Monemvasia ~ Laconia, The Peloponnese

Easter Vacation in The Peloponnese {part 3}

So, are you still on board with all the geographical info I gave you when we we first started out on our Easter tour of the Peloponnese, Greece? You can refresh your memory if you go on the first post of this series of three (hither) but to save you the trouble of jumping back and forth, I might as well repeat myself here:

The Peloponnese (Pelopónnēsos in Greek) is a peninsula and a geographic region in southern Greece. It is attached to the central part of the country by the Isthmus of Corinth.

The Peloponnese is divided in several regional units, one of which is Laconia –bordered by Messenia to the west and Arcadia to the north.

This regional unit is divided in 5 municipalities: Sparta, East Mani, Elafonisos, Evrotas, and Monemvasia.

The municipality of Monemvasia itself is further divided into 5 municipal units: Asopos, Molái, Monemvasia (the town), Voiés and Zarakas.

The Medieval Town of Monemvasia

The town of Monemvasia is basically divided in two parts. The islet of Monemvasia was separated from the mainland on an earthquake, in 375 AD. The medieval fortress & town were founded in 583 by inhabitants of the mainland seeking refuge from the Slavs invading Greece, during the late 6th century. Built on a slope to the south-east of the islet, its Greek name reveals the purpose served (Monemvásia is in fact two words –“moné” & “emvasis” meaning “single entrance”), to provide seclusion and impenetrable safety! From medieval centuries to contemporary history, the entire location had an overall astonishing geopolitical role: it underwent Byzantine, Venetian, and Ottoman rule, developed into an important trade & maritime center, while during World War II (specifically on April 28th 1941) , the 6th Infantry Brigade (part of the 2nd New Zealand Division, numbering several thousands of men) was successfully evacuated from the piers of Monemvasia. The Germans also used the fortress, soon afterwards, as a military infirmary for wounded soldiers.

Nowadays the fortress is a highly popular destination among travelers and most of the buildings have been renovated into hostels, restaurants, bars, and cafés. Cars and motorcycles are not allowed withing the fortress –which makes absolute sense, since the medieval cobblestone pathways are way too steep– so be prepared to walk lots & hike! The contemporary part of the town features all typical holiday resort accommodations including hotels, restaurants & taverns, banks & retail stores, and a quite popular sandy beach.

All info on geographical & historical locations from Wikipedia

Map screenshot courtesy of Google.maps

*images by Athina D. Pantazatou for Kicking Back the Pebbles