Platanaki is a mountain village in Southern Kynouria, built at an elevation of 900 meters on the slopes of Mount Parnonas, in an area with lush vegetation and a distinct mountainous character. A fir forest stretches nearby, while the wider area corresponds to ancient Glyppia, a place with deep historical roots. Its natural isolation, cool climate, and the seasonal migration of residents to Vlachiotis in Laconia during the winter months reflect the traditional way of life that developed in the village. The residents were primarily engaged in agriculture, beekeeping, and construction work.
The village is also of particular historical interest, as it is considered the birthplace of the Macedonian freedom fighter Captain Foufas (Zacharias Papadas). At the same time, the wider area preserves significant remnants of the past: northeast of the village, toward Agios Vasileios, the ruins of a medieval castle and the old Monastery of Palaiopanagia remain, while archaeological finds, such as pottery shards and a fragment of an ancient statue, have also been discovered. These findings attest to the area’s continuous habitation and significance from antiquity through to later periods.
Among the most important sights in Platanaki, the Church of the Virgin Mary (Nativity of the Theotokos) stands out; it is a 19th-century church with a remarkable wood-carved iconostasis and fine icons from the post-Byzantine period. Another distinctive feature of the village is the stone-built three-spouted fountain from 1889, which is closely linked to daily life and the traditional character of the village. Platanaki is thus a village where the natural environment, folk architecture, and historical memory coexist in a particularly fruitful and characteristic way for the mountainous region of Kynouria.
Maria Kantani designed the seal for the community of Platanaki

Maria Kantani
COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT / "HUNT THE STAMP" PROJECT DEVELOPMENT

Find the stamp at the Community Store next to the church
Please contact Stelios Koutsoubos by calling 6940804198
The Communications Manager for this year’s festival is certainly not a visual artist—but she really enjoys drawing, sketching, and creating narratives, both verbal and visual. After all, that’s her job—evident throughout the website, social media, and press coverage related to Melitzazz 2025–2026. So when the artist who had been commissioned for Platanaki canceled the submission of her design literally at the last minute, the new Melitzazz organizing team decided to leave its… mark in yet another way on this year’s event. They tasked Maria with “saving” the day and creating the fifteenth checkpoint that will be waiting for you to confirm your passage through beautiful Platanaki!
