The town of Messolonghi apart from being known for its history, is inextricably bound with concepts such as lagoon, fish, traditional fishing. Around these words another side of the city’s identity is formed, unknown to many of the ephemeral visitors.
Near the lagoon a puzzle of shapes and formations develops, a diversity of habitats one succeeding another in absolute harmony. Open sea, estuaries, marsh land, hilly and mountainous areas, including the majestic canyon of Kleisoura, that has been described as an "area of exceptional beauty" and the forest of Fraxos characterized as a "Monument of nature". But most impressive of all is the lagoon complex of Messolonghi - Etoliko with an area of 150,000 acres that makes it the largest in our country and the second largest in the European Mediterranean.
A wide variety of plants and animals especially birds, common and rare, fascinate the human eye by the harmony of their movement, their colors, their voices and their beneficial contribution to nature’s balance. The imperial eagle of Koutsilari, the vultures of Kleisoura, the avocets and flamingo of the salt lakes, the Black-winged Stilt, the spoonbills, are some of the species living next to us.
In the area we find traces of continuous human life from the prehistoric finds, Greek mythology, archaeological sites, the Early Christian temples and Byzantine monuments, even in the still functional spaces of modern history, and also the ivari that maintain traditional art over time and passes it on from generation to generation.
The wetland that is now called lagoon of Messolonghi-Etoliko used to dominate the area in antiquity and was a source of wealth and human activity. It is no coincidence that despite the adverse conditions that were created especially by Achelous river and the extensive marshy areas of Kynias lake, in ancient times major cities such as Plevrona, the Calydon, Alykirna and Oiniades developed in the area.
The myth about the cleansing of Alkmeona is typical of how the ancient man understood the crucial role of Achelous in the region. The water, always precious to man, was considered in Greek mythology as in many other even modern religions as an element of catharsis. Of course so was the water of god Achelous. According to legend, the matricide Alkmeonas in order to escape his heavy sin and gain a peace of mind, he had to find a place that had not been seen by the sun until the day of the matricide. So, after wandering around for a long time, he reached Achelous springs, and the god undertook the work of his expiation, offered his daughter as a wife and installed them in a space near his mouth. Only there Alkmeonas felt completely calm. This place was none other than that the silting of the river had created and even in a short time since, as legend suggests, it wasn’t there at the time the crime was committed.
Another myth that shows the importance of the lagoon and its configuration in ancient times is the one of the victorious struggle of Hercules with Achelous. In the fight Hercules cut off a horn from Achelous head witch had the form of a bull. In order to regain the horn Achelous offered Hercules the horn of Amalthea, which he had in his possession.
The ancient myth states expressly that Hercules broke Achelous left horn. This appears and not without reason in all the extant images of the myth. The shift of water in the mouth of the river is to the right and so while on the left side there are fertile lands, lagoons, source of fish and salt, on the right side there is flooding and damages.
Near the lagoon a puzzle of shapes and formations develops, a diversity of habitats one succeeding another in absolute harmony. Open sea, estuaries, marsh land, hilly and mountainous areas, including the majestic canyon of Kleisoura, that has been described as an "area of exceptional beauty" and the forest of Fraxos characterized as a "Monument of nature". But most impressive of all is the lagoon complex of Messolonghi - Etoliko with an area of 150,000 acres that makes it the largest in our country and the second largest in the European Mediterranean.
A wide variety of plants and animals especially birds, common and rare, fascinate the human eye by the harmony of their movement, their colors, their voices and their beneficial contribution to nature’s balance. The imperial eagle of Koutsilari, the vultures of Kleisoura, the avocets and flamingo of the salt lakes, the Black-winged Stilt, the spoonbills, are some of the species living next to us.
In the area we find traces of continuous human life from the prehistoric finds, Greek mythology, archaeological sites, the Early Christian temples and Byzantine monuments, even in the still functional spaces of modern history, and also the ivari that maintain traditional art over time and passes it on from generation to generation.
The wetland that is now called lagoon of Messolonghi-Etoliko used to dominate the area in antiquity and was a source of wealth and human activity. It is no coincidence that despite the adverse conditions that were created especially by Achelous river and the extensive marshy areas of Kynias lake, in ancient times major cities such as Plevrona, the Calydon, Alykirna and Oiniades developed in the area.
The myth about the cleansing of Alkmeona is typical of how the ancient man understood the crucial role of Achelous in the region. The water, always precious to man, was considered in Greek mythology as in many other even modern religions as an element of catharsis. Of course so was the water of god Achelous. According to legend, the matricide Alkmeonas in order to escape his heavy sin and gain a peace of mind, he had to find a place that had not been seen by the sun until the day of the matricide. So, after wandering around for a long time, he reached Achelous springs, and the god undertook the work of his expiation, offered his daughter as a wife and installed them in a space near his mouth. Only there Alkmeonas felt completely calm. This place was none other than that the silting of the river had created and even in a short time since, as legend suggests, it wasn’t there at the time the crime was committed.
Another myth that shows the importance of the lagoon and its configuration in ancient times is the one of the victorious struggle of Hercules with Achelous. In the fight Hercules cut off a horn from Achelous head witch had the form of a bull. In order to regain the horn Achelous offered Hercules the horn of Amalthea, which he had in his possession.
The ancient myth states expressly that Hercules broke Achelous left horn. This appears and not without reason in all the extant images of the myth. The shift of water in the mouth of the river is to the right and so while on the left side there are fertile lands, lagoons, source of fish and salt, on the right side there is flooding and damages.