Arcadian Village

Land Fault

Max Depth: 55m | Average Temperature: 18°C

In North Kynouria, on a peninsula of incredible natural beauty, in Mikri Repontina and with a total area of 605 acres, is the model settlement of the Arcadian Village.

With absolute respect for the environment and the unique elements, this village rises beautifully over the lacy shores with golden beaches and small coves radiating under the bright Greek sun.

The Arcadian village was a pilot project and virtually the Greek State’s first attempt to reconnect the expatriate Arcadians of Canada and America with their place of origin. The ambitious plan envisaged the creation of holiday settlements in the unique areas of origin of our expatriates, intending to strengthen our homeland’s ties with the Greek expatriates.

A few meters before the Arcadian village beach, in a bushy area, typical of coastal areas with low vegetation, a small path fades. Invisible to the common eye, it leads you to a land fault that does not allow you to realize at first glance its well-hidden secrets. We find a sizeable sharp cut of the soil at the edge of the fault almost vertical, approximately 3m high. This ends up in the zigzag trench that is flooded with water, essentially creating a small lake.

A vertical wall directs us to 21m deep, where before our eyes begin the unfolding journey through time and the geological history of our place. The entrance of the cave stands imposing and waits for us to reveal its secrets.

The cave consists of one main room where the walls, the roof, and the floor of the cave are entirely covered with stalactite and stalagmite material of incomparable natural beauty.

Endless rows of giant stalactites of many meters emerge from everywhere. Most impressive of all is a vast stalagmite 9m high arising from the 42m depth in a northwesterly direction from the cave entrance.

The size and number of these unique caves led to the conclusion that the aquifer’s surface at their creation was much lower in altitude. The stalactites and stalagmites were created in aerial conditions, but with geological time due to tectonic humiliation of the area, the cave froze in time and remained flooded forever.

The water is fresh, crystal clear, and has a constant temperature of 18 degrees Celsius all year round. At the height of the roof and at a depth of 20m, we observe a very small halocline coming from the upper water layers of the fault and which fortunately have not altered the cave’s incredible decoration.

The direction of the cave is southwest, with its total length exceeding 80m. and its width reaches 16m. Its maximum depth reaches 55m. and so far, it shows that there is no continuity.

On the way back, we can clearly see at the entrance of the cave the dirt path with the steep slope that the early men walked to find shelter in.

Research – Text editing: Andreas Andrikopoulos