Description

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Cut off from the Peloponnesian coast by an earthquake in 375 AD, Monemvasia exists at powerful physical and emotional remove from the world. The castle town, set on a rock in the southern Aegean Sea, is joined to the Greek mainland by only one causeway. Further isolated by fortified medieval wall, Monemvasia’s unique physical environment determined how the community evolved through periods of social change.

Lavishly illustrated with more than two hundred black-and-white photographs, this collection spans over a century, from 1890 until the present day. Alongside historic and contemporary quotes, the volume provides a visual history of Monemvasian society through the ages. It tells the story of how a community, set apart from the rest of the world, may flourish and recreate within itself a strong bond of solidarity, pride, and continuity. Monemvasia is a getaway to the Greek fortress, taking readers inside the castle walls, through public spaces and into the private experiences of family life, on a journey to another place—and another time.

About the Author

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Ann Eldridge has a doctorate in classical studies, specializing in the reception of Ancient Greece in the nineteenth century, and is the founder of the Monemvasia Photographic Society.