West of the Arcadian Gate lies the village of Zerbissia. It is situated
in a magnificent location with a beautiful view to the fertile plains of Messinia.
Water is abundant in the village that is full of shadowy plane tress and fruit
trees. Zarbissia and the Kochyli (or Lakakoukia) settlement form a separate municipal
district. The village is semi mountainous and is built amphitheatrically, on a
slope, at an altitude of 500m approximately. The spring known as "Seha" is on
its sloping part. Tradition has it that the spring was named after the daughter
of an Aga, who drowned herself in its waters during the Turkish occupation.
Ruins of a prehistoric castle lie on the top of the Kochyli Mountain.
The ruins of the old village dating back to the Middle Ages, lie on the north
of the village at the "Pisso Rouga" location. Several Byzantine tombs were discovered
in the contemporary village, at the square of the village church dating back to
1958. Foundations of an old Byzantine aqueduct were found next to "Seha". An over
one metre wide old water pipe (called "Chtiri"), crosses the old settlement at
the "Piso Rouga" location, goes through a tunnel in a hill (called "trypa" "hole")
and ends up right outside the western wall of Ancient Messini.
The churches of Ayios (saint) Spyridon in the cemetery of the village
(a few of its wall paintings have been saved), Ayia (saint) Paraskevi, Ayios (saint)
Dimitrios, etc. are also very interesting. The scenery is enchanting in the locations
"Krya Vryssi (cold fountain)", "Vryssi Mouriki (Mourikis fountain)", "Vryssi tou
Lykou (wolf's fountain)" and "Megali Vryssi (big fountain)" as well as in the
waterfalls of "Kremasi (overhanging)" and "Paliomylos (old mill)", etc.
This text is cited April 2003 from the
Municipality of Ithomi tourist pamphlet.
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