Monemvasia Island

By car: Monemvasia is about 300 km from Athens and 25 km from Molai.

By sea: In the summer there is a connection by sea with Piraeus port, some 84 nautical miles away.

Its official name is Monemvasia, although there are some slight variations in Greek, along with different forms of pronunciation – such as Monovasia. In the Middle Ages, the Franks called it Malvoisie, to the English it was known as Malmsey. Its Greek name is derived from the two words meaning single entrance, that is, the only entrance to the fortress town.

200 AD.: Pausanias refers to the promontory of Cape Minoa.

375 AD.: Seismic activity turns half the promontory into an island.

588 AD.: Establishment of the Upper Town and the first fortification.

1000 AD.: (approximately) The Lower Town is built.

1147 AD.: Unsuccessful attack by the Normans of Sicily.

1193 AD.: Monemvasia is one of the largest towns in the Morea (Peloponnese).

1248 AD.: Siege by the Franks led by William de Villehardouin.

1251 AD.: Conditional surrender to the Franks by the besieged population.

1261 AD.: Return of the Byzantines, and 133 years of privileges and great prosperity.

1292 AD.: Pirate attack and looting by Catalans under Roger de Lluria.

1394 AD.: Rule by the Palaiologos dynasty of Mystras for 25 years.

1395 AD.: Temporary (three month) Turkish occupation.

1419 AD.: Temporary Venetian occupation (as protectorate) for 12 years.

1431 AD.: Return of the Palaiologos dynasty of Mystras (29 years).

1460 AD.: Under the rule of the Pope (4 years).

1464 AD.: First Venetian regime (76 years). Monemvasia becomes a densely populated urban centre.

1540 AD.: First Turkish regime. Forcible expulsions (150 years).

1690 AD.: Second Venetian regime (25 years).

1715 AD.: Second Turkish regime (106 years).

1821 AD.: Liberation after a four-month siege by Greek independence fighters.