Our Lady of Hrisafittisa

Monemvasia, Greece by DB Trips Travel Services

Monemvasia, Greece:

Separated from the mainland by an earthquake in 375 A.D. Its name derives from two #Greek words, mone and emvassi, meaning single entrance.

Today a causeway links the mainland town of #Yefira /New Monemvasia to #Monemvasia or #Kastro ( #castle ). The Kastro is divided into a lower and an upper town. Many #ruins of the original 800 houses and only four out of the original forty churches can be found in the lower town. Among them is the #Church of the Elkomenos #Christ (Christ Dragged), which is named after a famous icon of Christ given in 1700 to the #church by Andreas Likinios, philosopher and chief physician to the ruler of Moldavia, Dimitirs Kandimir. The oldest church is St. Paul’s, which was built in 956, and today houses the #museum . Further on, towards the eastern edge of the lower town and closer to the sea is the whitewashed Our Lady of Hrisafittisa, which was built in the sixteenth century.

High above, castle walls protect the upper town on the summit. There one can see the remains of Byzantine houses and public buildings and a vast cistern that ensured a water supply at times of siege. A fortified zigzag path from the upper town leads to the Fortress of #Goulas on the summit overlooking the town. It is entered by a tunnel that still retains its ironbound gates. Among the ruins of houses and cisterns of the #acropolis of the upper town stands St. Sophia, a Byzantine church founded by Andronikos II Paleologos on a plan similar to that of Daphni in #Athens .

Interested in traveling to Monemvasia or other areas of beautiful Greece? Email DB Trips to make your travel plans become a reality. #dbtrips #travel #vacation #europe #european