GREECE PELOPONNESE ARCADIA DIMITSANA GORTYS

Approaching from Stemnitsa or Dimitsana you reach a bridge over the Loussios, near the charming little 12th century church of Agios Andreas (photographs above). Signposts lead to ancient Gortys, very near to the church.

Because of its remote location deep in the Loussios valley, Gortys is one of the less visited ancient sites in Arcadia. Unjustly, since the remains are interesting, and the surrounding is impressing.

In the 1940s and 1950s French archaeologists excavated two sanctuaries dedicated to Asklepios. The one on the left bank of the Loussios, opposite St. Andrews, was begun around the mid-4th century BC, but remained unfinished. Instead, an Asklepieion was erected on the right bank (from where the photographs are) at the end of the 4th century BC, and altered in the 3rd century BC. It includes one of the most comfortable healing baths of ancient Greece, presenting already in the 3rd century BC all the technical achievements of later Roman thermae: hypocausts (warm air circulated under the floors and in the walls), sweat rooms, baths, and heated changing rooms.

A story tells that Zeus, soon after his birth, took a bath here. Who wonders? It is a lovely place (but the water is cold even in summer).