Mystras holds a special place in my heart–it is the village of my maternal grandmother’s family, Eftaxias. It is a Byzantine city which holds a long and glorious place in the history of Greece. Mystras was founded in the 13th century after the Crusades and conquest of Constantinople. The Frank prince, Villehardouin, ruled the Peloponnese and built a mighty and forbidding stone fortress at the top of the mountain Mytzithras (Mystras).

The mighty Mystras fortress rules the Taygetos mountains and overlooks the valley of Sparta

However, after his capture in battle by Byzantine emperor Paleologos, Villehardouin exchanged the castles of Monemvasia and Mystras for his freedom. Mystras became an important military center, and from the mid-1300’s to the mid-1400’s it served as the capital of the Morea (now Peloponnese).

With continuous threats of foreign invaders, people sought security and began building homes within the stone walls of Mystras. The first wall was named Chora and the second one Kato Chora. The cathedral of Sparta was also taken to Mystras.¹

The Cathedral of Mystras

Through subsequent years until 1825, Mystras was subjected to invasions by Franks, Slavs, Turks and Albanians. Albanian Turks massacred the population and destroyed the site in 1825. After the War of Independence in 1831, King Otto established the new city of Sparta and people began to resettle there. As late as the 1950’s, a few families remained in Mystras until the government annexed the land.

Today, historic Mystras is a focal point for visitors who relish the opportunity to explore antiquity.

But Mystras is also a story of the new generation. Tomorrow, the Greek Orthodox Archbishop of the U.S. will dedicate the newly completed and palatial Mystras Grand Palace Resort and Spa. Government leaders and dignitaries will converge to celebrate this venue which will draw visitors world-wide. Its majesty and decor perfectly complement the ancient edifices and exude a spirit of “new beginnings.”

Mystras Grand Resort and Spa

Estate grounds

Splendid at night, too!

As Greece recovers from its current economic crisis, entrepreneurs and visionaries will converge to combine the old with the new, building bridges from ancient to modern in this majestic land.

¹ Source: www.greeka.com