Monemvasia, Medieval fortress town on a rocky island in Laconia, Greece
Monemvasia is a medieval town built on a large rock linked to the mainland by a narrow causeway. The grey stone buildings seem to grow directly from the cliff and form tight lanes on several levels.
Settlers built the fortress in the 6th century as a refuge from hostile attacks and used the natural defense of the rock. Over the centuries control shifted between Byzantines, Crusaders, Venetians and Ottomans.
The name means "single entrance" and refers to the narrow gateway through which all visitors must pass. The alleys are so tight that no modern vehicle can fit, so residents and guests move about on foot.
The entrance sits at the end of the causeway and leads through a low gate into the lower town. Stone stairs connect the lower settlement to the upper town, with the climb taking around 20 minutes.
A cannon from Venetian times still stands on the town wall and points toward the sea. The upper town remained inhabited until the 1960s and was then abandoned until restoration work began.
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