They Mystras monuments are listed as a UNESCO world cultural heritage monument. With its narrow streets, low walls, small houses, mansions, palaces, chapels and monasteries, and its multiform churches with fresco-covered vaults, Mystras is a unique example of the glorious religious and secular architecture and painting typical of a city from the last Byzantine era (1262-1460). The overriding objective of the ERDF-funded project was therefore to turn Mystras into an integrated museological complex where visitors could discover all aspects of its culture.

Since many religious buildings had already been restored, the project focused mainly on the secular remains. The showpiece is the Palace of Despots, with its Byzantine structures and gothic decoration, which typify early European Renaissance culture. One of the main undertakings of the project included reconstructing the main roof of the throne room in chestnut wood, with a double trim of panels and hand-made tiles.

Outside the palace, further modifications included strengthening the Frankish fortified castle on the summit of the site, renovating the foundations and reinforcing the houses in the upper city, repairing the roofs of the Agios Dimitrios and Pantanassa monasteries, and reconstructing the north and west porticos of the Pantanassa monastery. The work also included repaving streets, installing a water supply system in the main buildings and electrification of part of the site.

Most of the work was carried out between 1995 and 2001. Subsequent work has now brought the museum-site project to completion. The entire project created 21 full-time jobs and a total of 63 seasonal jobs. An architect, a designer, a civil engineer, a chemical engineer, a topographer and an administrative officer were also employed, and a team of three archaeologists were contracted temporarily.

Total cost: 2.935 million euros
EU contribution: 2.201 million euros

Committee for the restoration of the Mystras monuments
Prof. Sinos, Stephanos, tel. +30 27310 21541

01/01/1995

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Urban Policy