Anthochori, Arcadia

Anthochori or Anthohori (Greek, Modern: Ανθοχώρι, Katharevousa: -on meaning flower town), rarely Anthokhori older forms: Anthochorio, Anthochorion, Anthohorion and Anthokhori is a Greek settlement located around 6 km (old: 4 km) south-southeast of Megalopoli, 3 km northwest from the nearest interchange with the GR-7/E65 (Kalamata - Megalopoli - Tripoli), about 50 km (old: 47 km) northeast of Kalamata, north-northwest of Leontari and about 39 km (old: 37 km) west-southwest of Tripoli. Anthochori is also in the municipality of Megalopoli. Anthochori was formerly connected with a road linking the GR-7, Gefyra and the old GR-7. It formerly served with the road to Choremi and Vasta (then separate), the road to Tripotamo and Choremi and Megalopoli and Sparta. Anthochori formerly had Psatha 2 to 3 km north in which has been relocated 2 km from the original location to the east.

Nearest places

*Perivolia, northeast
*Vrysoules, east
*Gefyra, southeast
*Tripotamo, west
*Nea Psatha, north

Geography

Anthochori is situated in a valley area, the Alpheus is 1 km to the southwest, it used to be nearer. The geography consists of farmlands covering the central, the southern and the westenr parts, it dominated the eastern parts in which is now a grassland, the remainder of the area are forested in which are founded to the south and the east. The mining area of Megalopoli is to the northwest and the central part that produces electricity. The mountains which include the Lykaio can be seen to the west and east.

History

The highest recorded population were in the early to mid-20th century, the population has been falling since the mid-20th century, particularly after the two conflicts, the World War II and the Greek Civil War as people went for a better lifestyle and jobs elsewhere in Greece and the other parts of the world (mainly North America), its decline has rarely slowed in the late-20th century. The census between since 1981 saw the population grew making it with Megalopoli and Tripoli one of the few places in Arcadia that saw population growth, its median age is between 40 and 50.

In the late-1970s and the 1980s, the lignite mine extended to Anthochori as well as the 1990s and in 2002 1 km to the northwest, recently, the mine had just reached Anthochori, the area will probably be the last expansion of the mine which lead to the closure of the power plant.

Loss of a settlement

Even Anthochori is still posted in some maps including Mapquest, the settlement became abandoned as some remaining residents moved to Megalopoli, and probably some nearby settlements. In 2006, the mining area reached the northern portion of the settlement where old homes once stood now demolished, the remains were dumped to the south, most of the farmlands disappeared. The recording of the mining expansion was also featured on an ERT documentary in which included a geographical expert on Arcadia. The village also lost its forests. Satellite images have yet to show Anthochori and the enlargement of the mine abandoning the settlement. Roads were removed and paved roads were closed.

Population

Other

Anthochori has a church, it formerly had a square ("plateia"). Its nearest school and lyceum (middle school) and gymnasium (secondary school) are in Megalopoli.

External links

* [http://www.gtp.gr/LocPage.asp?id=8893 Anthochori on GTP Travel Pages]
*Coordinates: coord|37|22|24|N|22|7|35|E|type:city(78)_region:GR

ee also

*List of settlements in the Arcadia prefecture