Mystras: Rachel

I had three very different impressions of Mystras during different periods of time:

• what I thought Mystras and Sparta would be like before we even arrived there,
• what I thought of Mystras while we walked around there, and
• what I though of Mystras (after visiting) while doing the historical reading about the site.

Leading up to our group visit to Sparta, my expectations of this place were very limited to modern-day media interpretations of it (i.e. the barren, harsh terrain and beastly, violent men depicted in the amazing graphic novel turned major motion picture "300"). I was excited, of course, because of the fame and mystery surrounding this place, intensified by Hollywood glitz. Besides the movie's influence, I knew that Sparta was surrounded by the Taygetos, the tallest mountain range in all of Greece, and additionally that the site of Mystras was seated on a cliffside of these colossal mountains. That said, I certainly wasn't expecting picturesque scenery, lots of greenery, and a bounty of flowers. I just thought it would be 'sparse' - an adjective that I have always (wrongly) associated with Sparta. Upon our arrival, my low expectations were pleasantly unfulfilled - it was so much better than I could have imagined! Sparta had more landscaping and natural vegetation than any place we had seen yet. Rose bushes sprang up everywhere - in the medians of the streets, on sidewalks, and in window boxes on the low-storied apartment buildings, leaving an excellent view of the snow-capped Taygetos as a natural backdrop. The sun was warm, but not oppressive. At this point, it became difficult for me to imagine the ancient Spartans of "300" walking around this terrain, battling, training, and yelling. Even with this new picture of Sparta, I didn't really know what to expect out of Mystras. After all, it is located on a rocky mountain cliff, and I could not visualize anything but barren remains...

Driving up to the site in Yanni's beloved tour bus, my own illustration was instantly changed. Blooming flowers, lots of greenery, and peaceful quiet greeted us. St. Sophia, the first of a few small churches at the site, had beautifully well-preserved Greek Orthodox frescoes. Inside the little church, it was beautiful, cool and quiet. I felt that we all instinctively lowered our voices in awe of the peaceful quality of the place. The same went for the other churches we spent time in at the site. The peacefulness and sanctity of the place was incredibly present when we walked into the working monastery, where we were welcomed by the sweetest, most enchanting nun, and her equally saccharine Turkish Delight treats. She was so eager to show us her needlework and welcome our entire group into her tiny, little room. She blessed miniature crosses for us as a gift from her, and sent us off with the most delightful, spiritual experience, at least for me! Our visit to Mystras was interestingly different from the other religious sites we've visited (i.e. Eleusis and the Acropolis). Perhaps that is because the religious practices at Mystras are much more similar to our modern idea of religious structure and church-based worship; rather than the more foreign notion of temple, panathenaic worship of the ancient Greeks. At the Parthenon, we were loud and irreverent. But there was a different "vibe" at Mystras. The whole visit was quiet and sacred.

After reading the "MISTRA" archaeological/historical article, I was extremely shocked by the violent history of the site juxtaposed against the peaceful spirit I had experienced there. At the Parthenon, I could feel the absorption of the long history of violence and destruction in the marble. But at Mystras, I felt only positive, uplifting spirits. It was crazy to consider upon reading the article that Mystras was actually founded for the purpose of "subjugating and confining" the Slavic tribes by a foreign, non-Greek Frankish prince (William Villehardouin) in the middle of the 13th century! Then, when Venetians occupied Mystras at the end of 17th century there were more than 42,000 inhabitants - hard to imagine! It is very neat that all the different occupiers throughout Mystras' history never destroy anything or knocked anything down to build anew.

I think the reading sums up the beauty of Mystras the best, when Leake writes that "the view from thence is of that utmost beauty and interest" (Mistra 174).