Monemvasia is built on a limestone rock on the southeast coast of the Peloponnese, about 20 nautical miles from Cape Malea. The rock has a length of 1.5 km, a maximum width of 600 meters and a maximum height of 198.5 meters. There is a strip of land around the cliffs. The top of the rock is relatively smooth and sloping. Although it is not described as an island by ancient travelers such as Strabo and Pausanias, they describe that it had a form similar to today. The geological changes of the last three millennia have been small and have mainly been the sinking or rising of land, such as those caused by a strong earthquake in 365. Today Monemvasia is connected to the mainland by a bridge, in which there is an opening for boats to pass. In the past, there was a port on both sides of the bridge. At the top of the rock is Pano Poli and Kato Poli is located on the southeast side of the rock.
Monemvasia or Monemvasia or Monemvasia or Monovasia, known to the Franks as Malvasia, is a small historic town in the eastern Peloponnese, in the province of Epidaurus Limira, in the prefecture of Laconia. It is better known than the medieval fortress, on the homonymous "Rock of Monemvasia", which is literally a small island connected by a bridge in a formed neck of a total length of 400 meters with the current coast opposite the city on the Laconian coast. From a geophysical point of view it is a tombolo. The rescued buildings and structures in the castle include defensive structures of the outer castle and several small Byzantine churches.
Its name is a compound word, which comes from the two Greek words Moni and Emvasis. Many of the streets are narrow and suitable for pedestrians only. The bay of Old Monemvasia is located in the north. The nickname of Monemvasia is "Gibraltar of the East", because it happens to be reduced in size identical to the rock of Gibraltar.
Entering the city, the main road with the Byzantine cobbled path leads to the Central Square with the old cannon and the Church of the Taken Christ.
The poet Giannis Ritsos came from Monemvasia, where his tomb is today.
