PYLI TRIKALON ... At the foot of Pindos, at the entrance to a magnificent gorge divided by the Portaikos river between the Itamos and Koziakas mountains, lies the village of Pyli, the gateway to culture and tradition and the special seat of Saint Vissarion. Pyli is located in the south-west of the prefecture of Trikala, 18 kilometres from Trikala, and is at the crossroads of three of the most famous tourist destinations: the Pertouli ski resort, Meteora and Lake Plastira. The name comes from the natural majestic gate that has formed in the area, but also because it opened up as a unique passageway for the mountainous region of Trikala and, in the past, Epirus. Almost 1 kilometre from the village, the famous arched bridge of Pyli or Agios Vissarion rises up in impressive fashion. THE PYLI BRIDGE The Agios Vissarion Bridge, also known as the Arched Bridge of Pyli, was built in 1514 by Agios Vissarion and was the only bridge connecting the plain with the villages of southern Pindos until 1936. It is a single-span stone bridge with a length of 67 metres, a width of 2.5 metres and a maximum height of 30.5 metres. The span of the arch is 28 metres. It is the second largest single-span bridge in Thessaly. On the left bank of the Portaikos River, where the bridge crosses, parts of the Vlachostrata have been preserved. It was a paved path that led into the mountains. A little further down is a small waterfall that makes the water foam, while next to the bridge there is a lovely café in the shade of the centuries-old plane trees. Maintenance and repair work was carried out on the bridge:      - 1967 (repair of the deck parapets) and 1983 (protection of the northern plinth) by the Restoration Directorate of the Ministry of Culture      - By the same directorate in collaboration with the Prefectural Technical Services Department in 1973 (protection of the southern plinth)      - 1977 by the forestry office (construction of a dam upstream to protect the bases in conjunction with an irrigation network) In 2005 and 2006, extensive work to protect, restore and promote the bridge was carried out under the responsibility of the Prefecture of Trikala as part of the programme for the protection and promotion of cultural heritage. The stone or arched bridge of Agios Vissarion has an awe-inspiring and uplifting effect on visitors, not only when they stand on it, but also when they look at it from below.