history
of Kardamyli
Kardamyli has a long history. In Homer’s Iliad, it was one of the towns offered by Agamemnon to Achilles to heal the rift that he had caused by taking the captive girl Briseis from him, so Kardamyli was clearly a recognised town as early as Mycenaean times. Pausanias recorded that there was a sacred precinct in Kardamyli that was dedicated to the Nereids, the sea nymphs. And yet another link between Kardamyli and the gods is the so-called tomb of the Dioscouri, the heavenly twins, Castor and Pollux (mythology would have us believe that they were the product of a famous seduction, when Zeus, in the guise of a swan, overpowered Leda who eventually produced two eggs. Castor and Pollux were hatched from one egg, while the other produced equally distinguished offspring – Helen of Troy and Clytemnestra). This double tomb is carved in the rock alongside the path that leads towards the acropolis from Pano Kardamyli. It is not known whose tombs these really are and Pausanias does not report on them (although he usually recorded the location of important tombs and any history they may have). He does report that in the town there was “a sanctuary of Athene and a Karneian Apollo in the local Dorian style.” On the acropolis above Pano (old) Kardamyli there is evidence that it was used from Neolithic times until medieval times but it has never been properly excavated. Strabo mentions, “Kardamyli, which is situated on a rock fortified by nature.” Herodotus referred to Kardamyli only briefly, to identify the location of Asine (Koroni), but this signifies that Kardamyli was well enough known to be used as a point of reference.
From the 1st Century BC until the 2nd Century AD, Kardamyli was the main port of Sparta. Gythio had been the main port but had joined the anti-Spartan League of Free Lakonian Cities. Sparta was linked to Kardamyli by a path over the Taygetos Mountains. The island just off the harbour is called Meropi and has a small Venetian castle and a church dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Leake says there was a monastery there in his time.
The Troupakis Complex in Pano Kardamyli is a good example of a typical Outer Mani defensive family grouping, walled and fortified and serving as a clan stronghold and power base. It lies to the east of the main road through the village, behind the newer houses and is well worth investigating. To reach it, walk along the narrow road that leads from the War Memorial in the small square at the north end of the main street, or follow the signs opposite the supermarkets. The Troupakis family grew to prominence and power in Androuvitsa (Exochori) and then created the complex in Kardamyli because the harbour gave them access to the sea. Legend has it that the family were refugees from Mystras when the city fell to the Turks in 1461. As fugitives, they moved to caves in the Taygetos Mountains at Androuvitsa along with many others from Mystras. The Maniats had long been accustomed to taking refuge in caves in times of trouble and there are many examples of fortified caves throughout the peninsula. The local dialect word “troupa” means a “hole”, and this troglodyte existence gave the Troupakis family their name.
The complex was started in the 17th century and in the early 18th century was established by Kapitanios (Captain) Panayotis Troupakis who had four sons; Michael, Petros, Theodoros and Ioannis. As the oldest son, Michael inherited the main section of the complex by the Church of Agios Spiridon, with his brothers living in adjacent, mutually defensive properties. Michael became the second Bey of the Mani in 1779, and as well as Kardamyli, he acquired Zarnata Castle at Kambos and the defensive complex at Kitries. Kardamyli remained, however, Michael’s administrative centre, residence and main garrison. His ‘reign’ as Bey ended in 1782 when he was beheaded by the Sultan. Michael’s son, Kapitanios Mourtzinos Troupakis, became head of the clan and gave his name to the “Mourtzinos War Tower” which still stands in the complex. Above the door of the War Tower is the date 1808, which is when it was rebuilt following its destruction during a three-month siege by a rival family. This occurred in 1805 and resulted in Mourtzinos being exiled to Zakynthos for three years, until he was given amnesty by the Turks and allowed to return to Kardamyli. Here he restored the complex and reclaimed leadership as Kapitanios. In 1813, a visiting Englishman, J.R. Cockerell gave this description of Mourtzinos and the complex.
“His castle consists of a courtyard and a church surrounded by various towers. There is a stone bench at his door where he sits surrounded by his vassals and his relations who all stand unless invited to sit. The village people bring him presents, tributes as it were, of fruit, flowers etc. On a lofty rock close by is a watch-tower where watch is kept night and day. The whole gave us the picture of feudal life new and hardly credible to a nineteenth century Englishman.”
The watch tower referred to is “Petreas’” Tower which stands on a rocky hilltop south of the complex and gives an all round view of the approaches to Kardamyli, including the sea. The seaward aspect is further improved by a small watchtower above the harbour. Another reference also gives an insight into the position and power of the Kapitanios:
“He rang a large bell every midday before the meal and every evening before supper, thus publicly inviting those who were in need or those willing, to dine; and not a day passed that at least fifty to one hundred people, strangers to the family, were fed by him.”
In 1821, on the eve of the Greek War of Independence, Theodoros Kolokotronis established his headquarters at Kardamyli and here was joined by Petrobey Mavromichalis, bringing with him his Maniat army north from Areopolis. According to legend, they played chess in the courtyard next to the church of Agios Spiridon, using soldiers as the chess pieces on a board marked out in chalk. However Kolokotronis doesn’t mention this interesting story in his memoirs and his relationship with Mavromichalis seems to have been very guarded as we can see from his own words,
“He (Mavromichalis) behaved himself tolerably well towards me and it is not true that he betrayed me to the Turks, for he had not the power to do so even if he had the will, for besides my friendship with Mourtzinos, it is a custom in Mani to help everyone who goes there for a place of refuge.”
The locals of Kardamyli have their own version of the tale, in which it is Mourtzinos who plays chess with Kolokotronis on a normal sized board (which still exists). From Kardamyli the army marched on Kalamata, and there defeated the Turkish garrison in the first victory of the war that finally liberated Greece. To quote Kolokotronis again:
“On the 23rd March we fell upon the Turks at Kalamata. They were led by Arnoutogles, a man of some importance in Tripolitsa (Tripoli). We had two thousand Maniats, with Mourtzinos and Petrobey.”
Mourtzinos’s only son, Dionysos, also distinguished himself as a great fighter in this war and in 1830 became War Minister in the newly formed Greek Government. The renovation work to turn the complex into a museum was finally finished in 2005. In 1967 the last surviving family members, Maria and Evangelia Boukouvalea, donated the buildings to the Greek government specifically for this purpose and with a hefty EU grant, this aim was achieved. The main exhibits in the museum must be the complex itself and an explanation outlining the work involved in the renovation is in the vaulted ground floor of the living quarters, where a scale model describes the function of each building. The two floors above house a limited number of exhibits and commentary on traditional Mani life – all very tastefully presented. The view to the ancient acropolis inland and down to the coast from the steps leading to the main tower, are exceptional. At the time of going to print there was no entrance fee.
The church, Agios Spyridon, is from the same period and was used by the family. It is kept locked and in any case is more attractive from the outside with intricate carvings on the bell tower.
