Karytaina (spelled Karitaina incorrectly, because the word comes from the word karyon = nut) is a village in Gortynia in the prefecture of Arcadia. It is built on a hilltop around the medieval castle. It is located in the area of ancient Brenthi. The settlement is particularly distinguished for its medieval character given to it by the houses, the castle and the Byzantine style churches. It has been recognized as a traditional settlement.
Karytaina is a declared traditional settlement, as it preserves the
color of the medieval castle state. The main attraction is its castle,
built on top of the hill above the settlement. It has a length exceeding
110 meters and a width exceeding 40. Its walls reach a height of up to 7
meters and a width of up to 2.
Within the settlement is the
Church of Agios Nikolaos which was erected at the beginning of the 18th
century and is one of the most important monuments of the post-Byzantine
era in the wider area, indicative of the prosperity that Karytaina
experienced during the 17th and 18th centuries. The interior of the
church is covered with frescoes attributed to the workshop of the Pedio
painters, Michael and Petrou. Also important are the Church of Zoodochos
Pigi from the 14th-15th century and the Church of Agios Georgios.
Near Karytaina flows the river Alfeios, which forms a large gorge to
the west of Karytaina, contributing to the natural fortification of the
area. On Alfeios, near Karytaina, two traditional bridges are preserved,
the bridge of Koukos and the bridge of Karytaina. The first is a single
arch, built in 1880 and preserved today in good condition. The second
was five-arched, but in a battle during the civil war, its main arch was
destroyed and remains damaged to this day. Next to it passes the modern
highway that connects Karytaina with Megalopolis. In this area, many
water mills operated in the past, the ruins of which are still
preserved. Karytaina has an impressive image when the visitor sees it
from afar. It used to be depicted on one side of the 5,000 drachma
banknote. The writer Nikos Kazantzakis, when he visited, described it as
the Toledo of Greece.
Saint Athanasios of Christianoupolis came from Karytaina, who was the bishop of Christianoupolis and has been declared a saint by the Orthodox Church. He is the patron saint of Karytaina and his memory is celebrated on May 17. The politician and jurist Nikolaos Dimitrakopoulos also came from Karytaina.
Karytaina is mentioned for the first time in the 13th century, during
the Frankish rule in Greece. During this period it was the capital of
one of the baronies of the Franks. In the French version of the
Chronicle of Moreus it is referred to as Caraintaine. In the early years
of the Frankish rule, its barony was held by the De Brugier (or De
Brielle) family. The construction of the castle of Karytaina, which was
built in the middle of the 13th century, is attributed to this family.
For its construction, the ruins of ancient Brenthes, which was built on
the same site, were used. The impressive and powerful castle of
Karytaina gave the city strategic importance and effectively secured it.
Later, Karytaina came under the authority of the Despotate of Moreos, as
in 1320 it was acquired by Andronikos II Palaiologos.
From 1461
it was conquered by the Ottomans. During the Turkish occupation, it
remained an important commercial center, which was liberated in 1821 by
the Greeks. On March 25, 1821, rebels from Zygovisti under Theodosios
Kardaras and from Stemnitsa and Dimitsana under Konstantinos
Alexandropoulos came down to arrest the Turks there, but they caught up
and closed in on the old fort of the city where they besieged. In 1826,
Kolokotronis used her castle as a stronghold against Ibrahim and as a
refuge for women and children.
After the founding of the Greek state, Karytaina was the capital of the local municipality of the region, the Municipality of Gortynos, which initially operated in the period 1835-1912. In 1912 the municipality was abolished and Karytaina became the seat of the homonymous community. In 1999, with the implementation of the Kapodistrias program, the municipality of Gortynos was re-established with its seat again in Karytaina. The municipality was abolished for the second time in 2011 with the Kallikratis program and was part of the Municipality of Megalopolis.