The place · History
Trikala Korinthias took the place of ancient Mysaion. Local tradition holds that lowland residents, chased by raiders, climbed the slopes of Mount Ziria during the 10th century and built higher up, in a clean and healthy place.
The place and the name
Trikala is the largest of the villages on the eastern side of Ziria and one of the oldest mountain holiday centres in Greece. Its three neighbourhoods — Kato, Mesaia and Ano — climb to elevations of 900, 1,050 and 1,100 metres.
Ancient Mysaion, the name that the ancient geographers give to the area of Kato Trikala, lay in the same zone as Pellini. Behind the villages rises Kyllini, today’s Ziria.
Three stories
On the site of today’s Kato Trikala the ancient geographers place Mysaion. The village as we know it is placed there, according to tradition, in the course of the 10th century.
The lowland residents, chased by the raiders of the time, took the initiative to climb and build higher up, in a clean and healthy place. That is how the three neighbourhoods spread out in a row, one above the other.
In Kato Trikala the Church of Agios Dimitrios was built in 1697 and stands out for its expressionist frescoes. In Mesaia, the Monastery of the Panagia was built in 1700 by the Metropolitan of Corinth Grigorios Notaras.
Just past Ano Trikala stands the Monastery of Agios Vlasios; tradition says that around 1400 the miraculous icon of Saint Blasios was found in a nearby cave; the monastery’s katholikon dates from the 17th century.
In Ano Trikala there survive stone mansions and churches, quite a few from the 16th century and the newer ones from the 18th. Among them the Notaras mansion, the house where Saint Gerasimos was born — today in ruins and awaiting restoration.
The mountain that rises above the three villages is ancient Kyllini, the Ziria of our day. Myth makes it the birthplace of Hermes, son of Zeus and Maia, who was born in its depths.
The Cave of Hermes lies high on the western side of Flambouritsa, at an elevation of 1,750 metres. The cave and the other corners of Ziria are described in detail in the sights of Trikala.
At a glance
Milestones that explain how a mountain refuge of the 10th century became Trikala Korinthias.
On the site of Kato Trikala the ancient geographers place Mysaion. Behind it, Kyllini — according to myth the birthplace of Hermes.
According to tradition, the lowland residents climb up, chased by raiders, and build higher, in a clean and healthy place.
The miraculous icon of Saint Blasios is found in the cave; the monastery’s katholikon is built in the 17th century.
In Ano Trikala the stone mansions rise, among them that of the Notaras family.
The Church of Agios Dimitrios in Kato Trikala and the Monastery of the Panagia in Mesaia.
Trikala remains one of the oldest and best-loved mountain holiday centres in Greece.