Monemvasia’s history goes all the way back to the time of the Byzantine, Venetian and Ottoman rulers. The town had become a flourishing port during the reign of these empires. Today, the old city remains, even though only a few people live here year-round. But during its heyday in the 12th century, thousands chose to live in this Greek town to take advantage of its huge shipping and trading industry. But Monemvasia is not forgotten. During your visit, you will be among the many who will come here to uncover its dramatic past.
The old section of Monemvasia is often called Kastro (castle), while the New Monemvasia is known as Yefira. A causeway links the sections to each other. A number of bars, taverns and accommodation facilities in Monemvasia are situated in the newer town, while the Kastro section has kept its traditional appearance.
The Kastro is further divided into two; the lower and upper town. It is in the lower town where you can find the ruins of 800 traditional houses that were originally built here. There are also four original churches that are still standing today. Previously, there were around 40 churches that occupied
