Mystras - A Fortified Town
Mystras - A Fortified Town
Written by Tuesday, 20 December 2011 19:54
Mystras (Myzithras in the chronicle of Moreas) was a fortified town in Moreas (the medieval Peloponnese). The town is built on Mt. Taygetos near the ancient town Sparta. As the capital of the Byzantine Despotate of Moreas it was quite well known and prosperous during the 14th and 15th centuries. William II Villehardouin made Mystras, Mani and Monemvasia his three strongholds; based on these he ruled Peloponnese.
Mystras attracted a number of Byzantine scholars and was ruled by the last Byzantine emperor, Constantine XI, before he was called to the throne. Following the occupation of Constantinople by the Ottomans Mystras became part of the Ottoman empire and was subsequently occupied by the Venetians. The town was raided in the 19th century; marble, stone and other materials were used to rebuilt Sparta. In 1989 the site acquired protection status by UNESCO (World Heritage Site).
The frescos in the Peribleptos Church, dating between 1348 and 1380, are quite rare and worth examining for those enamoured with the Byzantine art.
Mystras is easily accessible by car and the road is quite good. Be prepared for a great deal of walking and climbing while at the site. Extremely heavy photographic equipment is not advised, especially during the hot summer months. On the day we visited Mystras (August 2010) the ambient temperature was close to 40oC and we were carrying too much gear indeed. As far as the direction of the light is concerned, Mystras is built on a slope of Taygetos, facing the east. Therefore it is advisable to start your tour from the middle city and then, when the sun moves to the west and the mountain casts its shadow over the city, move to the castle, at the top of the hill, to enjoy the sunset and the spectacular view of the Evrotas valley. It is important to note that tripods are not allowed in Mystras.
The first impression you get when you enter this fortified town is this of entering a place where time stood still for centuries. Restoration work goes on in the site, almost everywhere. A great deal of the churches and other buildings are open to the visitor who can easily spend a couple of days in the city - there is really a lot to see. Visitors not particularly attracted to monuments will have a chance to see how people used to live 800 years ago - you can even get in some old houses and see how things were organized.
The photos below show some of the alleys and the first floor of a house. Water in Mystras is difficult to get; the Byzantines had to store it using every way possible. The photos below show how this was done. The Metropolis (i.e. the most important church) of Mystras features through the arch in the last photo.
The town is full of monasteries and churches, highlighting the religious character of medieval Peloponese. These are located in vantage points which allow for good photo opportunities. The clear summer weather provided us with ample light and a blue sky with interesting white clouds with a good choice of surroundings to use as a background for these buildings. For those interested in Byzantine history, architecture, religion and art visiting Mystras is a must. Monasteries such as the Peribleptos, Pantanassa and the Metropolis of Mystras are excellent examples of byzantine architecture. Pantanassa is perhaps the best known of them all while Peribleptos is historically more important.
Peribleptos monastery is home to some stunning byzantine frescos, of which there are not many left. Light in the interior of the monastery is very poor but we decided to use high ISO settings to preserve the feeling as well as the colours of the frescos. It is a pity some parts of the frescos are lost. The parts that still exist clearly demonstrate what a glorious and majestic place this was in the past.
Next to the Peribleptos monastery there is a small church with a very short entrance. We were a bit surprised by the height of it; the local guide explained that this was due to a political rivalry between the head of state (despot) and the head of church (bishop). The bishop, who was a really short man, decided to build the door to suit his size but not the despot's, who was obviously a bigger guy. Each time the despot entered this church he had to bend, as if he was paying tribute to the bishop who was preceding him - though clearly not realizing it.
After entering this church, there is a cavity with a small window and a table:
The monastery of Pantanassa is the best preserved monastery of all, a wonderful example of Byzantine architecture with a beautiful temple and a breathtaking view. Its location is perfectly chosen. The most daring of us climbed up the rocks to shoot the monastery from above, which is not something often seen. It should be noted that the temple in the third and fourth photos is the only temple of its time that exists today.
The nunnery was interesting, relaxing and welcoming:
In the upper city of Mystras we saw the citadel or Villehardouin's castle an hour before sunset. According to our estimations the sun should set behind Taygetos so from the castle we should have a great view of the sunset. On our way down to the entrance of the middle city we got near the Metropolis of Mystras decorated by the Byzantine eagle.
Though we drove to the entrance of the upper city getting to the top was tiresome as each one of us was carrying more than 15 Kg of photo gear. Unfortunately we could not take the shot we were hoping for; the clouds that started to gather over the mountain were not what we were expecting. However, being there with a camera and plenty of time to spare allowed us to admire some beautiful scenes. Eventually the dense clouds formed an opening through which the rays of the setting sun scattered in the sky lighting some parts of the dense forest of Taygetos. What a way to end a day!
Photos by the authors.
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