Greece - Korina Miller [146]
Sights
EXPLORING THE SITE
At least half a day is needed to do justice to the ruins of Mystras ( 27310 83377; adult/concession €5/3; 8am-7.30pm summer, 8.30am-3pm winter). Wear sensible shoes and bring plenty of water. The site is divided into three sections – the kastro (the fortress on the summit), the hora (upper town) and the kato hora (lower town). You can approach the ruins from either direction – top to bottom or vice versa (both options are quite strenuous). If you have transport and start at the top and walk down, you’ll need to return to your car at the end of your visit. An alternative is to do the top half first, then drive to the bottom, and do the bottom section (this involves walking uphill; you can use the same ticket to re-enter). If you catch a taxi from Sparta, it’s best to head to the top and wander downhill.
KASTRO & UPPER TOWN
From opposite the upper entrance ticket office, a path (signposted ‘kastro’) leads up to the fortress. The fortress was built by the Franks and extended by the Turks. The path descends from the ticket office leading to Agia Sofia, which served as the palace church, and where some frescoes survive. Steps descend from here to a T-junction.
A left turn leads to the Nafplio Gate. Near the gate, and closed for restoration at the time of research, is the huge Palace of Despots, a complex of several buildings constructed at different times.
From the palace, a winding, cobbled path leads down to the Monemvasia Gate, the entrance to the lower town.
LOWER TOWN
Through the Monemvasia Gate, turn right for the well-preserved, 14th-century Convent of Pantanassa. This features a beautifully ornate stone-carved facade and is still maintained by nuns, Mystras’ only inhabitants. It’s an elaborate, perfectly proportioned building – never overstated. Exquisite, richly coloured, 15th-century frescoes are among the finest examples of late-Byzantine art. Look out for the tiny stamped silver and gold votive offerings beneath the large icon of the Virgin. You’ll find images of eyes, ears, legs, arms, breasts and even houses stamped onto these small tablets, depending on the (usually health-related) problems the faithful are hoping for supernatural help with. There is a wonderful view of the pancake-flat and densely cultivated plain of Lakonia from the columned terrace on the northern facade. The nuns ask that, before entering, you cover bare legs with the cloths provided.
The path continues down to the Monastery of Perivleptos ( summer), built into a rock. Inside, the 14th-century frescoes, preserved virtually intact, equal those of Pantanassa. The church has a very high dome and in the centre is the Pantokrator (the Byzantine depiction of Christ as the universal, all-powerful ruler), surrounded by the apostles, and the Virgin flanked by two angels.
As you continue down towards the Mitropolis, you will pass Agios Georgios, one of Mystras’ many private chapels. Further down, and above the path on the left, is the Laskaris Mansion, a typical Byzantine house.
The Mitropolis (Cathedral of Agios Dimitrios) is a complex of buildings enclosed by a high wall. The original church was built in the 1200s, but was greatly altered in the 15th century. The church stands in an attractive courtyard surrounded by stoae and balconies. Its impressive ecclesiastical ornaments and furniture include a marble iconostasis, an intricately carved wooden throne and a marble slab in the floor in which features a two-headed eagle (symbol of Byzantium) – located exactly on the site where Emperor Constantine XI was crowned. The church also has some fine frescoes. The adjoining small but modern museum houses some quirky pieces, including female hair, buttons and embrodiery, and other everyday items of Mystras’ inhabitants.
Beyond the Mitropolis is the Vrontokhion Monastery. This was once the wealthiest monastery of Mystras, the focus of cultural activities and the burial place of the despots. Of its two churches, Agios Theodoros and Aphentiko, the latter is the most impressive, with striking frescoes.
Outside