Monemvasia is one of Greece’s most striking historical landmarks and one of the Peloponnese’s most popular tourist attractions. Although tourism has in the past saved the town and the castle from ruin, modern development and increasing tourism demand threaten to tip the delicate balance and destroy what makes it so special.
Surrounded by the crystal clear waters of the Aegean Sea, an impenetrable fortress sits on top of a single jagged slab of rock, rising out of the sea like a throne fit for Poseidon himself, protected by sheer cliff faces and surrounded by an ocean of treacherous underwater rocks that threaten to tear any ship unlucky enough to be blown onto them apart. It is a scene that would fit perfectly into any new adaptation of Game of Thrones, but is in fact Monemvasia, Greece’s very own fortified island city and Europe’s oldest continuously occupied castle town.
Nestled on the south eastern coast of the Peloponnese Peninsula, Monemvasia is a snapshot of medieval history perfectly frozen in time. Having never been successfully conquered in battle despite repeated attempts, it has nevertheless been ruled by Crusader knights, Venetians, Ottomans and many more during its time thanks to sieges, trade and diplomacy, and its stone walls retain a lot of the unique architectural heritage and historical charm each of these cultures have carried with them. With dramatic coastal views from the ramparts, a labyrinth of winding, romantic medieval streets and a unique natural beauty, it is not hard to see why Monemvasia is becoming so popular with visiting tourists.
The majority of locals now live in Gefyra, a modern village on the mainland, and cross over the causeway every day to work in the fortress, but Monemvasia itself is essentially divided into two parts, the lower town, or Kastro, filled with souvenir shops, picturesque walled gardens, town squares, hotels and tavernas, and the upper town, the ruined remnants of the impressive Byzantine fortress. Both of these sections are separated by a steep climb that weaves through the mountain and still retains the vantage points and arrow slits that made the climb a perfect kill zone for any invading forces.
Barely two dozen people now live permanently within the kastro itself, partly thanks to the staggering rise in property prices and the struggles of living with restricted facilities, but this is only possible at all thanks to an architectural and archaeological compromise made in the 1960s. There is no doubt of the historical and archaeological importance of Monemvasia, it is after all integral to its identity and important to preserve, but at the mid point of the last century the fort was in absolute ruin, the few people who remained in the village had no access to running water or a real sewage system, never mind more modern conveniences such as basic electricity. There is an absolute need to protect the archaeology and history of the site, but at the same time as a living castle and one that was at risk of being abandoned and left to crumble, which would have destroyed the site completely, a compromise needed to be made. A sewage system and running water were incorporated into the town in the 1960s and electricity came a decade later, which did technically compromise the archaeology, much of which remains buried with no plans to excavate, but also saved the castle. This delicate balancing act between preservation and modernity continued through the 1970s, where thanks to the modern conveniences of water and electricity, tourism began to flourish. Many of the crumbling buildings were restored and renovated, turning them into hotels and tavernas for tourists, locals sold their properties as holiday homes to foreigners who only visited a couple of times a year, and strict preservation laws were implemented to ensure buildings were well kept and renovated in a historically accurate and sensitive manner, helping preserve the aesthetic beauty of the town as well as its heritage.
These very welcome efforts were made to strike a balance between preserving the historical integrity of the town and satisfying the demands of tourists, and of course of the locals who wanted to make money from them. Strict regulations on building design and materials, as well as guidelines for restoration and renovation, helped stave off mass development despite the increasing numbers of holiday homes. Additionally, community involvement and education initiatives helped raise awareness among locals and visitors alike about the importance of preserving Monemvasia’s cultural heritage.
As expensive holiday homes boomed and the steep property and upkeep costs continued to grow, this left Monemvasia with a small but lucrative corner of the luxury tourism market, and for a long time this were enough to keep a balance between profit from tourism and retaining local life in the village.
The skyrocketing property costs did price most of the locals out of the town itself, even those whose families had lived there for generations, forcing the population boom in the mainland town of Geyfra, and normally this would be seen as a wholly negative aspect of tourism, but again this is where compromise was needed because without it, it is unlikely Monemvasia would still be standing today.
Unfortunately the sheer number of frequently empty holiday homes and seasonal tourism meant that the money to be made from what is many locals sole source of income was not sustainable year round, despite increasing visitor numbers, and recent years have seen a number of initiatives aimed at increasing tourist numbers without thinking of the balance.
Some development is of course welcome, a brand new Agios Nikolaus museum has been built in a newly restored building and is one more attraction that has helped preserve the site and will be a boon for tourists, but a proposed ski lift to carry tourists from the lower town to the ruined fortifications up the mountain or the decorative lights that will turn the fortification into a Disneyfied theme park at night cross the line and threaten to destroy that balance. Local calls for increased tourist income, and therefore increased visitor numbers at all costs including from potential cruise ships, threaten to take Monemvasia down the mass tourism route that has caused so many issues elsewhere.
Sustainable and responsible development is essential for preserving cultural heritage and archaeological history, but it does have to be reasonable and responsible.
Monemvasia is certainly not alone in this struggle with sustainable tourism, and faces many of the broader challenges of popular destinations worldwide. Balancing the preservation of local heritage and culture as well as the history and archaeology of a site with the growing demands of tourists requires careful and sensitive planning, and whilst Monemvasia has done well in this regard up until now, I hope that the lure of easy tourist money doesn’t shift the balance too far in the wrong direction.
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