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oriettaIT Says: If you enter Mystras by the upper gate you will first reach the ticket kiosk, than the trail fork, downhill is the Upper town of Mystras but I suggest you to go up and pay a visit to the ruins of the Frank castel. The path will take you at least 20 minutes to get to the top,...
Paul2001 Says: One of the older of the monasteries in Mistras, the Agioi Theodoroi was built in the late 13th century. It is rather small compared to the other monasteries but still features a stunning octagonal shaped dome that dominates the monastery.
Ruai Says: The Castle, at the very top of the hill, is a logical target to aim at in your wanderings and well worth a look. What amazed me was how narrow the area at the top really is and how tough a job anybody trying to take it would have had. A few soldiers could have held off an...
Paul2001 Says: Pantanassa was built by John Phrangopoulos in 1428. Like many of the other churches in Mystra, it is laided out in a cruciform manner with soaring domes overhead. The churches has survived the centuries relatively intact. An especially notable feature of the Pantanassa is...
Paul2001 Says: The Palace is the largest complex of buildings with Mistras. It sits on a terrace towards the top of the slope that leads upto the castle the crowns the hill. The Palace formed the seat of two Byzantine dynasties and of numerous foreign and Greek princes for more than three...
Paul2001 Says: The Agia Sophia was built in the 14th century by Manuel Cantacuzenus who was the first Despot of Mystras. The church was designed in the cruciform manner that is crowned by a dome. Inside of the church there are four chapels at each angle. In some of the chapels there are...
The Cathedral of St. Demetrios
Paul2001 Says: The Cathedral of St. Demetrios is a 13th century church that is largest of those scattered about Mystras. The church has a very interesting interior with a significent number of impressive Byzantine frescos dating from the 13th to the 15th centuries. In the north courtyard...
Paul2001 Says: Mistras sprawls up the slope of a large hill. Crowning this hill is a ruined fortress. The castle was built in 1249 by William II de Villeharduin, the Frankish crusader. It turned over to the Byzantines in 1260 and they controled to castle until 1460 when the region was...
The Church of Our Lady Hodegetria
Paul2001 Says: The Church of Our Lady Hodegetria was built in 1310 by abbot Pachomios. The interior of the church has many outstanding example of Byzantine painting that date from 1312 to 1322. The church was built in a mix of architectural styles that contain narthex and lateral chapels.
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I arrived in Sparta coming from the west (Pilos). This road passes by some fabulous mountains, alpine landscapes, woods and gorges. From these "Kaiathas" gorge were the spartans said to throw the babies than weren't tough enough to keep the strict "spartan way of life"...
Anyway, is a wonderful entrance to the valley!
Updated Feb 7, 2003
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From Mystra, take the road Sparta-Gythio. On km 11, on the right hand side, you will see a road sign indicating a monastery called Ieras Monis Panagias Zerbiktsis (or Zermpitsis). The road goes up and leads to the entrance of the monastery. It is ruled by nuns, and it is built on the place where an old monastery dedicated to Our Lady, Ieras Monis Kyras Panagias, had been built in the XII century. The new monastery was rebuilt on 1639 and frescos and icons were painted on 1669. The choice of the place were the main church was built is due to the finding of an Icon of Our Lady of Zerbiktsis. This icon is enthroned on the left of the Main Church.
From 1968, there is also a museum in the Monastery. According to some findings that are exposed in the Museum, there was in that place an idolatrous temple dated from the 3rd century B.C.
Updated Aug 3, 2008
Stuff to know to plan your visit
oriettaIT Says: The site is open April to October 8.30-20.00 and November to March 8.30-15.00, in 2011 the admission was 5 euros.As the site is quite large and cover the side of a hill with a significant drop in altitude you need to plan your exploration very carefully.There are two access...
Lilasel Says: Near the highest gate of the castle stands the church of Agia Sofia, while on the slope to the east is the Pantanassa monastery, built by the lords of the 15th century. The church is impressive in its elegance and refinement. The wall-paintings include an impressive...
Palaces of the Mystras Despots
Lilasel Says: The palaces of the Despots were built on a small plateau on the hill. Buildings with a variety of functions, erected at different periods (13th - 15th c.), from a large complex, dominated by the throne-room (early 15th c.)
Lilasel Says: The city was founded in the 13th century during the Frankish occupation of the Peloponessos by the Frank William de Villehardouin who built a fortress, his palace and surrounded them with the walls that defended the city for another 400 years. Villehardouin was defeated by...
Lilasel Says: You should also not miss visiting the monastery of Pantanassa, the Churches of Agia Sophia, Evangelistrias, Agion Theodoron and Othigitria. The Byzantine Museum housed at the metropolis has a collection of sculpted exhibits, Byzantine icons and superb objects of micrography.
Lilasel Says: The most important group of buildings associated with the city's defense system are to be found within the Castle area.The wall with battlements and towers was built in 1249 by the Franklin prince, William II de Villehardouin. Later, it was repaired by Byzantines and Turks...
Lilasel Says: The original name of Mystras was Myzithras which means "cheese-maker" and why it was called that nobody knows for sure.
Lilasel Says: In modern village of Mystras you will see the statue of Konstantinos Palaiologos - the last emperor of Byzantium. He was crowned in 1449 in Mystras, and he left Mystras for Constantinople. In 1453 the Turks captured Constantinople and a few years later in 1460 the same fate...
Lilasel Says: The hill on which Mystras is built was thus defended by two strongly fortified walls, dominated by an impregnable castle. The Lower city was for the urban class. Higher up, in the Upper City, was situated the aristocratic quarter, with its palaces, mansions and government...
Mistras, a mediaeval fortress-state, occupies a foothill on the slopes of Mountain Taygetos, 6 km NW of the ancient city of Sparta, in Peloponnese (about 250 km south of Athens). Houses, mansions,...
The dead city of Mystras is located just 6 km on the West side of the town of Sparta. It was regional capital for almost 400 years until the fall of the Byzantine Empire. With inspiring churches and...
One of Greece's Premiere Byzantine Attractions
Mistras is wonderful historical sight just outside of Sparta. Mistras is sort of a Byzantine ghost town that works its way up a large hill. The hill is crowned by a castle from which there are...
Mistras, a byzantine ghost town
On top of Taigetos mountain, just 5 km from Sparta,stands Mistras, an old byzantine city spreading over a hill. It was the capital of Byzantine and Medieval Mystras. Was built by William II of...
Mystras is a Byzantine city, situated on a hill close to the modern day city of Sparta. The city dates back to the mid-1200s, and reached its peak in the late 1600s when 42,000 people lived...
Build your own Mistras page
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