Prefecture of Arcadia A historic land, enriched with the legends, the traditions, the battles, as well as the artistic searches of its inhabitants. It has an intense and continuous presence from antiquity to the Byzantine and modern historical times. On the area, you can study the continuation of all Greek history, as no link is missing. Momuments that testify to this presence are scattered in the entire land of Arcadia. In Arcadia two plateaus branch ol, those of Menalos and Parnonas. Arranged on their slopes there are the enchanting hamlets of Arcadia - colourful brushstokes on a green canvas - and the Arcadian monasteries, invaluable treasures over the centuries. DIMITSANA Dimitsana is the capital of the Gortynia district in Arcadia County. It is built (960 meters altitude) on a steep hillock, which descends steeply into the valley of river Lousios (or Gortynios). Important personalities of our times studied at its schools, such as Palaion Patron Germanos and Grigorios the 5th. ‘Agios Dionysios the Wise’, who was the Patriarch of Constantinople in the 16th century came from Dimitsana too. The powder mills of Dimitsana supplied unceasingly the fighters of Roumeli and Morea.  At Dimitsana there is the monastery of Aimylon or Philosofou. There is also a public library established in 1764 by two monks called Gerasimos Gounas and Agapios Leonardos. In addition to the 20,000 volumes of books and manuscripts, the library hosts a lot of objects, such as the saddle of Papaflessas' horse and the shrine with the bones of Palaion Patron Germanos. Among other major sights of Dimitsana are the birth house of Palaion Patron Germanos and the house of the ecumenical Patriarch Grigoriou the 5th. The most important monument of the area and the only one dated back to the Byzantine era, is the monastery of Panagia the Philosophou. The related patriarchical sigil of 964 (of the Patriarch of Constantinople Polyefktou) is nowadays preserved in the library of Dimitsana. It consists of copies of the code of the Great Church, which was written in 1623. VYTINA Built on the firry Mainalo, on a 1033 meters altitude Vytina has a magic view and a healthy climate. In winter it is covered with snow and offers a unique sight. It is a place with majestic view and healthy climate that gathers many vacationers and visitors throughout the year. During bank holidays most of the visitors come from the nearby town of Tripoli.Vytina is famous for its dairy products and honey. In the wintertime the snow-covered Bytina offers a unique and astonishing sight. The Central Square of the village, with the remarkable stone-built church, the graphic coffee shops and the nearby traditional old bakery and tavernas, is idyllic as well as convenient for the visitors. A bit before Vytina , as you turn for the village of Nimfasia, the Holy Monastery of Kernitsa stands magnificently. One could say that the specific monastery has sprung up within the greenery, since, whenever you turn your head, you see rich vegetation! The monastery was named after the mediaeval town of Kernitsa that was found to the southwest of the monastery in the mountain range of Argirokastro, to the northwest of Vytina. The monastery has around 10 centuries of life and was considered to be the most ancient of Arcadia and among the oldest ones in Greece. From the year 1680 wnwards, in the monastery a secret school was operating with an elemantery, intermediate and a high school. The 'wise fathers' of Kernitsa taught the children not only to reading and writing, but also the passion of freedom.    source: Prefectural Administration of Arcadia