Photos, videos and docs of Martin M. Miles

Mystras - Hagia Sophia

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Sun, 12 Jul 2026 21:20:02 +0000

Mystras is a Byzantine ruined city near the village of the same name, northwest of Sparta.

The history of Mystras begins with the Fourth Crusade. When the Crusaders conquered the Peloponnese in 1206/1207, Godfrey I of Villehardouin became Prince of Achaea. His son, William II, conquered the rest of Laconia and in 1249 built a strong hilltop fortress in Mystras, which had previously been uninhabited.

In 1259, William II was captured by the troops of the Byzantine Emperor and secured his release by surrendering Mystras. The Greek inhabitants of Sparta, weary of Crusader rule, settled in Mystras, located just three kilometers away. A flourishing city grew up below the castle, eventually boasting a population of tens of thousands.
Mystras was conquered by the Ottomans in 1460. Minarets began to appear alongside churches and monasteries. The city came under Venetian control in 1687, but fell back to the Ottoman Turks as early as 1715.

In 1770, during a Russo-Turkish war, troops from the Balkans, who had invaded the Peloponnese on Ottoman orders, devastated the city. This marked the end of Mystras's heyday. During the Greek War of Independence, the city was subsequently so severely destroyed that plans for its reconstruction were abandoned. Instead, a short time later, Sparta, which had been abandoned centuries earlier, was rebuilt.

Mystras has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988.

Hagia Sophia was built in the 14th century by Manuel Kantakouzenos, the first despot of Mystras.

Built within the palace complex, it functioned as the royal palace church. The church became the catholicon of the men's monastery, as can be seen from the seal of the Patriarch Philotheus, from the year 1365, with which it was converted into a monastery at the request of the founder himself.

During Ottoman period, Hagia Sophia was converted into a mosque.

The Raising of Lazarus (?)

Mystras - Hagia Sophia

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Sun, 12 Jul 2026 21:12:10 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

Mystras - Hagia Sophia

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Sun, 12 Jul 2026 21:03:09 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

Mystras - Hagia Sophia

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 20:42:50 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

Mystras - Hagia Sophia

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 20:29:01 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

Mystras - Hagia Sophia

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 20:07:38 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

Mystras - Hagia Sophia

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 19:53:28 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

Mystras - Hagia Sophia

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 22:20:15 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

Mystras - Hagia Sophia

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 21:09:09 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

Mystras - Palace of the Despots

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 18:58:29 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

Mystras is a Byzantine ruined city near the village of the same name, northwest of Sparta.

The history of Mystras begins with the Fourth Crusade. When the Crusaders conquered the Peloponnese in 1206/1207, Godfrey I of Villehardouin became Prince of Achaea. His son, William II, conquered the rest of Laconia and in 1249 built a strong hilltop fortress in Mystras, which had previously been uninhabited.

In 1259, William II was captured by the troops of the Byzantine Emperor and secured his release by surrendering Mystras. The Greek inhabitants of Sparta, weary of Crusader rule, settled in Mystras, located just three kilometers away. A flourishing city grew up below the castle, eventually boasting a population of tens of thousands.
Mystras was conquered by the Ottomans in 1460. Minarets began to appear alongside churches and monasteries. The city came under Venetian control in 1687, but fell back to the Ottoman Turks as early as 1715.

In 1770, during a Russo-Turkish war, troops from the Balkans, who had invaded the Peloponnese on Ottoman orders, devastated the city. This marked the end of Mystras's heyday. During the Greek War of Independence, the city was subsequently so severely destroyed that plans for its reconstruction were abandoned. Instead, a short time later, Sparta, which had been abandoned centuries earlier, was rebuilt.

Mystras has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988.

Palace of the Despots

The palace is situated halfway up the hillside. Its building complex comprises structures from various eras. The palace courtyard is exposed to the sun and sheltered from the wind, yet spacious enough for public gatherings.

The east wingwas constructed between 1249 and 1262 by William II of Villehardouin. Under the rule of the Kantakouzenos dynasty, a second building was erected at the northeast corner after 1350, containing the Despot's private quarters and a private chapel. The northwest wing was likely built at the very beginning of 15th century under the Palaiologos dynasty.

Mystras - Peribleptos Monastery

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 15:43:34 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

Mystras is a Byzantine ruined city near the village of the same name, northwest of Sparta.

The history of Mystras begins with the Fourth Crusade. When the Crusaders conquered the Peloponnese in 1206/1207, Godfrey I of Villehardouin became Prince of Achaea. His son, William II, conquered the rest of Laconia and in 1249 built a strong hilltop fortress in Mystras, which had previously been uninhabited.

In 1259, William II was captured by the troops of the Byzantine Emperor and secured his release by surrendering Mystras. The Greek inhabitants of Sparta, weary of Crusader rule, settled in Mystras, located just three kilometers away. A flourishing city grew up below the castle, eventually boasting a population of tens of thousands.
Mystras was conquered by the Ottomans in 1460. Minarets began to appear alongside churches and monasteries. The city came under Venetian control in 1687, but fell back to the Ottoman Turks as early as 1715.

In 1770, during a Russo-Turkish war, troops from the Balkans, who had invaded the Peloponnese on Ottoman orders, devastated the city. This marked the end of Mystras's heyday. During the Greek War of Independence, the city was subsequently so severely destroyed that plans for its reconstruction were abandoned. Instead, a short time later, Sparta, which had been abandoned centuries earlier, was rebuilt.

Mystras has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988.

The former Peribleptos Monastery nestles against a rock face. A part of the structure is even built into a rocky grotto that was likely once an ancient pagan sanctuary. Manuel Kantakouzenos and his wife, Isabella de Lusignan, may have played a role in its founding between 1365 and 1374.

It was dissolved in the 15th century following the Ottoman conquest.

Mystras - Hagios Demetrios

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 14:24:13 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

Mystras is a Byzantine ruined city near the village of the same name, northwest of Sparta.

The history of Mystras begins with the Fourth Crusade. When the Crusaders conquered the Peloponnese in 1206/1207, Godfrey I of Villehardouin became Prince of Achaea. His son, William II, conquered the rest of Laconia and in 1249 built a strong hilltop fortress in Mystras, which had previously been uninhabited.

In 1259, William II was captured by the troops of the Byzantine Emperor and secured his release by surrendering Mystras. The Greek inhabitants of Sparta, weary of Crusader rule, settled in Mystras, located just three kilometers away. A flourishing city grew up below the castle, eventually boasting a population of tens of thousands.
Mystras was conquered by the Ottomans in 1460. Minarets began to appear alongside churches and monasteries. The city came under Venetian control in 1687, but fell back to the Ottoman Turks as early as 1715.

In 1770, during a Russo-Turkish war, troops from the Balkans, who had invaded the Peloponnese on Ottoman orders, devastated the city. This marked the end of Mystras's heyday. During the Greek War of Independence, the city was subsequently so severely destroyed that plans for its reconstruction were abandoned. Instead, a short time later, Sparta, which had been abandoned centuries earlier, was rebuilt.

Mystras has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988.

The Church of Hagios Demetrios, the earliest of the surviving churches of Mystras, is the metropolitan church, It is a wooden roofed basilica.
The church was founded between 1263 and 1272 by the Bishop Eugenios, whose tomb was discovered in the church. The paintings were commissioned by Bishop Theodosios and date to approximately 1272.
Inscriptions dedicate the structure to Nikiphoros, Metropolitan of Laconia, however, he was undoubtedly not the founder, he likely only commissioned the construction of the narthex around 1310.

Mystras - Hodegetria

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 14:07:19 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

Mystras is a Byzantine ruined city near the village of the same name, northwest of Sparta.

The history of Mystras begins with the Fourth Crusade. When the Crusaders conquered the Peloponnese in 1206/1207, Godfrey I of Villehardouin became Prince of Achaea. His son, William II, conquered the rest of Laconia and in 1249 built a strong hilltop fortress in Mystras, which had previously been uninhabited.

In 1259, William II was captured by the troops of the Byzantine Emperor and secured his release by surrendering Mystras. The Greek inhabitants of Sparta, weary of Crusader rule, settled in Mystras, located just three kilometers away. A flourishing city grew up below the castle, eventually boasting a population of tens of thousands.
Mystras was conquered by the Ottomans in 1460. Minarets began to appear alongside churches and monasteries. The city came under Venetian control in 1687, but fell back to the Ottoman Turks as early as 1715.

In 1770, during a Russo-Turkish war, troops from the Balkans, who had invaded the Peloponnese on Ottoman orders, devastated the city. This marked the end of Mystras's heyday. During the Greek War of Independence, the city was subsequently so severely destroyed that plans for its reconstruction were abandoned. Instead, a short time later, Sparta, which had been abandoned centuries earlier, was rebuilt.

Mystras has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988.

Brontochion Monastery was a very wealthy monastery, so soon after having completed Agioi Theodoroi (see pr. uploads) another church was constructed and completed around 1310/20. This church of the Hodegetria (aka Aphentikon) became the monastery's new katholikon.
It was probably built with the intention of creating a structure to rival the churches of Constantinople. It was constructed in the "Mistras style": a cross-in-square church structure was superimposed upon a three-aisled basilica with galleries. Unlike the other churches the Hodegetria features a three-story bell tower at its southwest corner.

During Ottoman rule, the monastery was converted into a mosque.

Mystras - Hodegetria

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 11:44:03 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

Mystras is a Byzantine ruined city near the village of the same name, northwest of Sparta.

The history of Mystras begins with the Fourth Crusade. When the Crusaders conquered the Peloponnese in 1206/1207, Godfrey I of Villehardouin became Prince of Achaea. His son, William II, conquered the rest of Laconia and in 1249 built a strong hilltop fortress in Mystras, which had previously been uninhabited.

In 1259, William II was captured by the troops of the Byzantine Emperor and secured his release by surrendering Mystras. The Greek inhabitants of Sparta, weary of Crusader rule, settled in Mystras, located just three kilometers away. A flourishing city grew up below the castle, eventually boasting a population of tens of thousands.
Mystras was conquered by the Ottomans in 1460. Minarets began to appear alongside churches and monasteries. The city came under Venetian control in 1687, but fell back to the Ottoman Turks as early as 1715.

In 1770, during a Russo-Turkish war, troops from the Balkans, who had invaded the Peloponnese on Ottoman orders, devastated the city. This marked the end of Mystras's heyday. During the Greek War of Independence, the city was subsequently so severely destroyed that plans for its reconstruction were abandoned. Instead, a short time later, Sparta, which had been abandoned centuries earlier, was rebuilt.

Mystras has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988.

Brontochion Monastery was a very wealthy monastery, so soon after having completed Agioi Theodoroi (see pr. uploads) another church was constructed and completed around 1310/20. This church of the Hodegetria (aka Aphentikon) became the monastery's new katholikon.
It was probably built with the intention of creating a structure to rival the churches of Constantinople. It was constructed in the "Mistras style": a cross-in-square church structure was superimposed upon a three-aisled basilica with galleries. Unlike the other churches the Hodegetria features a three-story bell tower at its southwest corner.

During Ottoman rule, the monastery was converted into a mosque.

Mystras - Hodegetria

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 11:37:02 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

Mystras is a Byzantine ruined city near the village of the same name, northwest of Sparta.

The history of Mystras begins with the Fourth Crusade. When the Crusaders conquered the Peloponnese in 1206/1207, Godfrey I of Villehardouin became Prince of Achaea. His son, William II, conquered the rest of Laconia and in 1249 built a strong hilltop fortress in Mystras, which had previously been uninhabited.

In 1259, William II was captured by the troops of the Byzantine Emperor and secured his release by surrendering Mystras. The Greek inhabitants of Sparta, weary of Crusader rule, settled in Mystras, located just three kilometers away. A flourishing city grew up below the castle, eventually boasting a population of tens of thousands.
Mystras was conquered by the Ottomans in 1460. Minarets began to appear alongside churches and monasteries. The city came under Venetian control in 1687, but fell back to the Ottoman Turks as early as 1715.

In 1770, during a Russo-Turkish war, troops from the Balkans, who had invaded the Peloponnese on Ottoman orders, devastated the city. This marked the end of Mystras's heyday. During the Greek War of Independence, the city was subsequently so severely destroyed that plans for its reconstruction were abandoned. Instead, a short time later, Sparta, which had been abandoned centuries earlier, was rebuilt.

Mystras has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988.

Brontochion Monastery was a very wealthy monastery, so soon after having completed Agioi Theodoroi (see pr. uploads) another church was constructed and completed around 1310/20. This church of the Hodegetria (aka Aphentikon) became the monastery's new katholikon.
It was probably built with the intention of creating a structure to rival the churches of Constantinople. It was constructed in the "Mistras style": a cross-in-square church structure was superimposed upon a three-aisled basilica with galleries. Unlike the other churches the Hodegetria features a three-story bell tower at its southwest corner.

During Ottoman rule, the monastery was converted into a mosque.

Mystras - Hodegetria

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 11:03:34 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

Mystras is a Byzantine ruined city near the village of the same name, northwest of Sparta.

The history of Mystras begins with the Fourth Crusade. When the Crusaders conquered the Peloponnese in 1206/1207, Godfrey I of Villehardouin became Prince of Achaea. His son, William II, conquered the rest of Laconia and in 1249 built a strong hilltop fortress in Mystras, which had previously been uninhabited.

In 1259, William II was captured by the troops of the Byzantine Emperor and secured his release by surrendering Mystras. The Greek inhabitants of Sparta, weary of Crusader rule, settled in Mystras, located just three kilometers away. A flourishing city grew up below the castle, eventually boasting a population of tens of thousands.
Mystras was conquered by the Ottomans in 1460. Minarets began to appear alongside churches and monasteries. The city came under Venetian control in 1687, but fell back to the Ottoman Turks as early as 1715.

In 1770, during a Russo-Turkish war, troops from the Balkans, who had invaded the Peloponnese on Ottoman orders, devastated the city. This marked the end of Mystras's heyday. During the Greek War of Independence, the city was subsequently so severely destroyed that plans for its reconstruction were abandoned. Instead, a short time later, Sparta, which had been abandoned centuries earlier, was rebuilt.

Mystras has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988.

Brontochion Monastery was a very wealthy monastery, so soon after having completed Agioi Theodoroi (see pr. uploads) another church was constructed and completed around 1310/20. This church of the Hodegetria (aka Aphentikon) became the monastery's new katholikon.
It was probably built with the intention of creating a structure to rival the churches of Constantinople. It was constructed in the "Mistras style": a cross-in-square church structure was superimposed upon a three-aisled basilica with galleries. Unlike the other churches the Hodegetria features a three-story bell tower at its southwest corner.

During Ottoman rule, the monastery was converted into a mosque.

Mystras - Hodegetria

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Mon, 06 Jul 2026 21:45:51 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

Mystras is a Byzantine ruined city near the village of the same name, northwest of Sparta.

The history of Mystras begins with the Fourth Crusade. When the Crusaders conquered the Peloponnese in 1206/1207, Godfrey I of Villehardouin became Prince of Achaea. His son, William II, conquered the rest of Laconia and in 1249 built a strong hilltop fortress in Mystras, which had previously been uninhabited.

In 1259, William II was captured by the troops of the Byzantine Emperor and secured his release by surrendering Mystras. The Greek inhabitants of Sparta, weary of Crusader rule, settled in Mystras, located just three kilometers away. A flourishing city grew up below the castle, eventually boasting a population of tens of thousands.
Mystras was conquered by the Ottomans in 1460. Minarets began to appear alongside churches and monasteries. The city came under Venetian control in 1687, but fell back to the Ottoman Turks as early as 1715.

In 1770, during a Russo-Turkish war, troops from the Balkans, who had invaded the Peloponnese on Ottoman orders, devastated the city. This marked the end of Mystras's heyday. During the Greek War of Independence, the city was subsequently so severely destroyed that plans for its reconstruction were abandoned. Instead, a short time later, Sparta, which had been abandoned centuries earlier, was rebuilt.

Mystras has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988.

Brontochion Monastery was a very wealthy monastery, so soon after having completed Agioi Theodoroi (see pr. uploads) another church was constructed and completed around 1310/20. This church of the Hodegetria (aka Aphentikon) became the monastery's new katholikon.
It was probably built with the intention of creating a structure to rival the churches of Constantinople. It was constructed in the "Mistras style": a cross-in-square church structure was superimposed upon a three-aisled basilica with galleries. Unlike the other churches the Hodegetria features a three-story bell tower at its southwest corner.

During Ottoman rule, the monastery was converted into a mosque.

Mystras - Agioi Theodoroi

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Mon, 06 Jul 2026 21:16:12 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

Mystras is a Byzantine ruined city near the village of the same name, northwest of Sparta.

The history of Mystras begins with the Fourth Crusade. When the Crusaders conquered the Peloponnese in 1206/1207, Godfrey I of Villehardouin became Prince of Achaea. His son, William II, conquered the rest of Laconia and in 1249 built a strong hilltop fortress in Mystras, which had previously been uninhabited.

In 1259, William II was captured by the troops of the Byzantine Emperor and secured his release by surrendering Mystras. The Greek inhabitants of Sparta, weary of Crusader rule, settled in Mystras, located just three kilometers away. A flourishing city grew up below the castle, eventually boasting a population of tens of thousands.
Mystras was conquered by the Ottomans in 1460. Minarets began to appear alongside churches and monasteries. The city came under Venetian control in 1687, but fell back to the Ottoman Turks as early as 1715.

In 1770, during a Russo-Turkish war, troops from the Balkans, who had invaded the Peloponnese on Ottoman orders, devastated the city. This marked the end of Mystras's heyday. During the Greek War of Independence, the city was subsequently so severely destroyed that plans for its reconstruction were abandoned. Instead, a short time later, Sparta, which had been abandoned centuries earlier, was rebuilt.

Mystras has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988.

Hagioi Theodoroi was the main church (katholikon) of the Brontochion Monastery. The church was founded by Abbot Daniel around 1290 and completed by his successor, Pachomios, around 1295. It is dedicated to the two soldier-saints Theodore Tiro and Theodore Stratelates.

The blueprint of Agioi Theodoroi is a Greek cross with an octagonal dome; consequently, its vault rests not on four columns, but on eight, creating the impression of an octagon. This architectural style, which certainly originated in Constantinople, became common in Greece from the 11th century onwards. Agioi Theodoroi is the last known church to have been constructed using this model.

Mystras - Agioi Theodoroi

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Mon, 06 Jul 2026 18:54:48 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

Mystras is a Byzantine ruined city near the village of the same name, northwest of Sparta.

The history of Mystras begins with the Fourth Crusade. When the Crusaders conquered the Peloponnese in 1206/1207, Godfrey I of Villehardouin became Prince of Achaea. His son, William II, conquered the rest of Laconia and in 1249 built a strong hilltop fortress in Mystras, which had previously been uninhabited.

In 1259, William II was captured by the troops of the Byzantine Emperor and secured his release by surrendering Mystras. The Greek inhabitants of Sparta, weary of Crusader rule, settled in Mystras, located just three kilometers away. A flourishing city grew up below the castle, eventually boasting a population of tens of thousands.
Mystras was conquered by the Ottomans in 1460. Minarets began to appear alongside churches and monasteries. The city came under Venetian control in 1687, but fell back to the Ottoman Turks as early as 1715.

In 1770, during a Russo-Turkish war, troops from the Balkans, who had invaded the Peloponnese on Ottoman orders, devastated the city. This marked the end of Mystras's heyday. During the Greek War of Independence, the city was subsequently so severely destroyed that plans for its reconstruction were abandoned. Instead, a short time later, Sparta, which had been abandoned centuries earlier, was rebuilt.

Mystras has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988.

Hagioi Theodoroi was the main church (katholikon) of the Brontochion Monastery. The church was founded by Abbot Daniel around 1290 and completed by his successor, Pachomios, around 1295. It is dedicated to the two soldier-saints Theodore Tiro and Theodore Stratelates.

The blueprint of Agioi Theodoroi is a Greek cross with an octagonal dome; consequently, its vault rests not on four columns, but on eight, creating the impression of an octagon. This architectural style, which certainly originated in Constantinople, became common in Greece from the 11th century onwards. Agioi Theodoroi is the last known church to have been constructed using this model.

Mystras - Agioi Theodoroi

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Mon, 06 Jul 2026 16:44:59 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

Mystras is a Byzantine ruined city near the village of the same name, northwest of Sparta.

The history of Mystras begins with the Fourth Crusade. When the Crusaders conquered the Peloponnese in 1206/1207, Godfrey I of Villehardouin became Prince of Achaea. His son, William II, conquered the rest of Laconia and in 1249 built a strong hilltop fortress in Mystras, which had previously been uninhabited.

In 1259, William II was captured by the troops of the Byzantine Emperor and secured his release by surrendering Mystras. The Greek inhabitants of Sparta, weary of Crusader rule, settled in Mystras, located just three kilometers away. A flourishing city grew up below the castle, eventually boasting a population of tens of thousands.
Mystras was conquered by the Ottomans in 1460. Minarets began to appear alongside churches and monasteries. The city came under Venetian control in 1687, but fell back to the Ottoman Turks as early as 1715.

In 1770, during a Russo-Turkish war, troops from the Balkans, who had invaded the Peloponnese on Ottoman orders, devastated the city. This marked the end of Mystras's heyday. During the Greek War of Independence, the city was subsequently so severely destroyed that plans for its reconstruction were abandoned. Instead, a short time later, Sparta, which had been abandoned centuries earlier, was rebuilt.

Mystras has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988.

Hagioi Theodoroi was the main church (katholikon) of the Brontochion Monastery. The church was founded by Abbot Daniel around 1290 and completed by his successor, Pachomios, around 1295. It is dedicated to the two soldier-saints Theodore Tiro and Theodore Stratelates.

The blueprint of Agioi Theodoroi is a Greek cross with an octagonal dome; consequently, its vault rests not on four columns, but on eight, creating the impression of an octagon. This architectural style, which certainly originated in Constantinople, became common in Greece from the 11th century onwards. Agioi Theodoroi is the last known church to have been constructed using this model.