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Messinia
Greece
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Ancient
Messene
Aesklepieion
complex: Temple of Asklepios and Hygeia. It's a peripteros, doric temple.
It was destroyed by an unknown reason and it was rebuilt of a local though
stone.
A
small theatre-odeion belongs to the Asklepieion complex. An inscription
was found and it informs us that the building was found and it informs
us that the building was called "Decterion". It was a room for rhetorical
displays and assemblies.
Bouleuterion:
A rectangular almost square room which belongs to the Asklepieion complex
too. Its dimensions are: 19x18.30m. There are two entrances at the west
side of the building.
The
wall which is dated to the 3rd century B.C. is one of the most important
achievements of the ancient military architecture. Arcadic gate which is
at the north side of the wall is still very impressive. It was the main
gate of Messene as the way to Arcadic Megalopolis started from its external
"door". Temple of Artemis Limniatis or Lafria. It's a small temple of the
Ionic style. It's dated to the middle of the 3rd century B.C.
Sanctuary
of Zeus Ithomatas. The statue of Zeus, designed by the Argive Sculptor
named Ageladas, was here. The type of this statue, which represented Zeus
as a child, isn't known to us.
Theatre-Stadium:
We have only remains of the walls which supported the concave of the theatre.
The lower seats of the stadium and especially those of the section of the
sphendone were survived better than others.
Telephone:
+30 - 724 - 51201
Castle
of Koroni
The
castle occupies the headland to the east of the modern town and is built
on the ruins of the ancient Messenian town of Asine. It was erected in
the 6th or 7th century A.D., and was used all through the Byzantine period.
Koroni was captured by the Venetians in 1206 and was used as a supplying
centre. In 1500 the castle was occupied by the Turk Bayazit Pasha and remained
under Turkish domination until 1686 when it was recaptured by the Venetians.
In 1715, when the Venetians left the Peloponnese, the castle was again
dominated by the Turks who kept it until 1828, when it was liberated by
the French general Maison.
For
many years, the Archaeological Service has been carrying out restoration
work at various buildings of the castle.
The
most important monuments of the site are:
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The Byzantine
Castle.
In
the 13th century it was fortified by the Venetians who were responsible
for the construction of towers and machicolations.
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Byzantine
church of Aghia Sophia (Holy Wisdom).
Three-aisled
basilica with colonnades. A second church was built over the prothesis,
also dedicated to Aghia Sophia and was reconstructed at the beginning of
the century.
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Church
of St. Charalambos.
Spacious,
single-aisled, wooden-roofed church built at the beginning of the second
Venetian occupation. It was originally dedicated to St. Rocco.
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Church
of Panaghia Eleistria.
Spacious,
single-aisled, wooden-roofed church, dated to the end of the 19th or the
beginning of the 20th century.
The
Castle of Methoni
The
castle of Methoni lies at the southernmost end of the west Peloponnesian
coast. The site was fortified as early as the 7th century B.C., and in
the period between 395 A.D. and 1204 A.D. was used as a Byzantine fortress.
The area was dominated by the Franks for a very short period and in 1206
was captured by the Venetians who strengthened the fortification, incorporating
the pre-Christian defensive structures. In 1500 Methoni was captured by
the Turk Bayazit Pasha, again came under Venetian occupation from 1685
until 1715, and was for a second time dominated by the Turks who kept it
under their control until 1829, when it was liberated by the French general
Maison, along with other towns of the Peloponnese.
For
many years the buildings of the castle have been restored by the Archaeological
Service.
The
most important monuments of the site are:
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The castle
and remains of secular and religious buildings inside the fortified area.
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Byzantine
church of Aghia Sophia (Holy Wisdom).
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Remains
of Turkish Baths.
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Ruins
of a house which was used as the residence of Ibrahim Pasha in 1826, and
of General Maison after the liberation.
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Church
of the Metamorphosis (Transfiguration). Single-aisled church built in 1833
by the French liberation army.
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Remains
of structures of the Second World War. Cisterns and remains of the cemetery
of the British prisoners.
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"Bourtzi"
.Fortified islet at the south end of the castle, occupied by an octagonal
tower with isodomic wall masonry.
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