A historical walk in Kiato: from Panagitsa to the ASO warehouses

Next to ancient Sikyon, today’s Kiato also holds traces of many eras. On a walk through the town and the plain around it you will find an early Christian basilica, a stretch of Roman aqueduct, a neoclassical mansion and the stone warehouses that recall the days of the currant trade.

Panagitsa: the early Christian basilica

Panagitsa is a 5th-century basilica excavated by the archaeologist Anastasios Orlandos. It was built on the site of an ancient temple and with material taken from it, as the Doric columns found in the area show. It stands on a low hill near the sea, at a spot linked with the ancient port of Sikyon.

The Hadrianic aqueduct

Around 130 AD, under the emperor Hadrian, an aqueduct was built to carry water from the springs of Stymphalia to ancient Corinth, over a distance of about 85 kilometres. A section of it survives in the plain of Kiato and is known as the Vochaikos Channel.

The Tournakis House: the Municipal Art Gallery

In the town centre stands the Tournakis House, also known as the Theochari House: a listed neoclassical building with painted ceilings. In 1919 it passed to the Theochari family and later to the municipality, which restored it. Today it houses the Municipal Art Gallery.

The ASO warehouses and the Municipal Library

On the Kiato waterfront, the ASO warehouses recall the time when the town lived from the trade in Corinthian currants. The first buildings date from the late 19th century, were extended in 1932 and later passed to the Autonomous Currant Organisation (ASO). They are listed, belong to the municipality and now serve as a cultural centre.

A renovated building of the old ASO complex is also home to the Sikyonia Municipal Library. Its history begins in 1961, and since 2023 it has operated in a modern two-storey space with more than 6,000 titles and separate sections for children and for local history.

Practical tips

• The Tournakis House, the ASO warehouses and the library are in town and easy to reach on foot.
• For Panagitsa and the aqueduct you will need a car or a bicycle.
• Before you go, check the opening hours of the art gallery and the library.
• Combine the walk with Ancient Sikyon, a few kilometres inland.