MYSTRAS

Mystras (although 300km away from the campsite) is one of the biggest centres of Byzantine hagiography, architecture and civilisation. This city originated from the castle that was built, the 13th century, by Prince Guillaume B Vilharduin, on the summit of Mountain Mystras or Myzithras. The castle is grandiose and was protected by significant fortifications. Some years later the area came under the Byzantine control and the castle became the Seat of a Byzantine General. Outside the castle, later on, were created two concentric settlements, Upper and Lower "Chora" surrounded by respective walls. During the 14th century Mystras became the capital of Peloponnese and enjoyed continuous prosperity until the 15th century when it became the spiritual and cultural centre of the era and the centre of attraction for the sages, the artists and intellectuals. Such was the prestige of Mystras that in 1448 Constantine Palaeologos, the last emperor of Byzantine, was crowned there. In 1460 the area was occupied by the Turks, then in 1687 by the Venetian and then again by the Turks until the revolution of 1821, being one of the first castles to be liberated. In1825 the Lower Chora was destroyed by Ibrahim's army and the area was gradually abandoned. The creation of Sparta by Othon, in 1834, contributed to this. In 1952, by a decree, it was converted into a large museum.