Mystras

Built in 1249 by William II of Villehardouin, this strong fortress was meant to play an important role in the history of the Byzantine Empire during its final centuries. Set atop a naturally fortified hill, the kastropolitia (fortress-state) of Mystras was filled with houses, mansions, churches, palaces, and monasteries. It reached its peak as a cultural centre closely connected with Constantinople under the rule of the Katakouzenoi and the Palaiologans, who were members of the imperial family. For just over a century (1348–1460), the arts and letters were cultivated by leading intellectuals, who would play a significant role in the growth of humanistic studies and the evolution of artistic trends in 15th-century Europe.