Monemvasia was built by the Byzantines, around 600 AD, during Emperor’s Mavrikios reign. At that time, Lakonians, under the threat of the barbarian Avars’ incursions, reached the land of Monemvasia, while others immigrated to Sicily. They resided at the invisible- from the mainland- part of the rock, that was formed by heavy earthquakes in 345 AD. The name Monemvasia derives from the existence of one and only way to reach the rock, that was divided by the mainland by 60 meters of sea. Only later, during the Venetian occupancy of the 16th century AD, Monemvasia became a peninsula; a bridge and a road were built to link the island with the mainland.
The inhabitants of Monemvasia were hard-working people and they progressed through their heavy work. They managed to build the houses, churches, mansions, roads and walls of the town, they developed Arts and Letters, they expanded commercially, they produced the legendary wine of Malvazia. Soon Monemvasia grew to be one of the centers of the Byzantine Empire and a place of strategic interest (often called Gibraltar of the East) at the eastern Mediterranean Sea.
At the same time the people of Monemvasia preserved their Greek origin, sometimes even with battles, despite the several occupiers, until their liberation day, the 23rd of July 1821. They never accepted leaving their home, even during the difficult days of the 20th century AD, especially during the post-war period, when Monemvasia suffered substantial economic downfall due to the development of the urban centers. Since the end of 60’s, Monemvasia started recovering, based on the growth of tourism, and has become a main touristic attraction. Today, thanks to its inhabitants, Monemvasia is still alive and upcoming.