Mystras Greece had been a great military, cultural and spiritual centre of the post-Byzantine period. The well-known imposing castle was built in 1249 by William of Villeharduin, a Venetian Prince who ruled Peloponnese. The castle was created to withstand the attacks by the Byzantines, the Turks and the Venetians when it was finally abandoned in 1832, when by order of king Otto of Greece the nearby town of Sparta was reconstructed and rehabited.
 Walking the ruins of Mystras Greece is a remarkable experience. The castle is separated into three parts, the actual castle, the Upper Town and the Lower Town. On the north side of the castle there are the Palaces of the Lords and on the north side the houses of the urban people and many churches. Around the palaces, there is the Upper town including ruins of mansions, towers and churches built during the 15th century.
The church of Agia Sofia is situated there including marvellous wall paintings. It was founded in 1350 as the church of the palace. On the way to the Lower Town, there is the cathedral of Agios Dimitrios, built in 1262. The magnificent wall paintings of the church date back to the 13th and the 14th century. Another important monument is the Monastery of Pantanassa, distinguishing for its special architecture including wonderful paintings that date back to 15th century. This is the best preserved monument in Mystras and an assorted mixture of Byzantine and Gothic style.
 The Lower Town includes mostly houses that were built for the common people thus this area is denser with narrow streets and vast vegetation. The Archaeological Museum of Mystras includes written documents, special pieces of jewellery, clothes, footwear and other interesting things that reveal an unknown way of life.
In 1989, the archeological site of Mystras Greece was named a UNESCO world heritage site. The modern village of Mystras, few metres beneath the old castle, has some tourist facilities for the locals, while the entire region is great for trekking. |
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