Greek Ministry Prioritizes Monemvasia’s Cultural Development Projects

Monemvasia. Photo source: Culture Ministry.

The Greek Culture Ministry recently announced plans to accelerate three major cultural development projects in the town of Monemvasia in the Peloponnese.

Funded by the EU’s Recovery and Resilience Fund, the projects concern:

• the construction of a cable car linking the lower and upper towns of Monemvasia
• the design and installation of a lighting system that will illuminate the Monemvasia Rock during night hours
• the transformation of Yannis Ritsos’ residence into a contemporary museum to highlight the Greek poet’s work and life.

Monemvasia Castle, Peloponnese. Red indicates the cable car area and yellow indicates the trail area. Photo source: Ministry of Culture.

Under a budget of 6.8 million euros, the cable car project is the most ambitious project of the three. The cable car will provide easier access to the historic site for people with disabilities and the elderly. The overall project will also include the creation of accessibility-friendly routes connecting the upper town’s cultural interest spots.

The lighting system project has a total budget of 980,000 euros. In addition to the Monemvasia Rock, some landmarks and points of historical interest around it will be included in the lighting design. The project is expected to improve safety and visibility in the area.

The third project will see the house of famous Greek poet Yannis Ritsos transform into a municipal museum, showcasing his life’s work as well as his relationship with Monemvasia, his birthplace. The museum is expected to use digital, interactive means and multimedia to offer its visitors a unique cultural experience. The project has a budget of 280,000 euros.

Yiannis Ritsos house in Monemvasia. Photo source: Ministry of Culture.

During a recent meeting at the Culture Ministry, Minister Lina Mendoni underlined the need to speed up all procedures needed to absorb funds and follow the timetables that will see all three projects finish on time.

The projects are being implemented by the Culture Ministry in collaboration with the Peloponnese Region, the Monemvasia Municipality and the Parnonas regional development organization.