Mystras

Destination

Mystras is located in the Peloponnese of Greece
a little west of Sparta.

History

In 1205 After the conquest of Constantinople during the fourth

crusade Prince William II built a castle here and Mystras was founded.

In 1249 Mystras became the seat of Principality of Achaea or the Morea which was one of three states of the Latin Empire which replaced the byzantine empire.

In 1261 William II was captured. in order to get him back the Latins gave Mystras to Michael VIII who made the city the seat of the new Despotate of the Morea. This state was a late relative to the byzantine empire.

Between 1348-1380 frescos in the Peribleptos were created.

Frescos is A late form of Byzantine art that is very rare. The art in this church helped people understand the art of the time better.

As late as the mid to late 1440’s Mystras was the last center of Byzantine scholarship that really influenced the italian renaissance.

In 1460 Mehmed II of the ottoman empire took over the city. Aside from venetian rule from 1687 to 1715 the Ottomans held it until 1821.

In 1989 The ruins of mystras including the palace, fortress, and monasteries were named UNESCO world heritage sites.

Points of Intersest

The archeaological site of Mystras was named a world heritage site in 1989
among things to see at this site are the palace, fortress, churches, and
monasteries. The churches have murals called frescos which are a very rare form
of byzantine art.

—http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSzz7mrp5qE&feature=related

Church of the Peribleptos and some of the Frescoes within.

The entrance to the Mystras Fortress

A street in the town of mystra’s as you can see mystra’s is high in the mountains and very scenic. Since Mystra’s is in the mountains this made it a very good place to make and defend a fortress.