Tag Archives: Dimitrakakis

Greece 2019 – Barsinikos–On Top of the World

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On February 13, 1859, Panagiotis S. Lerikos of Agios Ioannis, Sparta, married Eleni Dimitrakakis, daughter of Giannakis, of Barsinikos. They are one set of my paternal great-great-grandparents.

Mitropolis of Sparta, Marriage Index Book; Book: Sparta, 1852-1859; Entry #524; License Date: February 13, 1859 Marriage Date: not given; Groom: Panagiotis Lerikos, no father listed; residence: Agios Ioannis; Bride: Eleni Dimitrakakis, father: Giannakis; residence: Mystras Church: Agios Georgios; First marriage for both bride and groom; Photographed by Carol Kostakos Petranek, July 2017

With this union, my family tree climbed further up the towering Taygetos mountains to the tiny village of Barsinikos where the Dimitrakakis family were original inhabitants. Barsinikos was the Ottoman name, changed to Taygeti in 1955 when the Greek government ordered the abolition of Turkish village names. Follow the red switchback road southwest of Mystras on the map below to see the location; goat and sheep trails eventually became paths, which today are roads, paved and unpaved. Yes, I do drive that road and yes, it is scary!

I visited my “new” cousin, Joanne Dimitrakakis who was born in Barsinikos, and spent a peaceful afternoon on top of the world.

Outside Joanne’s guest house, Arxontiko Taygeti, overlooking Sparta

We had lunch at the home of Christos Kakaletris, descendant of another original Barsinikos family. During Ottoman occupation, natives fled into the highest possible locations for refuge. Although there was forage for their sheep and goats, there was no flat land to cultivate crops. The mountain winters and inhospitable terrain must have brought challenges that we cannot imagine. After the Revolution of 1821 when it was safe to leave, they migrated from these upper mountain settlements into lower villages:  Barsinikos families relocated to Mystras, Parori and Magoula.

Lunch with Joanne and Christos at his ancestral home in Barsinikos. This is the second floor. The lower level was a taverna operated by his father and grandfather.

The marriage record above gives Eleni’s residence as Mystras; however, the Church of Agios Georgios is in Barsinikos. It is evident, then, that her family was originally from Barsinikos (as she married there), but she had already left and was living in Mystras by 1859. The original church which the Dimitrakakis family would have helped to establish was one small room, and this larger church was built in the early 1900s. There is a date of August 1918 on an icon frame.

Agios Georgios Church, Barsinikos.

Collage of interior of Agios Georgios Church, Barsinikos

Notation on frame of an icon with the date of August 1918

Along with the requisite church, Barsinikos had a one-room schoolhouse which Joanne attended as a child. It closed in 1965 due to lack of students.

Barsinikos schoolhouse

Although the families of Barsinikos have left and the village is now deserted, many like Christos and Joanne have kept their ancestral homes. During religious holidays, summers and festivals, people return. They sit on verandas and absorb the breathtaking vistas and cool mountain air which sustained their parents and grandparents. Although life has changed, their heritage is preserved.

View from Christos’ veranda; Sparta is below

Arxontiko Taygeti: A Haven and A Cousin

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Some time ago, I had identified one of my paternal great-grandfathers as Panagiotis Lerikos of Agios Ioannis, Sparta. Recently, I found his marriage record and discovered his wife’s name–Eleni Dimitrakakis of Mystras. That piece of genealogical information has turned a friendship into a “cousinship.”

Joanne Dimis-Dimitrakakis and I met virtually on Facebook as we were each researching our family history. We met in person in July 2016, when she invited me to her guest house, Arxontiko Taygeti, during my stay in Sparta. It had just been completely renovated and opened for visitors.

Arxontiko Guest House

A beautiful retreat from the heat and noise of Sparta, Arxontiko is situated near the top of the Taygetos mountains overlooking the city of Mystras.

 On the road to Arxontiko overlooking Mystras

Arxontiko was originally built by Joanne’s great-grandfather (and most likely one of my relatives), Kyriakos Dimitrakakis in the mid-1800’s. Situated in the mountain village of Taygeti, the view from several balconies overlooks the Byzantine castle of Mystras and the entire valley of Evrotas.

The Byzantine Castle of Mystras as seen from the balcony of Arxontiko

Although Joanne and I visit frequently in Mystras, I love to be in her guest house. It is beautifully decorated and boasts every modern convenience, including fast wifi (sometimes hard to access in Sparta).The architectural details make each apartment cozy and inviting.

Cozy and lovely!

Joanne welcomes visitors from all over the world who enjoy the hiking, the fresh (and cool!) mountain air, the lovely home and her warm and joyful hospitality. “An amazing guest house with exceptional views, warm hospitality and an outstanding hostess,” recently commented a guest.  So true!

Truly a “warm” welcome!

This evening, Joanne and I met in Arxontiko to have dinner and discuss our Dimitrakakis family connection. Over time, I had collected documents from Mystras and its surrounding small villages, and shared them with her. In turn, she gave me a book written about the families of Taygeti (formerly known as Barsinikos). She explained that Barsinikos was the Ottoman name for the village near the top of the  mountains, and in 1955, the Greek government ordered that Turkish village names be abolished and renamed. Thus, Taygeti was established.

The Dimitrakakis connection with Joanne reinforces my almost insatiable desire to gather documentation, books, and historical records about the villages immediately surrounding Sparta–and not just my ancestral towns. People from neighboring settlements married, and you never know who will be your next new cousin!