|
koroni artist
>
other places
>
Mystras
|
back
next 
|
|
|
|
|
Μυστράς - Byzantine Ruin City (Archaeoligical
Site) - Laconia
|
|
|
In 1249, the ruler of the Frankish Principate of Achaea William II of Villehardouin
built a strong fortress, atop the
naturally-fortified hill of Myzithra in Lacedaimon. It would play an important role in the history of
the Byzantine Empire
during its final centuries, until it fell to the Turks in 1460. From 1262, when the Byzantines became
the rulers of
Mystras, a brilliant period began for this medieval fortress-state. The hill filled with houses, mansions
and palaces,
churches and fortified monasteries were built, and the densely-populated city was provided two enclosure
walls. After
the mid-14th c., when members of the imperial family of Constantinople assumed rule over Mystras –
the
Kantakouzenoi (1348-1383) and the Palaiologans (1383-1460) – the Despotate flourished and developed
into an
important cultural centre closely connected with Constantinople. Here the arts and letters were cultivated
by important
artists and men of intellect who would play a significant role in the growth of humanistic studies and
the evolution of
artistic trends in 15th century Europe.
[arts of Official Flyer "Mystras", 2011]
|
|
|
|
|
|
