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Monemvasia

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Monemvassia (Greek: Μονεμβασία, Μονεμβάσια, Μονεμβασιά), and known by the Franks as Malvasia , is a well-known medieval fortress with an adjacent town, located on a small peninsula off the east coast of the Peloponnese in the Greek prefecture of Laconia. Its remains include the defensive structures and the small adjacent town and Byzantine churches , and its name derives from two Greek words, mone and emvassia, meaning "single entrance". Many of the streets are narrow and fit only for pedestrians ; the bay of Palaia Monemvassia is to be found in the north. Monemvassia's nickname is the Gibraltar of the East or The Rock.

The rock is 300 m tall and 1.8 km long. The village is situated on the southeastern side of the rock, which overlooks the Palaia Monemvasia bay. A small hamlet with about 10 houses lies to the northwest. A field of grass covers the northwest and top, accessed by a rocky, zig-zagging pathway. The fortress lies on the north side of the colorful rock, which ranges from grey to peach melon and pink.

History

Middle Ages

The founding of the town and fortress of Monemvassia most probably occurred in the 6th Century CE. The town was founded in 583 by people seeking refuge from the Slavic and the Avaric invasion of Greece. From the 10th Century CE, the town developed into an important trade and maritime center. The fortress withstood the Arab and Norman invasions and conquests in 1147. Cornfields that fed up to 30 men were grown inside the fortress.

It was a Byzantine town that existed continuously under the domain of the Empire until 1471, when it was sold to the Pope by the Despot of Morea Thomas Palaiologos (in 1474 Venice captured it.) It was successively governed by Venetians and Ottomans in intervals:

Venetian: (1474 - 1540)
Ottoman: (1540 - 1690)
Venetian: (1690 - 1715)
Ottoman: (1715 - 1821)

The commercial importance of the town continued until the Orlov Revolt (1770) in the Russo-Turkish War, which saw its importance decline severely.

Modern times

The town was liberated from Ottoman rule on August 1, 1821 by Tzannetakis Grigorakis who entered the town with his private army, on his own expences, during the Greek War of Independence following a terrible massacre of its turkish population.

The citadel has been uninhabited since 1920.

In 1971, Monemvassia became linked with the rest of the outside world through a bridge on the western side that connects to GR-86.

In more recent history, the town has seen a resurgence in importance with increasing numbers of tourists visiting the site and the region. The medieval buildings have been restored, many of them converted to hotels.

Places of interest

The Church of Ayia Sophia
Christos Elkomenos Square

Other

Monemvassia has about 40 churches and a square called kanoni. There is one bank in Gefyra. Monemvassia also has numerous hotels in the castle and many other rooms to rent in Gefyra.

Nearest places

Agios Ioannis in Monemvassia
Geraki of Lakonia
Elafonissos
Neapoli

Communes

Monemvassia

Historical population

Year	Communal population	Change	Municipal population
1971	32	-	-
1981	631	599/18.72%	-
1991	78	-553/-87.64%	3,950

From 1981 to 1991, the village had a huge decline in population, one of the places that lost population in Laconia.

Notable people

Yiannis Ritsos (1909-1990) poet

	North: Kynouria?
West:	Monemvasia	East: Myrtoan Sea