Ancient Lousoi in Kalavryta

Lousoi was a renowned ancient city that was located in Azania, in the Aronian mountains. Built at an altitude of approximately 1,200 meters, Lousoi was a flourishing small city that was mainly famous for the highly regarded sanctuary of Artemis Hmerisia. The temple of the goddess was said to be a place of major religious significance, especially known for the healing of mental diseases (the adjective “Hmerisia” comes from the word “hmera” which means “the one who tames”).

Archeological research was first conducted in 1898 by Wilhelm Dörpfeld and Adolf Wilhelm, while excavations of the temple began by the Austrian Archaeological Institute of Athens. The research brought to light the temple of Artemis -a Doric-style temple with an antetemple, estimated to date back to the 3rd century BC and destroyed by the Aetolians- as well as parts of the sanctuary and the city center. The excavations restarted in 1981 and are still ongoing, revealing gradually the magnitude of the once fascinating ancient city.

Nowadays, the area of ancient Lousoi has been marked as an archaeological site and is open to the public, located near the lively city of Kalavryta.