The Karytsiotis School (Archaeological Museum of Astros), the neighboring “Sacred Space” of the Second National Assembly of the Greeks, Karytsiotis Square in Astros and Koutri in Agiannis are undoubtedly the most important landmarks of Kynouria and our homeland. The sites have been declared by the Ministries of Education and Culture respectively as “preservable historical monument”, “historic site” and “archaeological site”.
“Let us declare as a historical preserved monument the School in Astros where the second National Assembly met in 1823”.
“We characterize as an archaeological site the area “Koutri” of the village of Agios Ioannis Kynourias, summer seat of Astros, where the historical school of Karytsiotis operated in 1798″.
“Characterization of the Karytsiotis school square and part of the farm, in Astros Kynourias, as a historical site.”
“This area is part of the farm – originally 46 acres, which Dimitrios Karytsiotis had donated to the School, which he had founded in 1805 – planted with orange, lemon and olive trees, the product of which was used to pay the School’s teachers and covering her expenses.
In this farm, two important events of the Revolution took place, the known as the “Pumpkin Reconciliation Table” on June 19, 1821, to which the chieftains had come, in order to overcome their differences and agree on the success of the Revolution that was starting at that time, as also the Second National Assembly of the Greeks (March 30 to April 18, 1823) with the presence of chieftains, politicians, masses of people and the army. Within the School, which is included in the area under declaration, the declaration of the National Assembly was drawn up.”
Dimitrios Ypsilantis came by ship to Paralio Astros, there were no other means of transport at the time, and from there Kolokotronis, Akouros and other soldiers with army divisions accompanied him triumphantly to his intermediate destination in Astros, “while the people of Kynouria with tears they cried out with joy and emotion” “Welcome, Master” . At the Karytsiotis farm in Astros, there was a meeting and lunch with the military, where he read the document of his brother Alexandros Ypsilantis appointing him “proxy of the General Commissioner of the Authority”.
The Astreini tradition brings Kolokotronis to prepare a meal, in 1821 in Astros, to Dimitrios Ypsilanti, known as Kolokotroneiko dinner , roast goat laid in leaves, asci with retsino wine and bread. The meal took place in the garden of Karytsiotis under the linden tree, which is still there and slowly dying, and there is a relevant sign on the site, next to the School of Karytsiotis (now the Archaeological Museum of Astros). G. Tercetis mentions “Dimitrios Ypsilantis and Kolokotronis were eating in the shadows of the Astros trees”.
Kolokotronis convincingly, intelligently and deliberately adapted him to the Greek reality in order to make the Prince forget the European salons.
“Kolokotronis used his hands to cut the bread and the piton roast for one portion of each person. The Astreini tradition also preserves the phrases with which Kolokotronis accompanied the piton and the wine, which he gave to the Prince. “This, Prince, is offered to you by Greece with her golden forks.” And when she gave him the wine in a gourd cup, she said to him. “This, prince, is offered to you by the patrician with her golden glasses.”
After the meeting with the military in Astros, through Agiannis and Agios Petros, he arrived at his final destination, at the historic camp of Verbena, where ten thousand soldiers and people received him in triumph. A big and important step for the national renaissance was a fact and Tripolitsa understood it, the roads of Moria were decisively, definitively and conclusively closed.
Kolokotroni’s assistant Fotakos reports after the table. : “From Astros we passed to Agios Ioannis, and from there, after having lunch in the arches of Agios Petros, we arrived at Verbaina”.
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