Greece 15 Mystras/Monasteries and churches as far as the eye can see

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For some strange reason the further south we have travelled the more the wind picks up in the late afternoon. The leaves and twigs fall off the trees above us and batter Suzy's roof. Our campsite is dead. I walk to tell the owner we are leaving to go to Mystras whilst it is still early and not too hot but will be back later and there is no sign of him. I check his cafe - dead as a dormouse, I check the site. Not a sign of him so I write a note. He speaks a little English perhaps he can read a little . I put simply my name - off to Mystras early. Be back later and I hope for the best. The mosquitoes are out. We both have been bitten for the first time this holiday. Glenns legs look as if he has huge red wheals all over them. Mine are a little more restrained . Scratched in places where they irritated me.

We drive to Mystras. Yes it is uphill. It is in the mountains above where we are staying. We talk as we drive about September. Sicily off again - we have been so enamoured with Greece we are going round in circles wondering if we will ever find anywhere so beautiful and charming. So engaging and inviting. How about Northern Italy, Lake Como, Lake Iseo? Trento and Rovereto ? There must be somewhere special enough. Then the car park appears . We park Suzy and look around. We are in the modern town of Mystras, a couple of cafes and hotels, a few tat shops but it does not seem quite right. Luckily there is a bus driver opposite so I ask him is this the right place for walking to the town proper. No he said . Further up Keep driving . After a few minutes we arrived at another empty car park and this time we were in the right place . The guy on the desk took our passports commenting on how different my new one was from Glenns old one. He gave us a map and drew the route round the Lower town going in a clockwise direction. He suggested after we had walked the Lower Town to go back to Suzy and drive to the Upper car park and start the walk again around the Upper Town. Mystras is now just completely ruined with many many empty churches noted for their frescoes.

So come on , get your walking shoes on, we are off for a long long walk. It's uphill and the ground slippy as always . If I can do it so can you. The first church we can see in front of us is Mitropoli. It is the oldest church in the Lower Town and is pretty with its mellow stonework and red roof tiles . Built in that distinctive Byzantine style I rather like it . It is good to be able to go inside the churchs and its 8.00 so there are only us there. We have the place to ourselves . Come on in, you are hot . The sun is beating down on you already and its very shady inside . A welcome relief from the incessant heat. Into its courtyard , watch your step. There are loads of steps inside. Look over the colonnade . You can see down the valley from here. It is a lovely spot and easy to see why the monks insisted on building monasteries up here. The Franks were here in 1249 building fortresses. This is an interlectual place . Can you feel it from its stones? They ooze age. Known as the Metropolitan Orthodox Cathedral of St Demetrious we have to go down below street level to see the church and the frescoes. Built in the 13th century it has seen many things. Go on look down. What you see there is the double headed byzantine eagle marking the spot where Constantine Palaiologo was crowned emperor in 1449. Pretty impressive dont you think? Look around you. Everywhere you look , on the walls on the ceiling , behind the altar are frescoes of the Last Judgement the Matyrdom of St Demetrious and the Virgin and Child . There is very gold in the decoration just blues and reds. The frescoes are duller and dirty with age but the stories still shine through. What we need though is a good light to set them off .

Ok that is church number 1, we have climb again now. Along the way we pass more churches some open , some locked . All the same distinctive style. Evangelstra and Saint Theodoro . Lets go in the open one . Look up into the roof space . What you see is Christ Pantocrator looking benignly down on you from the heavens. Outside we go , into the bright sunshine and the heady smell of roses hits you. Freesias in pots smell divine. It is an intoxicating mix.

We are still climbing. With each step your legs are beginning to throb. Look around we are still the only ones up here. It feels like a little piece of heaven. The sun is beating down on your neck. We stop at the Hodegeteria - dedicated to the Virgin. Look inside. As with the others it is dark deep inside. It invites you. It makes you wonder what you will see inside its dark recesses and corners. It is so dark you don't even notice the lady sitting quietly in the corner. She is keeping an eye on the chapel. All around you are frescoes of saints, some you will recognise , others well unless you are well versed with all the greek saints you will just look at them in amazement not even worrying who they depict. This chapel is small and elegant built and decorated sometime in the 14th or 15th centuries. We leave, turn the corner and start the climb again.

I know it feels never ending . High above us more churches , a monastery where six nuns live with their hundreds of cats. At this point we start to see the cats. The nuns are adept at fine embroidery. None for sale as far as I can see so we wont be taking any home with us as a souvenir of Greece. If you look up you can see the Monemvasia gate. That is the entrance to the Upper Town. Don't worry we are not going up there today. That is for another day. Our path is a straight one hugging the hillside. At least it is flat . I can feel the relief in your voice. High above us , look up now and you can see the Palace Complex and houses . A note says that the owner of any house here who wants to install a soil pipe from his property must ensure it is on the inside of his own house and not anywhere near his neighbours. Neither must he throw out anything noxious into the streets. No sewage , no dirty water . This was at a time when in Elizabethan England the chamber pots were tipped out from upstairs windows into the street onto unsuspecting pedestrians.

Above us is another church dedicated to Saint Sophia, an Upper Gate and the Kastro. We are heading for the Pantanassa. Dating from 1428 it was the last church to be built at Mystras. When you get inside and your eyes adjust to the light you can see so much more decoration than is in any of the other churches we have been inside. Looking round the walls there is a Raising of Lazarus fresco, a last Judgement and descent to Hell, an Entry to Jerusalem , Golden crosses on the altar behind the screen . A confessional covered in red velvet stands in one corner. I really wish the light were better for you to see the frescoes more clearly in all their glory. You have to strain your eyes to see the details. How they have survived for so long is a miracle in itself. This has been the best of the churches so far.

We now start to head down. Slowly we walk downhill. I guess like me you are ready for an easy walk downhill. We are passing the Perivleptos a tiny monastery dating from the 13th century built into a rock cave originally.. More frescoes in carefully chosen colours . Look up again. Your neck will be aching after all this looking up. Beyond this is the Pharagoupolous house. One of the large houses that once housed the rich of Mystras. Don't be disappointed. We are coming to our last church. This one is dedicated to Saint Georgious. This one is tiny and without any decoration. We have come full circle and are back at the lower gate again. It has taken us two hours uphill and down to complete the circuit of Lower Mystras. I hope you have enjoyed walking with us amongst the flowers and the flitting butterflies . Perhaps one day we will do the Upper town walk together.

Mystras is a truly magical place. "Keep your mind still " when you are here. "Then you will see True Self in the still water of a peaceful mind" It is a reflective place. Whether you are a believer or not the monks who built these churches believed enough to decorate them with love . The frescoes tell the Bible stories in a vivid and wonderful way.

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Comments

[Dancing Dave]

monasteries & churches
Wonderful Jennifer

[JenGog]

Greece
Wonderful country Dave - totally amazed