia. Finikounda is today a large fishing village on the homonymous beach, with significant tourist development and is located south of Lachanada, which is the port. It is built together with its neighbor Loutsa in the western corner of the base of an imaginary isosceles triangle, facing south, which forms the Cape of Akrita (also known as Kapo - Gallo or Kavogalo).

 

Sights

In addition to the traditional houses, the central square, shops - shops with tourist and other items, taverns, cafes and other entertainment and leisure centers on the coastal road, the village has the old building of the Primary School, which was founded in 1925. From April 1941 and during the Occupation, the School building was commandeered by the Italians, who installed a small garrison there, while at the same time the house of K. Sardellis was used as a classroom. Panagia Tricheroussa is the patron and protector of Finikounda. In Finikounta there is also its large church, the Holy Church of the Dormition of the Virgin, which belongs to the Holy Metropolis of Messinia and is celebrated on the fifteenth of August with various events. Boats, fishing and excursion boats are also moored in the small port of Finikounda. In general, the wider area of Finikounta has a developed tourist infrastructure, with a large number of hotels, furnished apartments, rooms for rent - apartments, campsites, restaurants, cafes, bars and tourist shops. In Finikounta there is also its namesake beach, Paralia tis Finikounta, while near the village there is also the picturesque settlement of Loutsa with its beach, which are only 2 kilometers from Finikounta. From Finikounda the visitor also has a view of two of the three largest islands of the Messinian Oinous complex: Schiza, which has a remarkable cave, and Agia Mariani, where the chapel of Agia Marina is located.

Finikoundas beach
At a distance of a few meters to the south of the village is its beach, Finikounta Beach, with golden sand and clear blue-green waters, warm and without great depth, which is an ideal destination for families with small children. The beach is so clean that it has received a blue flag. It has direct access from the (13th) Koroni - Methoni Provincial Road and the 13th Harakopio - Methoni Provincial Road, which in many areas coincide.

Protected site
The area is protected by the Natura 2000 network with code GR2550003. It is characterized by bushy vegetation, sea cliffs and rocky coasts. The important flora includes the endemics: Limonia taxa, Arenaria the Peloponnesian and Davis's Fritillaria. The protected fauna includes the species: Caretta caretta, Mediterranean monk seal, green sea turtle. The area is important as a stopover for migratory birds.

 

Location

Foinikounta is located southeast of Methoni, from which it is about 10 km, southwest of Pylos, from which it is about 20 km and west of Koroni, from which it is about 18.5 km. It is located on the 13th Provincial Road Harakopiou - Methoni, has an altitude of 0-5 meters and is bathed by the sea. Near Finikounda are also located, to the north Lachanada, at a distance of about 2 km, to the east, Iameia at 7 km, Akritochori at 4 km and Loutsa at a distance of about 2 km and to the west the Windmill , which is only about 850 meters.

 

History

The area of ​​the village Foinikounta has a long history that follows the history of Messinia and the wider area of ​​both Methoni and Pylia. In ancient times, it was part of the kingdom of Nestor, of ancient Pylos. It is claimed by researchers that it was founded by the Phoenicians who colonized the coasts of the Peloponnese at this point, although not everyone agrees with this estimate. In the recent past it was a small fishing village founded, at least from the middle of the 19th century, and according to local tradition, in the 1840s, by residents of nearby Lachanada, who were refugees from Crete. It was originally called "Tavern" (1879-1928), due to the tavern that existed there. This tavern is known based on local tradition as the "Tavern of Bagasa" (Panagopoulos), who is considered to have been the first resident of the village. In 1928 it was temporarily renamed "Lachanada Beach" (1928-1930), while in 1930 it received its current name as "Phoenicians". In recent decades it has developed into one of the most important tourist resorts in Messinia, taking advantage mainly of the fact that it is surrounded by long sandy beaches. The area has developed in recent years a complete tourist infrastructure, with numerous rooms and rooms for rent, five campsites and a large number of restaurants, cafes and tourist shops.

 

The Phoenician Port

In front of Foinikounta and its neighbor Loutsa was, in antiquity, the "Phoenician port", which Pausanias mentions in his "Messinian".

 

Administrative history

The Tavern was officially annexed, in 1889, to the old Municipality of Methoni, where it remained until 1912 when the municipality was abolished. In 1912 the Tavern was annexed to the Community of Lachanada, based in Lachanada. The settlement of Gryzokampos was also added to this community. The Tavern, in 1928, was originally renamed Lachanada Beach. Just one year later, in 1929, the settlement was separated from the Lachanada Community and designated as the headquarters of the Lachanada Beach Community, while two years later, in 1930, the Lachanada Beach and the Lachanada Beach Community were renamed as Phoinikos and the Community Phoenician respectively. In 1957 Grizokambos was separated from the Community of Lachanada and annexed to the Community of Finikountos, while gradually in 1961 the settlement of the island of Schiza was recognized and annexed to the Community of Finikountos and then in 1971 the settlement of Loutsa. The village remained as a settlement and seat of the Foinikountos Community, with changes in names, from 1929 to 1997, when then, as part of the changes that occurred in local self-government, through the "Kapodistrias" project, Foinikountos was included in the abolished Municipality Methonis, until 2010. Since 2011, after the new changes of the "Kallikratis" project, Finikios now belongs to the new Municipality of Pylos - Nestoros. This municipality was established under the Kallikratis Program by merging the pre-existing municipalities of Koroni, Methoni, Papaflessa, Pylos, Nestoros and Chiliochoria. Finikiots today is a settlement and seat of the Community of Finikountas of the Municipality of Pylos-Nestoros, which also includes the following settlements: Anemomilos, Grizokambos, Loutsa, Hounakia, as well as the currently uninhabited islands of Agia Mariani or Agia Marina and You're tearing up.

 

Residents

The settlement, based on the 2011 Census, has 592 permanent residents, who are employed in various agricultural activities, fishing, trade and tourism.