Editing Andritsaina

{{Infobox Greek Dimos
  |name = Andritsaina
  |name_local = Ανδρίτσαινα 
|type = municipal unit
|image_map = DE Andritsenis.svg 
|map_caption = Location within the regional unit
|periph = [[West Greece]]
|periphunit         = [[Elis (regional unit)|Elis]]
|municipality = [[Andritsaina-Krestena]]
  |pop_municunit = 1158
  |pop_community = 353
  |population_as_of = 2021
  |area_municunit =  131.2
  |elevation = 705
  |coordinates = {{coord|37|29|N|21|54.3|E|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
  |postal_code = 270 61
  |area_code = 26260
  |licence = ΗΑ
  |website = 
 |image_skyline      = Andritsaina view.JPG
 |caption_skyline    = 
 |city_flag          = 
 |city_seal          = 
 |districts          = 
}}

'''Andritsaina''' ({{langx|el|Ανδρίτσαινα}}) is a village, a community and a former [[Communities and Municipalities of Greece|municipality]] in [[Elis (regional unit)|Elis]], [[West Greece]], [[Greece]]. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality [[Andritsaina-Krestena]], of which it is a municipal unit.<ref name=Kallikratis>{{Cite web|url=http://www.et.gr/idocs-nph/search/pdfViewerForm.html?args=5C7QrtC22wGYK2xFpSwMnXdtvSoClrL81-32jgAMSfbnMRVjyfnPUeJInJ48_97uHrMts-zFzeyCiBSQOpYnT00MHhcXFRTsb2fGphpq4MKX2ZkaHobySNnvZCNHXvYVvlf80XevW0Q.|title=ΦΕΚ B 1292/2010, Kallikratis reform municipalities|language=el|publisher=[[Government Gazette (Greece)|Government Gazette]]}}</ref> The municipal unit has an area of 131.247&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>.<ref name=stat01>{{cite web|url=http://dlib.statistics.gr/Book/GRESYE_02_0101_00098%20.pdf |publisher=National Statistical Service of Greece |title=Population & housing census 2001 (incl. area and average elevation) |language=el |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150921212047/http://dlib.statistics.gr/Book/GRESYE_02_0101_00098%20.pdf |archivedate=2015-09-21 }}</ref>

==Geography==

Andritsaina is situated in mountainous southeastern Elis, on the borders with [[Arcadia (regional unit)|Arcadia]] and [[Messenia]]. The town is built on a hillside, northwest of mount [[Lykaion]]. The river [[Alfeios]] forms the northeastern border of the municipal unit. The predominant land uses in the municipal unit are forestry and small scale farming. Andritsaina is 22&nbsp;km northwest of [[Megalopoli]], 28&nbsp;km southeast of [[Krestena]], 41&nbsp;km west of [[Tripoli, Greece|Tripoli]] and 46&nbsp;km southeast of [[Pyrgos, Elis|Pyrgos]]. The [[Greek National Road 76]] (Krestena - [[Karytaina]] - Megalopoli) runs through Andritsaina.

==History==
According to tradition, Andritsaina owes its name to the wife of a Cretan shepherd named Andrikos, who -chasing his runaway sheep- came to a spring on mount [[Lykaion]]. There he built an inn that after his death was kept by his wife Andrikaina (meaning "the wife of Andrikos").  From her name and from the local pronunciation of "kai" as "tsai", the inn was named "the hostel of Andritsaina". When houses were built in the surrounding area, the settlement was named "Andritsaina".

The area was part of ancient Arcadia. Andritsaina flourished during the [[Frankokratia|Frankish rule]] (13th-14th centuries AD) and is mentioned in the ''[[Chronicle of the Morea]]''.  The village played a crucial role during the [[Orlov Revolt]] and the [[Greek War of Independence]]. In 1826, Andritsaina was destroyed by [[Ibrahim Pasha of Egypt|Ibrahim Pasha]]'s troops.

==Sights==
[[File:Andritsena, Greece - 2.jpg|thumb|Street]]

Today, the village has impressive old mansions, cobblestone streets, a square surrounded by tall trees and magnificent views. The fountain in the square (''I Trani Vrysi'') is the [[Peloponnese]]'s oldest fountain, built in 1724. The famous Nikolopouleios library was founded in 1840 from donations of the humanist [[Konstantinos Nikolopoulos (composer)|Agathofron Nikolopoulos]], whose family came from Andritsaina. Its collection comprises rare 16th- and 17th-century manuscripts, in Greek and in foreign languages, important documents from the period of the [[Greek War of Independence]] and rich folklore material. Today, the library has more than 40,000 volumes. The famous Temple of Epicurian Apollo at [[Bassae]] is 6&nbsp;km south of Andritsaina, in Messenia.

==Subdivisions==
The municipal unit Andritsaina is subdivided into the following communities (constituent villages in brackets):
*'''Andritsaina''' (Andritsaina, Karmio, Myloi, Sykies)
*[[Dafnoula]] (Dafnoula, Chelidoni)
*[[Dragogio]] (Dragogio, Kastrougkaina, Plateia)
*[[Fanari, Elis|Fanari]]
*[[Koufopoulo]]
*[[Linistaina]]
*[[Matesi]]
*[[Rovia]]
*[[Sekoulas]] (Sekoulas, Balaiika)
*[[Theisoa, Greece|Theisoa]]

The community Andritsaina consists of the main village Andritsaina and the small mountain villages Karmio (3&nbsp;km to the northeast), Myloi (4&nbsp;km to the northwest) and Sykies (5&nbsp;km to the north).

==Population==
{| class=wikitable
! Year !! Village !! Community !! Municipal unit 
|-
| 1981 || - || 1,034 || - 
|-
| 1991 || 660 || - || 2,511  
|-
| 2001 || 575 || 663  || 2,152 
|-
| 2011 || 795 || 856  || 1,798
|-
| 2021 || 296 || 353 || 1,158
|}

==People==

*[[Panagiotis Anagnostopoulos (revolutionary)|Panagiotis Anagnostopoulos]], [[Greek War of Independence|revolutionary leader]]
*[[Anastasios Christopoulos]], revolutionary leader
*[[Athanasios Kanellopoulos]], politician
*[[Dimitrios Kiousopoulos]], jurist and politician
*[[Konstantinos Nikolopoulos (composer)|Konstantinos Nikolopoulos]], composer, archeologist, and philologist

==See also==
*[[List of settlements in Elis]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}
* "Mount Lykaion throughout the centuries", K. Potamianos, Kotylion Association edition, Athens 2005.

==External links==
{{commons category}}
*[http://www.caingram.info/Greece/Pic_htm/andritsena.htm Andritsaina Village]
*[https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/may/13/greek-crisis-athens-rural-migration Rural migration from Athens during debt crisis 2011]

{{Geographic location
| Centre    = Andritsaina
| North      = [[Iraia]]
| Northeast = [[Dimitsana]]
| East       = [[Gortyna, Arcadia|Gortyna]]
| Southeast = [[Eira, Messenia|Eira]]
| South     = [[Dorio, Messenia|Dorio]]
| Southwest = [[Figaleia]]
| West      = [[Alifeira]]
| Northwest = 
| image     = 
}}

{{Andritsaina}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Populated places in Elis]]
[[Category:Andritsaina-Krestena]]
[[Category:Andritsaina| ]]