Mystras

Mystras (Μυστράς) is a late Byzantine ghost town on a steep foothill of Mount Taygetos, a few kilometres west of Sparta. It began as a castle built by the Frankish prince William II of Villehardouin in the 13th century. It soon passed to the Byzantines and grew into a walled city, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

In the 14th and 15th centuries Mystras was the seat of the Despotate of the Morea and a centre of late Byzantine learning and art. The philosopher Georgios Gemistos Plethon taught here. The last emperor, Constantine XI Palaiologos, ruled the despotate before he took the throne. Paths lead from the Lower Town past the Metropolis, the Evangelistria and the Peribleptos Monastery. Further up are the Pantanassa Monastery, still home to nuns, the Palace of the Despots and the Church of Hagia Sophia. The castle crowns the summit. Many churches keep outstanding frescoes, and a small museum displays finds from the site. Show more

The steep site looks out over the Evrotas valley. Trails lead further into the Taygetos range. Modern Sparta with its ancient site and archaeological museum lies close by and offers the nearest base.