St. Seraphim Monastery
6 novembre 2021, Grèce ⋅ ☁️ 24 °C
It is said that this is the only monastery in the world dedicated to the Russian St. Seraphim of Sarov. They also claim the largest bell tower in the world, shown in the 1st picture.
The rest of theEn savoir plus
Nafpaktos Old Town
6 novembre 2021, Grèce ⋅ ☁️ 24 °C
I'm told that Nafpaktos is named after an ancient Athenian naval base of that name. This has been an important naval site since antiquity. The decisive naval Battle of Lepanto occurred near here,En savoir plus
Castle of Nafpaktos
6 novembre 2021, Grèce ⋅ ☁️ 25 °C
This site dates back into Greek antiquity when the town was inside the walls. The oldest structures were destroyed in an earthquake. The current fortress, most recently restored by the Venetians, isEn savoir plus
Rion and Antirion fortresses
7 novembre 2021, Grèce ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C
The castle at Nafpaktos (see another post) is one of 3 forts protecting the west entrance to the gulf of Corinth. These are the other 2. While Nafpaktos is well up the steep hillside, both of theseEn savoir plus
Patras Roman Bridge
7 novembre 2021, Grèce ⋅ ☁️ 24 °C
Like many archaeological sites, this bridge was buried and currently sits below the surrounding soil elevation. It was built in 2nd or 3rd century CE over the River Kalliaios that has since meanderedEn savoir plus
Voundeni
7 novembre 2021, Grèce ⋅ ☁️ 24 °C
This is a Mycenaean (think Agamemnon and the crew in the Iliad: they were from Mycenae) settlement dating to about 1500 BCE. Voundeni is in Achaea, putting it at the fringe of Mycenaean territory.
TheEn savoir plus
Archaeological Museum of Patras
7 novembre 2021, Grèce ⋅ ☁️ 24 °C
This museum houses artifacts from the Patras region dating from as far back as the 17th century BCE through the Roman period. The museum is divided into 4 sections: 3 permanent and one for specialEn savoir plus
Aqueducts of Patras
8 novembre 2021, Grèce ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C
There are 2 aqueducts here. Due to new road construction, the ancient engineering works we're discovered: one Roman, the other Ottoman.
The 1st 2 pictures are of the ruins of the Roman aqueduct thatEn savoir plus
Patras Castle
8 novembre 2021, Grèce ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C
This castle dates to the 6th century CE and is located on the ruins of the ancient acropolis of the ancient city. It was built up by Justinian after an earthquake. Amazingly, the fortress remained inEn savoir plus
Odeion of Patros
8 novembre 2021, Grèce ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C
This Roman theater dates to the middle of the 2nd century CE. Like so many archaeological sites, this was buried and the land reused for different purposes. One of those purposes was a cemetery. HenceEn savoir plus
St. Andrew Cathedral, Patras
8 novembre 2021, Grèce ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C
The patron saint of Patros is St. Andrew. It is said that the apostle Andrew came here and preached. And that he was martyred here. The cathedral is dedicated to him. He is credited with untoldEn savoir plus
Olympia, Athletics
9 novembre 2021, Grèce ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C
Most of us are most familiar with the great games held every 4 years beginning in the 8th century BCE that continued for as much as 1,200 years until they were suppressed as part of the ending ofEn savoir plus
Olympia, Religious
9 novembre 2021, Grèce ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C
This site is probably most famous for the original Olympics (776 BCE they say), but it was first and foremost a religious site. I'm told that there were as many as 70 temples here at one time.
The 1stEn savoir plus
Olympia, the rest
9 novembre 2021, Grèce ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C
In a place as large, important and active as this, I'm sure you can recognize that there will be more than religious and athletic activity and facilities present. To start with, the UNESCO listedEn savoir plus
Archaeology Museum of Olympia
9 novembre 2021, Grèce ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C
This is one of the most important museums in Greece. It houses artifacts discovered in this region, most notably from the site of ancient Olympia (see other posts).
The 1st picture is of aEn savoir plus
Temple of Apollo Epikourios
10 novembre 2021, Grèce ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C
This remote temple is the 1st site in Greece to be added to the UNESCO world heritage list. The temple as it is dates to the 5th century BCE, and it replaced an earlier temple to Apollo. The nameEn savoir plus
Ancient Messene
11 novembre 2021, Grèce ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C
Ancient Messene is similar to Olympia in many ways, except that Olympia is primarily a religious site where Messene is primarily a capital. This is the city founded in 369 BCE by the general who ledEn savoir plus
Pylos Castle
11 novembre 2021, Grèce ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C
Also called Neokastro (New Castle), this fortress was built by the Ottomans in the 16th century to protect what is said to be the best natural harbor on the Peloponnesian peninsula. And, they used itEn savoir plus
Archaeology Museum, Sparta
12 novembre 2021, Grèce ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C
This is a small museum in Sparta that is particularly well done. There are artifacts here dating to the neolithic period through the Roman era, from Sparta and the surrounding area.
There are 2En savoir plus
Acropolis of Sparta
12 novembre 2021, Grèce ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C
In ancient Greece, the acropolis (literally, high city) was the place of government, where elites lived and where the main religious sites were located. Unfortunately, most of the ancient site is notEn savoir plus
Sparta
12 novembre 2021, Grèce ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C
A modern city today with ruins scattered about. Sometimes opposed to Athens sometimes allied. The site of the ancient acropolis of Sparta is the subject if another post.
Sparta is the home of MenelausEn savoir plus
Mystras churches
13 novembre 2021, Grèce ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C
There are lots of churches in the middle city, most of whom where in the many monasteries that flourished here. The 1st 2 pictures give a look at the architecture of a couple. The 1st is the Church ofEn savoir plus
Mystras
13 novembre 2021, Grèce ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C
Mystras is a medieval/Byzantine city a short distance from Sparti, as modern Sparta is known. It was founded by the Franks in the 13th century in the aftermath of the 4th crusade, beginning as theEn savoir plus
Olive and Olive Oil Museum
13 novembre 2021, Grèce ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C
This is in my experience a unique and interesting place. It is a museum that traces the olive tree from wild to cultivated, with all its varieties and traces the use of the olive through the centuriesEn savoir plus
Kosmas
14 novembre 2021, Grèce ⋅ ⛅ 10 °C
Kosmas is a typical small mountain village typical for the Peloponnesian Peninsula. The village is known from the 16th century, but locally there was an ancient town with s temple to Apollo.
The 1stEn savoir plus



















































































































































