In Gerakas, on the eastern coast of Laconia, on a hill above the port, the walls of the ancient city and the citadel of Zarakas are preserved at a great height. The use of the area as a fortification is continuous and reaches up to Byzantine times as evidenced by the ruins that have been preserved.
…»
After the capture of the city by the Franks in 1204, the Franks became masters of the Peloponnese, the Moreos as it was then called, in addition to other areas. Then they divided it into twelve large baronies and toparchies. One of them was the Falcon, which was assigned to the French baron Guy de
…»
During Middle Byzantine times, the physical fortification of a settlement's location is the most basic selection criterion for its creation. Thus, the Lower City began to be created on the SE coast of the island shortly after 900 AD, about 300 years after the date of construction of Monemvasia. The
…»
The imposing castle of Kelefa is located to the west of the village of Kelefa and south of Oitylos. It was built by the Turks in 1670, with the cooperation of Lymberakis Gerakaris, while in 1685 the Maniates and Venetians managed to take control of the castle which was the seat of Hasan Pasha. The
…»
Monemvasia was first inhabited 8,000 years ago and is the only Proto-Hellenic settlement on the eastern coast of the province of Epidaurus Limira. Monemvasia was then called Akra Minoa, and it was still part of the mainland of Peloponnese and not an island, the result of an earthquake that took
…»
One of the twelve baronies founded by Villeardouin in the Morea was the Barony of Passavas and included the region of Gytheio and Mani. In 1250 the first Baron was succeeded by his son, John (Jean) V De Neyguy, who in 1254 built the Castle of Passava, located 10 km SW of Gytheio, on the site of the
…»
The Byzantine castle of Maini is the oldest castle of Mani and some researchers locate it at Cape Tigani near the bay of Mezapo. It was built during the reign of Emperor Justinian, and developed into a large military and religious center. The Vandals tried to invade this castle with their king
…»
