Mystras, Byzantine archaeological site near Sparta, Greece
Mystras is a fortified town on a hillside below Mount Taygetos in Greece, about 6 kilometers northwest of Sparta. The site contains an upper fortress with defensive walls, a palace complex in the middle section, and several monasteries and churches spread across different terraces.
William II of Villehardouin founded the fortress in 1249 to secure Frankish control over the region. Byzantine rulers later took over the site and transformed it into a political and cultural center until its decline in the 15th century.
The name Mystras, or Myzethras in the Chronicle of the Morea, predates the 1249 castle and was what locals called the mountain; it is linked to the word for mizithra cheese, perhaps from the peak's cone shape. The site is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site (1989), and nuns still live in the Pantanassa Monastery.
Visitors should wear sturdy shoes because the paths are steep and uneven. Exploring the entire site requires several hours of walking up stairs and hillside trails.
The wall paintings in the Pantanassa church show secular scenes alongside religious motifs, which is unusual for Byzantine art. These depictions include everyday clothing and gestures from the 15th century.
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