A thin band of land and a 100 m. bridge; this is the only way to have access in the fortress city of Monemvasia, the “only entrance” to “Menekşe Kalesi”. Here, the Lakones arrived in the 6thth century, brought to despair from the continuous raids of the barbarians; they wanted to find a new place to live, offering them bigger protection. Ideal for their purpose was the rock of Monemvasia, which was up to 600 m wide, 1,5 km long and with a height of almost 300 m.; thus began the life on it. On its top, the small plateau was the ideal location for the creation of a castle, being almost at the same level with steep slopes which it was impossible for someone to reach. Monemvasia flourished from the 12thth until the 14thth century, with characteristic Byzantine temples being built. It is constituted by two settlements, the Upper and Lower Town, whose area covers 7.500 and 120.000 sq.m respectively.
Timeline
- 200 AD: Akra Minoa (Pausanias)
- 588 AD: The Upper town and fortifications of the castle start
- 6th century AD: Monemvasia is built
- 1000 AD: The Lower town is built
- 1147 AD: The Normans attack
- 1248 AD: The Franks attack, William Villehardouin
- 1249 -1262 AD: Frankish rule
- 1262-1460 AD: Byzantines
- 1292 AD: The Catalans attack, Roger de Lloria
- 1394 AD: The Palaiologoi of Mistra
- 1395 AD: Short Turkish rule (3 months)
- 1419 AD: Short Venetian rule (12 years)
- 1431 AD: The Palaiologoi of Mistra
- 1460-1464 AD: Under Pope Pius II
- 1464 AD: A’ Venetian Rule
- 1464 μ.X.: Πρώτη Ενετοκρατία
- 1540-1690 AD: A’ Turkish rule
- 1564 AD: Attack by the Maltese Knights
- 1690-1715 AD: B’ Venetian rule
- 1715-1821 AD: B’ Turkish rule
- 1821 AD: Liberation by the Greeks