Greece Restoring UNESCO World Heritage Site Mystras

Palace of the Despots, Mystras. Photo source: Greek Culture Ministry

Restoration works on the Byzantine castle town of Mystras are moving ahead as scheduled, announced the Greek Culture Ministry this week.

Mystras, its Palace of the Despots and late Byzantine churches, is an UNESCO World Heritage site located in the Peloponnese.

The restoration of decorations and frescoes are part of a wider ministry upgrade project budgeted at 7.5 million euros to be funded through RRF tools.

The fortress town built on the slopes of Mt Taygetus overlooking Sparta served as the capital of the Byzantine Despotate of the Morea in the 14th and 15th centuries.

Church of Panagia Hodegetria. Photo source: Greek Culture Ministry

Built in the 1300s, the two-storey Church of Panagia Hodegetria also known as “Afentiko” is located in the the Lower Town of Mystras and is celebrated for its architectural originality and beautiful frescoes.

UNESCO included Mystras in its world heritage list citing its “outstanding universal value”.

“The conservation work on decorations and stone elements in the Palace and the Church of the Hodegetria are part of conservation interventions for the protection of all Byzantine churches within the archaeological site as part of an extensive program aimed at highlighting the monuments of Mystras,” said Culture Minister Lina Mendoni.

The minister went on to add that the aim of the project is to improve accessibility and increase visitor numbers to the site, while enhancing its recognizability, showcasing its monuments, and safeguarding the site from the effects of climate change.