A significant project for Mystras, the region of Laconia, and global cultural heritage was inaugurated this afternoon by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, in the presence of Minister of Culture Lina Mendoni. In a splendid ceremony attended by political leadership, many representatives of local government, and a large crowd, the renovated monumental complex of the Palace of the Despots in the Byzantine castle-city of Mystras — the best-preserved royal city in Greece — was officially returned to the public.

“Mystras is not only a World Heritage monument, but also the place where the twilight of Byzantium met the dawn of modern Greek identity. Here, in the 13th century, a dialogue between the past and the future began — a dialogue that has never actually stopped. We are here to ensure it never will,” emphasised Kyriakos Mitsotakis during the ceremony.

“Our culture constitutes a chain of our national strength. It stands equally alongside the strengthening of our deterrent capability, economic progress, and social cohesion. We have served this strategy with dedication and concrete actions for the past 7 years. I want to personally congratulate Lina Mendoni, who — not unjustly — has held the same portfolio for 7 years, as this is the 300th new site we are delivering to the public since 2019. Having attended many such inauguration ceremonies, I have rarely seen the Minister as moved as she is today — and rightly so. By the end of the year, we still have 8 more museums and archaeological sites to inaugurate. Over 900 infrastructure projects across the country with a budget exceeding €1 billion, funded through the Recovery Fund,” continued Mr Mitsotakis.

The Prime Minister noted that in Laconia alone, €60 million has been utilised for a series of important projects that give new life to this historic place.

“It is an investment that also yields direct economic returns. Investment in culture has a multiplier effect. Every euro invested in culture creates triple the value for society within five years,” he pointed out.

The Prime Minister added that he met a group of American cyclists who had come to combine sports with their desire to visit this site.

“I want to make special mention of the Palace of the Despots. We all feel its energy and solemnity. We insist on a policy of universal accessibility for all. Our fellow citizens with mobility difficulties will be able to visit these very important archaeological sites on equal terms,” he said.

Speaking about the future, he noted that all archaeological sites are incorporating technology, while children visiting the site will be able to learn history through play and entertainment.

“It is a 21st-century tribute of honour to an achievement of the 13th century,” stressed Mr Mitsotakis, while also referring to the modern fire-fighting network installed at the monument.

“Care for this archaeological site does not stop. By December, the conservation of invaluable frescoes will be completed and they will be restored to remain alive for the future. With Mystras at the centre, the transformation of the entire prefecture into a cultural hub is underway. The time has come for Laconia to firmly enter the global tourism map. It is a region that has offered so much to the homeland and the world. Through culture as a vehicle, the economy will be strengthened. Every new museum will soon translate into greater visitor numbers, more jobs, and, in a chain reaction, better wages,” the Prime Minister added.

“Here one realises what it means to be Greek,” he said, emphasising that it is “a heavy identity we did not choose, but inherited.”

Mr Mitsotakis underlined that Greece is a Western country that can build bridges with the East, the Middle East, and Africa, and that this is “our position in a changing world” while “writing history with the horizon of Greece 2030.”

The Project at the Royal Complex

The royal complex, which dominates the famous “Saraya of the Princess,” fully renovated and, for the first time, universally accessible, awaits the public from tomorrow. It is enriched with a multimedia exhibition accompanied by other displays that vividly recreate important and everyday moments from the era when the last emperors of Byzantium flourished.

This emblematic project, which radiates the name and importance of the area as a pillar of cultural creation at an international level, was funded by the Recovery Fund, the NSRF, and the Peloponnese Programme. It represents a technical intervention that implements the vision of the State and the Ministry of Culture for the tourist upgrading of accessible archaeological sites and historical monuments, making them available to an even wider audience.

Lina Mendoni’s Speech

For her part, Ms Mendoni, recalling the historical course and brilliance of Mystras as a beacon of culture and a bridge for the transmission of the Greek spirit to the West and the shaping of the Renaissance, emphasised that “today the Ministry of Culture is delivering to the Greek and international public the renewed and upgraded unique medieval castle-city.” As the Minister stated, “since 2019 the Ministry of Culture has implemented an extensive programme of interventions in the archaeological site with the aim of protecting, restoring, highlighting it, and creating infrastructure to serve visitors.”

“We are a team that today is truly happy and proud,” the Minister stressed, adding that “these interventions ensure: firstly, the maximum possible accessibility for our fellow citizens with disabilities through the upgrading of visitor routes and the installation of a lift in the palace.”

Ms Mendoni added that the works also ensure “the protection of the monument from the risk of fire with the installation of a modern water supply and fire-fighting system,” as well as “the comprehensive protection of important churches through systematic conservation of their structural elements and painted decoration,” and “sustainable development through the preparation of an integrated management plan for the castle-city combined with a study of its biodiversity, which together safeguard the invaluable cultural capital and natural wealth.”

She stressed that “today’s day is of particular importance for Laconia and the Peloponnese, as it is not simply the inauguration of yet another restoration project. A place of national historical memory and identity is being returned to society — a cultural asset of universal value and a timeless core of civilisation.” She added that the Palace is being delivered to the public not as a mere architectural remnant, but as a living space of history, knowledge, and experience.

This new approach includes a permanent physical and digital exhibition titled “Princely Narratives,” accompanied by two other important exhibitions: “In the Saraya of the Princess,” one concerning the historical reception of Mystras and the other titled “In the Light of the Court. Reflection of a Glorious Attire,” which convey to the visitor the aesthetics, ideology, and atmosphere of the Byzantine court of Mystras.

“Cultural heritage,” the Minister emphasised, “plays a critical role both in collective self-awareness and in sustainable development and social cohesion. With this strategic perception, over the past seven years we have implemented the largest and most comprehensive investment policy in Culture that the country has ever known. These investments create jobs, strengthen local entrepreneurship, upgrade the urban and natural environment, and shape new development prospects for local communities.”

The exhibition “In the Saraya of the Princess,” which accompanies the inauguration, was created following a new museological and museographic study approved by the Central Archaeological Council. It brings to life the daily life of the Despots, the diplomatic relations of the era, the administrative organisation, and the intellectual activity of Mystras. Visitors can tour the Great Throne Room (on the upper floor of the Kantakouzenos building), admire rare exhibits, and view digital representations that help them understand how the administrative centre of the Morea functioned in the first half of the 15th century.

At the same time, conservation work on the unique painted decoration and stone elements in the important churches of the castle-city was highlighted, ensuring that the famous post-Byzantine frescoes will remain unaltered through the centuries.

As part of the renovation works, one of the main challenges for accessibility in Mystras — the steep terrain, cobblestones, and hundreds of steps — has been significantly addressed. Existing routes along the old imperial road and paths were improved with key interventions to reduce risk.

A special vehicle with access to the elevator has also been arranged for people with disabilities to reach the Palace, making Mystras — a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1989 — a fully accessible and visitable location.