Sikia

by car: Through the National Road connecting Athens to Corinth, you follow the slip road to Xylokastro (a total distance of 119 km / 73.9 mi)

The village took its name from a large, imposing fig tree bordered with beautiful fountains, flowing with crystal clear water. Back in the day, this fig tree, which stood there till 1842, was a place for the weary traveler to catch his breath.

• BYZANTINE TIMES

Late 13th century: Sykia becomes the theatre of a very interesting series of historical events that have been thoroughly researched by historians.

The story goes as follows:

1292: During the times of Frankokratia in the Peloponnese, Florent of Hainaut, the Frankish Prince of Achaea, proclaims his nephew, Walter of Liederkerque, governor of Corinth. At that time, Sykia constituted a fief belonging to the princedom of Corinth. Many Greeks, among which the prominent Photios Zassis, who belonged to the well respected Zassis family, decide to settle in Corinth. Photios's commercial activities in Corinth are so successful that allow him to live as if he were a Prince himself. Walter, on the other hand, squanders the tax money that he collects from the local Greek population and literally plunders the richest among them.He arbitrarily decides to imprison Photios because he judges that his wealth exceeds the standard. In addition to this, he demands a ransom of 10.000 hyperpyra (golden Byzantine coins) for Photios's freedom, menacing a member of his family, Iakovos Zassis, or otherwise he would kill Photios. Iakovos doesn't respond to this demand, and as a result, Walter removes two of Photios's teeth. However, Photios, manages to find 1.000 hyperpyra to give to Walter in ransom, promising to pay him the other 9.000 if he sets him free. Photios is finally released and seeks justice from Florent, who treats him indifferently. Consequently, Photios, decides to take vengeance himself.

1295: Photios finds himself in Sykia, seeking revenge. At about the same time, the Baron of Vostitsa (today, Aigio), Guy of Charpigny, who happened to pass by the region with his sailing boat, mesmerized by the beauty of this bay, decides to debark in order to admire the shore. As soon as Photios sets eyes on the Baron, he mistakes him for Walter, attacks him and lethally wounds him to the head with his sword. Charpigny dies of his serious wounds. When Photios realizes his fault, he takes refuge in Mystras. In the meantime, Florent demands from the General of Mystras to find and punish the killer.The General of Mystras, considering that Walter's avarice triggered those series of events, frees Photios from any charge.

• MODERN HISTORY

Sykia, possessing all the advantages of becoming a big and important city, was populated by noblemen coming from Trikala, Karya and Yellini.

1846: The village's kodjabashides (a local Greek nobility) assigned the ambitious project of a city plan for Sykia to a famous Bavarian engineer from Athens.This engineer had originally designed a plan including broad boulevards, schools, squares, even a gymnasium.Unfortunately, personal rivalries, political and economical interests didn't allow this project to be fulfilled. Andreas Notaras, adjutant and lord chamberlain to Otto, held back the project and never let it to be properly carried out. Notaras's interests were associated rather with the advancement of the neighboring town of Xylokastro were his family originated from and did everything to impede the progress of Sykia and its local elite, originating from Trikala.However, the beautiful city plan remains as a reminder of that era in the archives of the community.

• THEOPHANIS KAKRIDIS

Theophanis Kakridis (1869-1929), an eminent professor who worked at the Faculty of Philosophy at the Athens University from 1913 to his death, was born in Sykia. He studied in the Universities of Athens, Göttingen and Berlin where he was specialized in Latin literature. He authored many important scientific studies.

• KONSTANTINOS KAKRIDIS

Konstantinos Kakridis, (1901-1992), son of Theophanis, studied literature at the University of Athens, receiving a doctorate degree in 1925. He worked for six years as a head editor for the historical dictionary of the Greek language, as an associate professor of classical literature at the University of Thessaloniki, and then became a tenured professor. He received an invitation to teach at Universities in Sweden, where he stayed for three years. He participated in many international conferences and he published many significant, original studies to the international and Greek scientific press. He became commander of the Order of the Phoenix and received the award of the Order of the Polar Star for his work in Sweden. 

• NIKOS KALOGEROPOULOS

Nikos Kalogheropoulos (1889-1957) was born in Sykia. He studied theology in the Rizarios Hieratical School and continued his studies in Athens, Munich, while having pursuing his interest in painting. He served as an assistant director of the Byzantine Museum and the National Gallery while he was responsible for the Arts & Letters Department of the Ministry of Education & Religious Affairs. As an artist, he is well known for his seascapes. Many of his works have been published and a big part of his historical work is yet to be published.

• THANOS BOURLOS

Thanos Bourlos (1911-1998), a world-known opera singer, was born in Sykia. While a student at the Agricultural University of Athens, he took music lessons at the National Conservatory of Athens. In 1938 he received a scholarship for musical studies in Germany. In 1949 he made his first professional appearance in the Berlin Opera, which was followed by other appearances in the Aachen Opera and in many other theatres across Germany and around the world. In 1959, he performed in the Athens National Opera in Giuseppe Verdi's Force of Destiny, receiving the Golden Cross of the Order of the Phoenix by Paul, the king of Greece of that time. Bourlos brought forward the music of Greece like no other Greek artist in Europe. He wrote studies about the art of the opera and the evolution of musical drama, which were published in various papers and revues of Athens.

• SOPHOKLIS KARYDIS

Sophoklis Karydis (1832-1893) was as well born in Sykia. He was a recognized satirical poet, a journalist and a playwright. His literary recognition never concerned him as much as his desire to express and support the people's rights, which had cost him a never-ending brutal confrontation with the authorities under the reign of Otto. From February 1860 to 1877 he published the "Phos" revue where he wrote edgy satirical verse, criticizing the government under Otto. The first issue of this revue was confiscated by the police. Nevertheless, Karydis was not to the least discouraged by this act, continuing to publish his revue, even if he faced persecutions, financial penalties and several arrests.

• KOSTAS KARYOTAKIS

This widely loved Greek poet was born in Tripoli on October 30th 1896 but from his father's side, he originated from Sykia. In fact, he was registered by him in the village's records, where he appears to be born in 1899. His grandfather and then his brothers were permanently living in Sykia. He spent many summers in the village, visiting his siblings.