Mystras, also known as Myzithras in the Chronicle of Morea, was a fortified Greek city and former municipality (Municipality of Mystras) in Laconia in the Peloponnese Region [1]. Located in Taygetos, near ancient Sparta, Mystras was the capital of the Byzantine Despotate of Mystras in the 14th and 15th centuries, experiencing a period of prosperity and cultural flourishing. The area remained inhabited throughout the Ottoman period, when it was mistakenly considered by western travelers to be ancient Sparta. In the 1830s, the new city of Sparta, about 8 km east, was abandoned and built.
The churches of Mystras
The metropolis of Mystras (Agios Dimitrios)
The Virgin Hodegetria
In Mystras dominate 7 important churches:
Agios Dimitrios (Diocese). Royal wooden roof, with beautiful sculptures on the iconostasis and frescoes. In its courtyard is the Metropolitan Palace, today the Museum of Mystras.
Evangelistria, single-storey with a characteristic wide narthex.
Agioi Theodoroi, with the characteristic famous octagonal dome, the largest and most ancient church of Mystras. It preserves impressive frescoes, including a portrait of the emperor Manuel II Palaiologos dated 1423. Here is the tomb of the despot of Morea Theodoros AD.
The Virgin Hodegetria (Boss). This is the name of the three-storey two-storey domed church with two chapels on either side, that of the "gold bullions" because it is internally covered with a hagiographic composition of angels holding gold bullions of the years 1314, 1319, 1320 and 1322, and the other of Andronikos depicting the emperor Paul despot of Mystras Theodoros I Palaiologos.
Hagia Sophia, above the palaces, of 1350, was the catholic of the monastery of the Life-Giver Christ and probably constituted the church of the Palaces. Many members of the ruling class of Mystras have been buried in it and in the tomb of the northern portico was found the silk female dress of a noblewoman of the beginning of the 15th century, which is in the museum of Mystras.
The Caregiver.
Pantanassa (nunnery), whose church is the best preserved monument. There are also the tombs of Miss Cleopa Malatesta and Theodora, the wife of the emperor Constantine IAI Palaiologos.
These churches were catholic monasteries. In general, the churches of Mystras were a place of learning of Byzantine architecture, painting, hagiography and spatial study of the time shortly before the Renaissance. Today, only Pantanassa functions as a monastery. Many of the churches owe their present form to maintenance work carried out by Anastasios Orlandos shortly before 1940. The form of the churches is connected with the natural relief of the place where they were built. Thus, all the churches deviate to the east, in violation of the relevant rules of religious tradition. One of them, Agios Georgios, faces from north to south. In terms of architectural form, the simple royal type and the typical for Mystras type dominate, combining the basilica on the ground floor and the church with domes in the attic. The external galleries are also a trademark of the churches. Overall, the architectural form and building materials form a perfectly harmonious whole with the environment.
Diocese (Agios Dimitrios)
The place where the last Byzantine emperor was sworn in, Constantine IAI Palaiologos.
It is a complex of buildings located through the northernmost point of the outer wall. It is the oldest surviving monument in the city [4]. Two entrances, a small and older, south, and a later and more imposing, in the west courtyard, lead inside the complex and the church, which is dedicated to Agios Dimitrios. Constantine Paleologos was crowned emperor here - the plaque with the double-headed eagle in the center of the temple testifies to this very fact. The church is a modified form of the original three-aisled basilica that began to be built probably by Metropolitan Eugenios in 1263. Then the works and decoration (late 13th century) of Metropolitan Nikiforos Moschopoulos, sponsored by Aaron's brother, were added. of which stands out imperceptibly in a mural in the sanctuary. During the 15th century, Metropolitan Matthew demolished the wooden gabled roof. In its place a complex of domes was built, while at the same time the gynaikonitis was added and the upper part of the frescoes of the inner aisle was destroyed. Thus the temple was transformed into a basilica at the bottom and cruciform with a dome at the top.
The sculptural decoration of the church shows variety in terms of style and season, while the relief double-headed eagle of the Palaeologans on the floor, under the dome, is remarkable. Variety in terms of style but greater localization in terms of time (last quarter 13th-early 14th century) show the excellent frescoes of the temple, which are largely due to Nikiforos.
The complex of the Diocese is completed by buildings that were added later: the tower-shaped bell tower (in the southeast corner of the church), the portico with the pillars and arches on the west façade, a second portico on the north side, from where the view to the valley is excellent , as well as the beautiful north courtyard with arches and two-storey buildings on its west side, works of Metropolitan Ananias Lampadaris, who was slaughtered by the Ottomans in 1760. The place where he was martyred, outside the Diocese, is fenced with a railing. Another metropolitan, Chrysanthos, built in 1802 the fountain that exists in the same courtyard.
Evangelist
Evangelistria is located on the cobbled path that leads from the Diocese to the Monastery of Vrontochiou [5]. It is a small two-column cruciform church, with an elegant dome, narthex and gynaeconite, dating to the late 14th or early 15th century. Of particular interest is the sculptural decoration inside, in which the carved cubic capitals stand out. The precinct of the temple served as a cemetery, although as its special elegance testifies, it was not intended for a cemetery from the beginning.
Vrontochi Monastery (Agioi Theodoroi, Hodegetria / Boss)
Main entry: Vrontochi Monastery
Agioi Theodoroi and Panagia Odigitria, the largest and most impressive churches of Mystras, are located in the northern corner of the outer wall. They were parts of the monastery complex of Vrontochio, which was the spiritual center of Mystras and the burial place of the despots.
Hagia Sophia
Hagia Sophia, which was probably a catholic monastery and official church of the palace and the nobles, is located in Epano Chora. It was built between 1350 and 1365 by Manuel Kantakouzinos, the first despot of Mystras, and is identified with the church of the Life-Giver Christ, which was founded by Manuel and was converted into a male monastery with a patriarchal sigil of 1365. It belongs to the simple double type ( the same with Evangelistria and Perivlepto) and retains only a few elements from the sculptural decoration and its frescoes. On the capitals of the columns can be seen the monogram of its owner, Manuel Kantakouzinou: Manuel Kantakouzinos Palaiologos Despotis Ktitor [6]
Perivleptos: Monastery of Panagia Perivleptos
The intricate and picturesque monastery complex of Perivleptos is located at the southeastern end of the settlement, next to the steep cliff. It was the catholic of a monastery dedicated to the Virgin Mary [7].
Pantanassa: Monastery of Pantanassa
Exquisite frescoes on the first floor and in the sanctuary, dating to around 1430, while those on the ground floor are from the 18th century. [8]
Mystras Museum
The museum was founded in 1951 and is housed in a two-storey building on the west wing of the north courtyard of the Diocese. The first informal museum on the east wing of the metropolitan complex was founded by the French Byzantine scholar Gabriel Mille in the late 19th century. In the years since its founding in 1951, the museum's collection has been significantly enriched and includes sculptures, architectural members, murals, portable icons, costumes, jewelry and manuscript codes, dating from the early Christian to the post-Byzantine years. The most important exhibit of the museum are sections of women's silk dress and hair braid, from a tomb found in Hagia Sophia. Other important exhibits are:
Finally, in the museum there are three manuscript codes of the Holy Diocese of Monemvasia and Sparta, dating to the late Byzantine and post-Byzantine years.
