The Tsakonian Archive was founded by Mayor Stylianos Merikakis, who recognized the need to preserve the Tsakonian dialect, weaving, traditions and history of the region. Merikakis served as the archive’s president from 1954 until his death in 1980. His successor, Panagiotis Pitselas, continued the work and helped to establish a sister-city relationship between Leonidio and Martano in Southern Italy, an area where the Greko dialect is spoken, bearing many similarities to the Tsakonian language.
The Tsakonian Archive is highly active, organizing the Tsakonian Conference every four years and publishing the “Chronicles of Tsakonia” and other studies on the history, culture and language of the region. Since 2022, the archive has been hosting a summer school offering classes in the Tsakonian language and weaving, giving visitors a chance to immerse themselves in Tsakonian traditions. These classes are offered year-round to both adults and children.
The Archive’s work has been widely recognized, culminating in an accolade it received on December 29, 2005, from the Academy of Athens for its fifty years of social, cultural and scientific contributions.
