All about Zakynthos

Cultural tour of the sculptures of the Municipal Apartments of Zakynthos.

(Busts - monuments - heroes)

The monuments, placed in the center of each village, or in the forecourts and squares of the central temples, shape the residential landscape of the village in general, and are a point of reference for the residents.

Observing them, we derive information and evidence, both for the dead heroes, and for those who raised awareness in order to build the monuments.

Examining them, in addition, we derive data about their aesthetic value and information about the sculptors and stonemasons who made them.

Some are extremely interesting in terms of their artistic value, design, ingenuity, and are a source of information regarding the materials that have been used.

Further research will give us many more details.

At the same time, we also see the influence of our compatriot poets Dionysios Solomos and Andreas Kalvos regarding the inscription of their verses on the monuments.

We also see the use of a verse by Homer from the Iliad, a quote from the epitaph of Pericles, verses by the poet Giannis Ritsos, as well as the well-known phrase that the Spartan women used to exhort their children when they went to war.

Everything shows the high aesthetics, but also the sensitivity of those who were involved in the creation of each hero-monument.

Particularly:

Municipal Unit of Zakynthos

(Ampelokipoi – Argassi- Vassilikos-Gaitani)

Ampelokipoi

1) On the national road Zakynthos - Keri, at the intersection leading to the airport, in the year 1972, the brass bust of Air Force Chief Konstantinos Tsirigotis - Molontos (1895 - 1944) was placed.

2) In the Municipal Community of Ampelokipoi, in the courtyard of the church of Agios Nikolaos, in the year 1984, a marble monument was built in memory of the fallen residents of the village in the various military battles of the nation.

Argasi

In the courtyard of the church of Agios Efstathios, in the year 1962, a monument was built:

"For the fallen Argasians in the battles of the Nation".

Vasilikos

In the area of ​​Ano Vassilikos, on the public road, in front of the former Roma house, in the year 1997, a bronze bust of the writer Dionysios A. Roma (1906 – 1981) was placed, the work of the sculptor Dionysios Palma (1949 - ), by the arrangements of the cultural association "O Oraios Vassilikos".

Gaitani

In the square of the Municipal community office of Gaitani, a hero has been placed, in honor of the killed residents of the village in the nation's military struggles.

Municipal Unit of Alykes

(Agios Dimitrios-Alykanas-Kalithea-Katastari -Upper/Lower/Middle Gerakario-Skoulikado)

Agios Dimitrios

1) On the main road of Zakynthos - Volimes, shortly before we reach the entrance of Agios Dimitrios, and in the position where a battle took place after an ambush, between the groups of E.LA.S. Greek rebels and German soldiers of the occupation troops, on September 7, 1944, a space has been formed as a small platform.

2) In the central square of the same village, a monument has also been constructed, from a single piece of stone of local origin, which on the front side has relief representations of the emblem of peace, a floral wreath with ribbons and the names of the killed soldiers, residents of the village, who took part in the military confrontations from 1912 to 1922, and finally a performance of an ancient lamp.

3) In 2021, on the 200th anniversary of the beginning of the Greek Revolution, a marble stele with the names of the Zakynthians who participated in the various battles for the revolution in 1821 was placed in Agios Dimitrios, the work of Anastasiou Stamiris, donated by the ambassador Charalambou Manesis.

Alykanas

In the courtyard of the church of Agios Thyrsos, a marble monument was built, in the form of a rectangular parallelogram with an isosceles triangle crown, on which a wreath of laurel branches has been carved. According to information, in its original form, the names of soldiers from the village who were killed in military battles were written on it.

Kalithea

In the precinct of the church of the Assumption, and in the place where there used to be an aqueduct, in the year 2006, the brass bust of the Metropolitan of Zakynthos, Dionysios A. Plaisa, was placed, the work of the sculptor Maria Vasilatos, Athens (1980).

Katastari

In the central square next to the sanctuary of the church of the Assumption of Virgin Mary, a marble column has been built on a 5-tiered pedestal in memory of the fallen residents of the village.

Ano Gerakario

The bronze bust of Colonel Andreas Mouzakis (1928 – 1974), who fell fighting during the Turkish invasion of Cyprus, defending the independence of the island, has been placed in the "Alonia" settlement, near the paternal house where he was born.

Kato Gerakario

In the courtyard of the church of Evangelistria there is a marble monument in memory of the fallen military residents of the village in the several wars.

Meso Gerakario

In the courtyard of the holy church of the Holy Trinity, next to the bell tower, there is a marble column in memory of the fallen soldiers.

Skoulikado

1) In the central square of the village has been placed a marble bust of the reserve Second Lieutenant of Artillery Konstantinos Kolyvas (1915 – 1943), who was a hostage of the Italians, drowned during the torpedoing of the ship "Citta di Genova", which transported him together with other officers to Italy. The work was created by the sculptor Nikolaos Pavlopoulos or Nikolas (1909 – 1990), in the year 1981 and is signed: Nikolas sculptor 1981.

2) In the same square of the village, there is a stone column, in memory of the fallen soldiers from the Asia Minor campaign until the 1940 war, the work of local stone carvers Efstathios and Georgios Giakoumelos (2001).

Municipal Unit of Arcadia

(Agios Kyrykas- Vanato-Kalipado-Kypseli- Planos- Sarakinado- Tragaki)

Agios Kyrykas

In the square of the church of Agios Kyrykos, a column for the National Resistance has been placed, which has been covered with rectangular marble slabs.

Vanato

1) In the courtyard of the temple of Panagoula, a marble bust has been placed of the historiographer Panagiotis Chiotis (1814 – 1896), a work (1995) of the sculptor Konstantinos Dikephalos (1956 - ).

2) In the central square which bears the name of the Mayor of Zakynthos, Lawyer Lambros I. Ziva (1910 – 1987), in the year 1995, a marble column was placed for the fallen of the community of Vanatou".

Kalipado

In the courtyard of the primary school, in the year 1986, a stone monument consisting of two columns was built, in memory of those who fell during the national struggles.

Kypseli

In the courtyard of the church of Agia Paraskevi in ​​the center of the village, a stone monument has been built in memory of the fallen.

Planos

In front of the KEP of the village, a marble hero has been built in memory of the fallen.

Sarakinado

On the plateau, in front of the church of Agios Nikolaos and the theater building, in the year 1969 a monument was built in memory of the fallen made of “gerakopetra”, local stone.

Tragaki

In the courtyard of the kindergarten, in the year 1979, a stone monument was built, resting on a round stone and crowned by a brass sculpture, an uncovered male head which turns its gaze towards the sky. The sculpture is the work of an unknown person. On a marble slab it is written: "They fell fighting for their Country".

Municipal Unit of Artemisia

(Agia Marina-Agios Leon-Agioi Pantes – Bougiato – Galaro-Gyri -Kiliomenos -Lagkadakia-Lagopodo-Loucha-Machairado -Romyri –Fioliti

Agia Marina

In the square opposite the church of Agia Marina, a stone monument has been built, which has a laurel branch and a lighted lamp engraved on the front and the inscription: "In holy memory of the fallen".

Saint Leo

On the plateau in front of the clinic of the village, in the year 1983, a marble monument was built in memory of the fallen.

Agioi Pantes

In the square of the church of Agioi Pantes, in the year 1982, a marble monument was built, which has an integrated standing brass sword between a wreath made of two laurel branches.

Previously there was an inscription with the verses of Dionysios Solomos from the Hymn to Freedom.

Vougiato

On the plateau that has been created, in the place where the church of Agios Spyridon existed before the earthquake, in the year 2000, a stone monument was built made of polished local stone on which the verses of Andreas Kalvos from the ode "Eis ton Ieron Lohon" have been engraved.

Galaro

Next to the church of Agios Ioannis, in the year 1984, a stone monument was built, which is engraved with the emblem of peace and a representation of a lamp and on the facade are engraved verses by Kalvos from the ode "To Samon".

Gyri

In the courtyard of the old school in the square that bears the name "Dionysiou Giakoumelou Square - Kamperi", (he is the donor of the land of the square and the land on which the school was built), in the year 1968, a monument was built.

An inscription has also been engraved with the phrase that Spartan mothers used to say to their children when they gave them the shield to go to war: "It’s whether with it or on it." meaning “Do or die”.

Koiliomenos

Next to the historic bell tower of the church of Agios Nikolaos, in 1997, a monument column was of local stone in memory of the fallen of Koiliomenos.

Lagkadakia

On the plateau of the church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, a marble stele has been placed, where it bears an engraved representation of a laurel wreath and verses from the ode "Eis ton Ieron Lohon" by Andreas Kalvos.

Lagopodo

In the forecourt of the church of Sotiros, a monument consisting of a cement column which has been clad in polished slabs of local stone has been placed on a round base of stones.

Also on the main road, which leads to Koiliomenos and on the borders of the community in the place where an ambush had been set up by resistance fighters and the Italian Commander of the Carabinieri Machairadou, Candalupo Carmine was killed on September 8, 1943, (1.5.1941 – 10.9 .1943), years ago a space began to be formed for the construction of a monument commemorating the event.

Lucha

On a plateau at the entrance of the village, in the year 1972, a monument was constructed of large cornerstone that are intertwined with each other, and which rests on a base of rough cornerstone as well.

Machairado

1) In the central square of the village which bears the name of Agia Paraskevi, because the church of the same name existed in the area before the earthquake in 1984 a stone monument was built in memory of the residents of the community who fell in the nation's battles.

2) Next to the column in 2010 a bronze bust of Dionysios Solomos was placed, the work of the sculptor Dionysis Palmas.

Romyri

In the courtyard of the church of Zoodochos Pigi, in the year 2000, a monument was built with a marble plaque with the inscription: "Memorial of the Fallen".

Fiolite

1) In the forecourt of the Centre for Children's creative activities, in the "Yiannis Klavdianou tou Fioliteou" square, has been built from local hero stone.

2) In the place where the old school used to be, in the courtyard, next to the ancestral house of Yiannis Claudianos (? - 1821), opposite the hill "Agia Ierousalim" or "Lofos of Kremasmenos", where the English "protectors" placed the iron cage with his tarred body, after his hanging in the square of Agios Nikolaos of Molos, (together with four others who were considered to have participated in the Gypsolithos episodes in the bay of Laganas, on September 30 (October 12) 1821), in the year 2007, a stone monument was built.

Municipal Unit of Laganas

(Keri – Lithakia – Mouzaki – Pantokratoras)

Keri

In the place "Fanero" in the center of the village a stone monument has been built, which has an integrated marble slab in which a brass representation of an angel with open wings has been placed for the victims of the wars from the village.

Lithakia

In the village square, in the "Mesochori" position, a stone monument has been built, which has an integrated marble slab on which a brass representation of Liberty, framed by the figures of two women, has been placed.

On the main road, which leads to Keri, on the outskirts of the village of Lithakia, a monument has been built, in which a marble slab has been built with the inscription:         

Fighters / E.A.M. - THE GREEK POLICE / Agala of Lithakias / on 10.9.1944 / they striked a patrol / German invaders

Mouzaki

In the courtyard of the school, which is located in the "Kokala" area, "Bonafe" district, a stone column has been placed, which is crowned with a carved stone effigy in the shape of a round sphere.

On the front of the monument there is an engraved inscription: "For the home Country of fallen Mouzakiots".

Pantocrator

In the courtyard of the Church of the Assumption of Virgin Mary, in the year 1930, a marble monument was built, which bears a relief representation of a wreath of laurel branches with ribbons.

Municipal Unit of Elatia

(Ano Volimes - Meso Volimes – Exo Chora - Maries - Orthonies)

Anafonitria

On a plateau in front of the fire station, in the year 1995, a marble hero was built, which is decorated with a marble arch on the top and on the front it says: "Monument of heroes of Anafonitria".

Ano Volimes

In the square of the church of Agios Dimitrios, a marble monument has been placed inscribed with the names of the deceased residents of the military community.

Meso Volimes

In the courtyard of the church of Agia Paraskevi, next to the bell tower, in the year 1980, a hero was built from a marble slab, with the representation of Eleftheria/Freedom in relief, crowned with laurels and wearing an ancient tunic.

Exo Chora

On a plateau, in the center of the community, next to the main road, a monument has been constructed from carved sections of large black stone rocks, with embedded white marble slabs, with inscriptions referring to locations where battles were fought and at the same time reference is made to historical dates, which were glorified the Greek weaponry.

Maries

In the courtyard of the church of Agia Maria Magdalene, a hero has been placed, made of a smooth stone column, crowned by a replica of a war sword.

Orthonies

In the square in front of the Community office, a marble hero has been placed, which on the facade has a representation of a laurel wreath and in the middle of the wreath, a representation of a double-edged sword in a vertical position.