Vlahopoulo is a village in the center of the prefecture of Messinia, 12,5 kilometers to the southeast of Chora and 38 kilometers from Kalamata. In antiquity, the area of the settlement was part of Nestor’s kingdom in ancient Pylos. The village has been mentioned, at least, since the years of the Second Venetian occupation, being known as Vlaghopullo or Vlacopulo.
The visitor may see the traditional houses of the village, as well as the church of the Assumption of Virgin Mary (which celebrates on August 15th) and the church of Saint George. More precisely, the church of the Assumption is a one – roomed basilica with a wooden roof, the construction of which was completed in 1905. Saint George is one of the first Christian churches in Messinia that dates back to the end of the 10th - early 11th century and is located at the cemetery of the village.
Outside the village, at the location called Drakorachi, a small, vaulted tomb (with a diameter of around 3 meters) was excavated in 1964 by archaeologist Sp. Marinatos. The vaulted tomb at Vlahopoulo was discovered by accident when a local resident’s donkey fell inside. Even though the tomb was looted in the past, vessels, all in very good condition, dating in the Late Mycenaean period, were found in its interior. Today, these findings are exhibited at the Archaeological Museum of Pylos. The tomb was built around 1400 B.C. and four skulls were, also, discovered in it.
