This episode of “Wander Words ”, presented by Prokopis Agelopoulos, took listeners of Voice of Greece to the mountainous heart of Ilia, near the border with Arcadia – and to the historic town of Andritsaina. Though administratively part of Ilia (formerly the Province of Olympia), Andritsaina shares deep geographical and cultural ties with mountainous Arcadia.
Historian and archaeologist Giota Tselali traced the town’s long history and spoke about the world-famous Andritsaina Library, renowned for its thousands of rare and collectible volumes, now housed in a purpose-built structure designed to preserve this cultural treasure.
Viktoria Makrypoulia, Vice President of the Andritsaina Youth Association “Oi Parassioi”, discussed contemporary life in the town — its challenges, prospects, and community spirit.
Dr. Konstantinos Papadopoulos, civil engineer and Head of Department at the Ephorate of Antiquities of Ilia, shared insights into one of Greece’s most significant ancient monuments: the Temple of Apollo Epicurius at Bassae of Phigaleia. Standing 1,130 metres above sea level and only a few kilometres from Andritsaina, the temple — designed by Ictinus, architect of the Parthenon — remains a masterpiece of classical architecture.
The episode concluded with Sotiria Sotiropoulou, owner of the historic Theoxenia Hotel, who spoke about the spirit of local hospitality. The hotel is part of the Xenia Programme of the Greek National Tourism Organisation (EOT), a landmark of modernist architectural design from the 1950s and 1960s, created by Kaiti Dialisma.