SPARTA and the Byzantine castle of Mystras

Sparta (Sparti) is the capital of the prefecture. A simple town built in the Evrotas river valley, in the same site where the ancient city stood. Some ruins remain of the ancient acropolis, the sanctuary of Artemis Orthia (6th c. BC), the tomb of Leonidas (5th c. BC) and the Menelaion. The museum with finds from the area is housed in a neoclassical building in the centre of town. The plain of Lakonia spreads out around Sparta, green and cool. A few kilometers distant is the ascent for Taigetos. Snowy peaks and precipitous rock. Plateaus and ravines. Olive groves on the gentler slopes. Porlars, willows and plane trees line the banks of the Evrotas. Gardens of every shade of green. And the series of villages continues. Some drenched in chestnut trees (Anavrito) or enormous plane trees (Karies) or perched in precarious sports – real eagles’ nests (Georgitsi). Some boasting castles and Byzantine churches (Geraki, Vresthena, Vrondamas) and others simply bucolic. The succession of villages makes you want to wander and poke about them. Every instant is different. You need love and an adventurous spirit to walk this land. But who would not love it?

MYSTRAS occupies a steep foothill on the northern slopes of Mt. Taygetos, 6km. NW of Sparta. The castle on the top of the hill was founded in 1249 by the Frankish leader William II de Villeharduin. After 1262 it came under Byzantine control, and at the middle of the 14th century became the seat of the Despotate of Moreas. In 1448 the last emperor of Byzantium, Constantine XI Palaeologos, was crowned at Mystras. In 1460 the hill was captured by the Turks and in 1464 Sigismondo Malatesta of Rimini managed to capture the city but not the castle. For a short period Mystras came under the control of the Venetians (1687-1715) but was again taken over by the Turks. It was one of the first castles of Greece to be liberated in 1821. The foundation of modern Sparta by king Otto in 1834 marked the end of the old town's life.

The most important monuments of the site are:

The Castle.

a) The fortification: The Frankish castle with the battlements and towers was founded by William II de Villeharduin and was later reinforced by the Greeks and the Turks.

b) The walls: The two strongly fortified circuit walls were strengthened by tall, rectangular towers, dated to the Late Byzantine period.

The Cathedral of St. Demetrios: It belongs to a mixed architectural type: it is a three-aisled basilica on the ground floor with a narthex and a bell tower (dated to the second half of the 13th century), and a cross-in-square church on the upper floor (added in the first half of the 15th century). The interior is decorated with wall paintings representing many different styles, dated to the period between 1270/80 and the first quarter of the 14th century. The wall paintings of the dome date to the 15th century.

Church of Saints Theodore: It was built between 1290 and 1295 by the monks Daniel and Pachomios. It is of the octagonal type, with lateral chapels, and is decorated with wall paintings dating from the end of the 13th century.

Church of Our Lady Hodegetria (the Leader of the Way): It was built in 1310 by abbot Pachomios. It belongs to the mixed architectural type with a narthex and lateral chapels and is decorated with excellent wall paintings, dated to 1312-1322, some of which are connected to the Constantinopolitan art.

Church of Aghia Sophia (Holy Wisdom): Domed, cross-in-square, two-column church, built in the middle of the 14th century. It has side chapels and a bell-tower. Remarkable wall paintings are preserved in the sanctuary and the chapels.

Monastery of Our Lady Peribleptos: The catholicon (main church) is a domed, two-column, cross-in-square church with chapels. Beside it stands the Tower-Refectory. The church is decorated with wall paintings of exceptional artistic quality, made by various artists of the third quarter of the 14th century.

Church of Our Lady Evangelistria (of the Annunciation): Domed, cross-in-square, two-column church decorated with wall paintings of the beginning of the 15th century.

Monastery of Our Lady Pantanassa (the Queen of all): The catholicon belongs to the mixed architectural type and has exterior porticoes and a bell tower. Fine wall paintings dated to ca. 1430 are preserved on the upper floor and in the sanctuary, while the wall paintings on the ground floor date from the 18th century.

Palaces of the Mystras Despots (Kantakouzenoi and Palaeologoi): Large building complex, L-shaped in plan. It contains many buildings of different functions, erected in different phases between the 13th and the 15th centuries.

THE SPARTATHLON

The History It all started from Herodutus account of the Battle of Marathon. The great historian of antiquity described the details of the battle many years later and mentioned the deeds of Pheidippides, an Athenian messenger, sent y his generals to Sparta in order to secure help for the reinforcement of the scanty Athenian forces against the forthcoming Asiatic incursion. According to Herodutus, Pheidippides arrived in Sparta on the next day of his departure from Athens.

Spartathlon is the event that brings this deed to attention today by drawing a legend out of the depths of history. The idea for its creation belongs to John Foden , a British RAF Wing Commander. As a lover of Greece and student of ancient Greek history, Foden stopped his reading of Herodutus narration regarding Pheidippides, puzzled and wondering if a modern man could cover the distance from Athens to Sparta, i.e. 250 kms, within 36 hours. He thought that the only way to find out was to try to run the historical course since he himself was a long-distance runner. Thus he and four other colleagues from RAF came to Athens in the Autumn of 1982 and planned the run as closely as possible to Herodutus description. On 8th October they started their adventure to see whether their speculations could be verified. On 9th October, the next day,John Foden arrived in Sparta in front of the statue of Leonidas having run for 36 hours. His colleague, John Scholten, had arrived half an hour earlier and finally, John Macarthry got to the finish line in less than 40 hours.

The British team proved Herodutus was right! A man is really able to cover 250 kms in two days.

When John Foden and his colleagues first arrived in Athens, they were warmly welcomed and supported by members of the British community and Greek friends. After the success of the first attempt, the pioneer of this event began to envision the establishment of a foot race that would bring long distance runners from all over the world to Greece for a race following in the tracks of the ancient runner. The results are now widely known. Undoubtedly the historical context of the race, closely connected to the Olympic idea and consequently with compete unselfishness, appealed to the imagination and caused unprecedented excitement amongst a great number of long distance runners throughout the world. Their response was justifiably, imme-diate and catalytic. The 1st International Spartathlon was organized in 1983 with the participation of 45 runners from 11 countries as well as Greece.

The success and participation were decisive for the future and the development of the race. Thus, in 1984, the International Spartathlon Association (I.S.A) was created.

Since then, the I.S.A. has organized the race every September as, according to Herodutus account, Pheidippides mission to Sparta was made at that time of the year. The revival of a page of ancient Greek history is established now as one of the most famous sporting events world-wide. Great runners come to Athens from Australia and Japan, Canada and the USA, including , of course , most European countries. All of them are attracted to the uniqueness and difficulty of the race as well as the modesty and respect of the athletic ideals imposed by a race known as mythic. In addition, beyond its athletic aspect, Spartathlon has become a powerful tribute from which real messages and friendship and peace can be sent to the peoples of the earth without political or racial discrimination. A tribute where Greece is also promoted, crowned by its unparalleled hospitality and natural beauties. Thus hundreds of runners who have participated in Spartathlon carry home their images and experiences from Greece, and are our best ambassadors abroad.

The race: Described as the worlds most grueling race, the Spartathlon runs over rough tracks and muddy paths(often it rains during the race), crosses vineyards and olive groves, climbs steep hillsides and, most challenging of all, takes the runners on the 1,200 meter ascent and descent of Mount Parthenio in the dead of night. This is the mountain, covered with rocks and bushes, on which it is said Pheidippides met the god Pan. In 2.500 years man has had no impact at all. There is still no pathway over the mountain which is swept by strong winds with temperatures as low as 4 C. The ascent is marked out by a trail of battery-driven colored flashing lights and its challenge is a trial for human stamina and mental strength.

Over the mountain the last sections are no less energy sapping and exhausting for the runners as they follow a road which winds up and down hills before descending into Sparta. Even the finest athletes start hallucinating as they cover these final stages. Having lost all sense of time and reality, they are on automatic as they push their weary bodies on towards the finishing line at the statue of Leonidas.

At most, only about a third of the runners who leave Athens end the course in Sparta. The goal of all participants is to cover the course within the 36 time limit. Setting records is the primary aid.Those who succeed in reaching Sparta have trouble finding words to describe their feelings.

Spartathlon has to be lived through. It is a very personal experience in which the athletes dream about participating. Their imagination is stirred by the idea of being a modern Pheidippides, running in the footsteps of the ancient messenger. They train for years to get fit enough both physically and mentally to meet the races demands.

The athletes efforts are superhuman and their material reward only an olive branch and a cup of water from the Eurotas River presented by young Spartan girls. They all know the Spartathlon does not involve any prize money. Their reward is the feeling of incredible inner satisfaction.

As Spartathlon was born in the cradle of the Olympic spirit, it deeply honors the spirit and rejects the modern trend of turning the athletic ideal into a business. This is why the Spartathlon is unique.