Mystras — Despotate Conspiracy

Your journey in Mystras, a Byzantine city in the Peloponnese, begins at the Lower Entrance Gate, built by the Frankish Prince William of Villehardouin around 1248-1249. This main access point to the Lower Town immediately immerses you in Mystras' history, where the steep topography made wheeled vehicles impractical, creating a network of footpaths. You pass by the Church of Saints Theodore, a 14th-century edifice with typical Byzantine architectural elements, testifying to the cultural richness of the Capital of the Despotate of Morea in the 14th-15th centuries.

Ascending towards the Upper Town, you reach the Church of Hagia Sophia, a late Byzantine metropolitan church from the 14th century. Located near the Palace of the Despots, it represents a key example of Palaiologan Renaissance architecture, a period of cultural prosperity for Mystras. Higher up, the Palace of the Despots, an L-shaped complex with four construction phases from the 13th to the 15th century, reveals an original two-story structure with pointed arch windows, built by the Franks before Byzantine control. The north wing, dating from the Frankish period, housed the residence of the Kantakouzenos despots (1350-1400), complete with kitchen and cisterns.

Your route leads you to the Imperial Building, a three-story structure northwest of the Palace of the Despots. After a vaulted basement, the first floor housed eight apartments, while the second floor contained the Throne Room (Chrysotriklinon), a 36m x 10m room lit by arched windows and round skylights, and heated by eight fireplaces. This room was a central seat of power in Mystras, where figures like Demetrios Palaiologos reigned. The Palace, located on Ano Chora square, was even used as a flea market during the Turkish period.

Descending back towards the Lower Town, you pass through the Church of Peribleptos, a 14th-century church (circa 1340-1350) notable for its frescoes and terraced architecture adapted to the slope. Then, the Lascaris House, from the early 15th century, with its vaulted substructures for cisterns and stables, offers a glimpse into Byzantine dwellings, the main residence comprising a large room with a balcony and fireplace. These vestiges of Mystras for families illustrate the daily life of the Capital of the Despotate of Morea.

Finally, your exploration concludes at the Pantanassa Monastery, overlooking the Lower Town. Built in 1428, it is one of the latest and best-preserved monasteries in Mystras, with intact frescoes. From its elevated position, accessible on foot, it offers a panoramic view of the entire UNESCO World Heritage site. This walk through Mystras will have allowed you to grasp the extent of the Peloponnese's heritage, from the Frankish fortress and Mystras Castle built around 1249 by William of Villehardouin, to the Byzantine zenith of the 15th century, a true immersion in the history of Greece.