Mystras :

1. Mystras: The Medieval City Near Sparta

2. The Palaeologean Restoration Classical Sparta was destroyed by the Visigoth Alarich (396) and completely abandoned in 586. The site in the middle of the plain was not a defensible position for medieval warfare. 1204: The unthinkable happens. The Crusaders of the 4th Crusade exploit a weakness in the walls, conquer and pillage Constantinople, and establish a Latin Empire over Byzantine territories. 1249 Prince William II Villehardouinbuilts a castle as the seat of the principality of Achaea, and a city rapidly grows around it.

3. The Latin Empire of 1204

4. The Castle of Villehardouin

5. Mystras City Plan

6. History of Mystras 1261: Michael VIII, Palaiologos recovers Mystras for the Byzantines, as a ransom for William after the battle of Pelagonia. He then proceeds to recover Constantinople and much of the European possessions of the Byzantine Empire Mystras would become the second most important center of the Empire, and an alternative residence for the imperial family. As Constantinople comes increasingly under pressure, Mystras, which is outside the grip of the Turk becomes more important, and more prosperous. Art and Letters flourish, and elegant pubic and private buildingsare being constantly built as the power of Mystras grows.

7. Byzantium at the death of Michael VIII Palaiologos (1278)

8. Later History 1453: Constantinople falls to the Turks 1460: The Turks seize Mystras 1687-1715: Comes under Venetian control 1715: The Turks retake it 1821: The Greek war of independence begins from this region 1834: The same year when Athens became capital of the Modern Greek State, a royal edict by King Othon ordered the rebuilding of Sparta. Mystras was abandoned and the population moved to the newly built Sparta.

9. Entrance

10. Cathedral (Metropolis) of St. Demetrios

11. Metropolis

12. Metropolis and its Museum

13. Euaggelistria St. Theodore

14. Hodegetria (The Leading Lady)

15. Palace of Palaiologoi

16. Palace of the Despots

17. Pantanassa (The most recent and still active)

18. Peribleptos

19. Peribleptos: The baptism

20. Laskaris Mansion

21. Mystras is the ‘swan-song’ of Byzantine art and creativity Its survival, partly thanks to the fact that it was abandoned, and thus not brutalized by modern buildings, is a gift to all those interested in the late medieval eastern art The eerie hill with the medieval ruins interspersed with wild flowers and cypress trees retains the spirit of late Byzantium and is a remarkable archaeological site, nowadays attracting more visitors than Sparta itself.