Mystras Byzantine City

Mystras is a UNESCO World Heritage archaeological site on a steep spur of Mount Taygetos, about six kilometres west of Sparta in Laconia, Peloponnese, Greece. A fortified Byzantine city grew here from 1249, when the Frankish prince William II de Villehardouin built a castle on the hilltop, and it became the seat of the Despotate of the Morea and a late centre of Byzantine art and learning. The site descends in three zones: the Kastro or castle at the top, the Upper Town with the Palace of the Despots, and the Lower Town with churches and monasteries. Highlights include the Palace of the Despots with its great hall, the Church of Agia Sophia, the Church of Agios Dimitrios (the Metropolis) with frescoes and a double-headed eagle marker, the Peribleptos Monastery with some of the finest Palaiologan frescoes, and the Pantanassa Monastery, still inhabited by nuns. Visitors normally enter either at the upper gate near the Kastro and walk downhill or start at the lower gate, which requires climbing. A full visit takes three to four hours because the paths are steep and long. The best views stretch over the Evrotas valley toward Sparta and the Mani peaks, and the Kastro offers the widest outlook. Summer heat on the exposed slope can be strong, so early morning is best and water is essential. Crowds are modest outside July and August, while tour groups arrive around mid-morning. Paths are steep and polished by centuries of use, so supportive shoes are important.