Pyrgos ...more on Pyrgos

...Legend has it that in 1512, Ioannis Tsernotas found in a well, near Neochori of Pyrgos, many ancient coins. He traveled to Constantinople, where he offered them to Sultan Selim, taking the privilege to be named Bei and the ownership of a great area of land around Pyrgos. Tsernota's well existed until the mid 70's, when it was covered over due to "progress."

The city's growth was very fast.  It is mentioned for the first time, by the name of Pyrgos, in 1687, when, for an interval of 25 years, Venice dominated the western Peloponnese.  Its population, at that time about 5,000, consisted almost exclusively of Greeks. Pyrgos took an important role in the Greek revolution of 1821. The revolution here started on the 29th of March 1821, by Charalampos Villaetis, and many residents offered themselves to the Cause.

After the liberation of Greece, Pyrgos became one of the important cities of Greece. The rate of growth was very fast, and, in 1870, the population was 9,000 (at a time when Athens had 45,000 inhabitants).

An important role contributing to its growth was the production and commerce of raisins. The railroad that connected Pyrgos with the city's harbor, Katakolo, (with a length of 13 kilometers) is the second railroad constructed in Greece and the first outside Athens. At that time, there were constructed many neoclassical buildings and houses in the city, like the Municipal Theater and the Municipal Market.  Unfortunately, today, many of the old neoclassical houses have been replaced by apartment buildings.

The city's growth stopped for many years, as the commerce of raisins became non-profitable. In the last years, there has been a considerable rate of growth due to the improvement of agricultural production, while, after the earthquakes that destroyed many city buildings in 1993, there is intense building activity going on once again.