Monemvasia and its rock, the Greek Gibraltar

Monemvasia is a small village in Greece’s Peloponnese region, straight out of an ancient novel.

Monemvasia (or Malvasia) is a rocky peninsula with an air of Gibraltar, off the east coast of the Peloponnese, Greece, and linked to the mainland by a short causeway. The island is around 300 meters wide and one kilometer long, rising on a plateau some 100 meters above sea level.

On the seaward slope of this plateau, hidden from the mainland, lies a small town. This remarkably romantic fortified town, nestling in the shadow of the imposing rock, is a veritable living museum of Byzantine, Ottoman and Venetian history, dating back to the 13th century.

Photo credit: Shutterstock – Heracles Kritikos

Monemvasia was built in the 6th century by the inhabitants of ancient Laconia seeking refuge from the Slav invaders who dominated much of Greece between 500 and 700 AD. The rocky islet had been separated from the mainland by an earthquake in 375 AD.

Over the following centuries, Monemvasia changed hands several times, in both directions, between the Venetians and the Turks, until the small town was liberated during the Greek War of Independence in the early 19th century.

Photo credit: Shutterstock – Nataliya Nazarova

The name Monemvasia is derived from two Greek words, moni and emvasia, meaning « single channel » or « single landing stage », referring to the narrow causeway that is the only way into the city.

The island was first settled on the top of the plateau, which is now referred to as the « upper town ». Gradually, the settlement spread down the hill, and thanks to its uniquely well-defended position, became a powerful city. During the decline of the Byzantine Empire, Monemvasia became its principal city and one of the great commercial centers of the Byzantine world, as well as a major trading port, with a population of 40,000.

Photo credit: Shutterstock – Pit Stock

In the 18th century, Monemvasia began to decline until it was « rediscovered » by tourists in the 1970s.

Slowly, the town is re-emerging as a tourist destination, with increasing numbers of tourists visiting the area in summer. Medieval buildings have been restored, many of them converted into hotels, and there are plenty of places to eat. A monument not to be missed is the Church of Saint Sophia, in the upper town.