MONEMVASIA

The city of Monevasia was founded on the imposing rock, which projects from the shore of the eastern Morea and has, during the long centuries of its history, always caused awe and admiration to the visitors.

The settlement was founded by the inhabitants of Sparta, who during the last decades of the 6th c. A.D. abandoned their city and settled on the rock, which is running from west to east and has a length of about 1500 m. The maximum width is 600 m. and the height does not exceed 203 m. The Upper City spreads on the large plateau above the surrounding cliffs, while the Lower City has grown near the level of the sea and is surrounded on three sides by fortifications and on the fourth by the cliffs of the rock.

Monemvasia became gradually an important strategic and commercial port of the Byzantine Empire and the activities of the inhabitants were connected with the sea. The naval power, the growth of commerce and special privileges granted by the emperors led the city to great affluence. A product of the territory of Monemvasia, which was distributed around the Mediterranean Sea by the inhabitants with their ships was a famous wine, “monemvasios” in Greek, “malvasia” –a corruption of the name of the city- in Italian, “malmsey” wine, mentioned by Shakespeare.

Monemvasia did not capitulate to the Turks in 1460, when they conquered the rest of the Morea. For a few years the city was under the Pope’s protection and soon after under Venetian sovereignty. In 1540 the Venetians handed over Monemvasia and Nauplion to the Turks, which in 1690 they re-conquered, along with the rest of the Morea. In 1715 the Morea was taken again by the Turks.

During the War of Independence in 1821 and later when the Modern Greek State was formed, Monemvasia continued to be an important port. Gradually, after World War II, the larger part of the population left for the new little town which has grown on the mainland and on the rock only a small number of inhabitants remained to carry on the long tradition.