Squares: The beautiful
Ypapanti Square is south of the castle. In the square stands the majestic Cathedral of Ypapanti celebrated on February 2.
The historical and central square of March 23 is full of life as it has many cafes and bars. In the center of the square stands the Memorial mentioned the time of the uprising, while north of the square is the church of the Holy Apostles, where according to tradition, in this church was declared the Revolution of 1821.
The Frangolimnas Square is located southeast of the Ypapanti Square and came from filling in the 19th century. There lies the Metropolitan Palace of Kalamata.
You can see the Mavromichali square where in the north rose the Tower of Panagiotis Benakis and while entering the square you will see the temple of Small Archangels.
The castle of Kalamata: It is linked to the historic family of Villehardouin who founded the principality of Achaia. Over the centuries, the castle has seen many sovereignties as the Byzantines, Venetians, Franks, Ottomans and it was connected with the history of the city until the 19th century.
Today, the castle of Kalamata, which stars in Princess Isabeau of Angelos Terzakis, is a sample of the castles built by the Franks in Peloponnese. In the castle are survived many parts that can be seen by the visitor and offers panoramic views of Kalamata and the surrounding area.
In the southern part of the castle there is a small theater built in the 1950s and hosts dance performances, music, and other events.
Churches: Near the castle, in the northwest bastion, is the church of St. Dimitrios built in the 19th century. Southwest of the castle, near the entrance, is the small church of Agia Kyriaki. The church is single-aisled, with wooden roof and its construction is placed in the 17th century. It is a chapel of the monastery of Kalograion.
At the foot of the castle is the church of St. John the Baptist. The church is half-caved and features remains of wall paintings, probably of late Byzantine times.
The church of St. George is located southeast of the castle and it was the first cathedral of the city. The church is single-aisled with wooden roof while its long history is mentioned in a inscription of 1939 inside the church. The construction of the temple dates from the time of the second Venetian occupation (1685-1715). According to the story, they visited the church I. Kapodistrias and King Otto when Ibrahim destroyed the church.
The Church of Ypapanti (Visitation) dominates the square and it is the Cathedral of Kalamata. The present magnificent church of Ypapanti was founded in 1860 and inaugurated in 1873. The church has two bell towers and imposing domes while in the southeast of the temple, in the courtyard, there is a stone cross that reminds us that here was the old church destroyed in 1770.
In the Holy Church of Visitation is kept the sacred image of Our Lady Visitation, found in the ruins of an older church Visitation destroyed in 1770. Initially, the picture was in the first Metropolitan Cathedral, St. George and then the church of the Visitation. The Cathedral of the Visitation is celebrated on February 2 with great pomp and the rituals begin on January 27 and end on February 9 with a festive night vigil.
On the northwest side of the square of Ypapanti is the chapel of St. Anargyroi. This is a one-room wooden temple dating from the post-Byzantine period.
On the west side of Frangolimnas Square is a double temple. The main part is the church of St. Nicholas, a single-nave church with built temple and wooden ceiling. The church dates from the early 18th century and features stucco decorations of the 20th century. On the south side of the church of St. Nicholas is the chapel of St. Athanasios Tzane which is also single-nave.
The single-nave church of St. Nicholas Efesiou is located on the northeast side of Frangolimnas Square and features neoclassical elements. The church dates from the 19th century.
On the East of Frangolimnas square is the cemetery church of Saint Charalambos, which is one of the most important Byzantine monuments of Kalamata. During the years of Venetian rule, the church was called Cathedral.
The Church of St. John the Baptist is located west of the Ypapanti square and it is built on the foundations of a smaller church in the 19th century. This temple is one of the first parishes in the city.
The chapel of the Holy Apostles is located north of the square March 23 and it is the trademark for the whole city. It is a small Byzantine church dating from the mid 11th to 12th century. In the historical church of Holy Apostles was declared the Revolution on March 23, 1821 and they drew up the Declaration of the Messinian Senate signing Petrobei Mavromichalis, which was the first diplomatic document of the revolutionary Greece, sent to the European Courts. Every year on March 23 is celebrated the anniversary with great pomp and prices. At the events that are held there is also a representation of independence.
At the entrance of Mavromichali square stands the sacred temple of Small Archangels (Taxiarchaki) constituting monastery of Velanidia. It is a single aisle temple witha a wooden roof dating from the early 19th or late 18th century.
The Monastery of Kalograion: It is located southeast of the castle and a historic convent that now has about 23 nuns. The monastery was founded in the late 18th century, in 1796, by the teacher and priest Gerasimos Papadopoulos (1763-1844), who was born in Kalamata and studied in the famous school of Dimitsana. The tomb of priest is outside the church of the monastery. The monastery was plundered by Ibrahim, but reorganized and dissolved again in 1834 with Otto regency decree. After a few years he was occupied by nuns.
Today, to the convent you can see the church of the monastery and the Byzantine style church of St. John the Baptist dating from 1978 to 1983. The present church of the monastery is the church of Saints Constantine and Helen, which is considered the most important Byzantine church of Kalamata.
The nuns were involved in the silk weaving, which produced themselves resulting in several awards in Greece and abroad making famous the town and the monastery. While visiting the monastery you can admire or buy wonderful silk and impressive handiwork of monks.
Mansions: On the south side of the Ypapanti square stands the Korfiotaki mansion, which will house the Ecclesiastical Museum.
The Municipal Conservatory: North of the Ypapanti Square, at the corner of the street Alexandraki Villehardouin square, is the Municipal Conservatory of Kalamata. The Conservatory is housed in a neoclassical three-storey building of the 1860s and in its premises had operated the first High School of Kalamata and other schools.
The Alexandrakeio Nursing Home: It is located northeast of the church of Ypapanti and it is a donation of the great benefactor of Kalamata, Spyridon Alexandraki. In the last decades of the 19th century functioned as Alexandrakeio Hospital-Workhouse while in 1940 was limited to Alexandrakeio Nursing.
Alexandrakeio Nursing Home
The Central Public Library of Kalamata: Open since 2004 and located in the Ypapanti Square. The library features over 7.400 titles covering the cognitive and scientific spectrum.
The Archives of Messinia: It is accommodated in a two-storey neoclassical building of 1890-1910, on the south side of the square Visitation. It is a regional office of the State Archives, founded in 1991 and aims to preserve the cultural and historical heritage of Messinia. They reclaim their files and they organize various cultural events and programs.
The Metropolitan Palace: Southeast of the Ypapanti Square, stands the Metropolitan Palace of the city and then we see Frangolimnas Square.
The Military Museum: It is housed in a building that had been granted by the Holy Metropolis of Messinia. It is located in Frangolimnas Square next to the double temple, and operates since 2006 under the responsibility of the Army General Staff.
The Historical and Folklore Museum of Kalamata: It is housed in a neoclassical building of 1870-1890, the former mansion of Kyriakou family and it is located west of the Ypapanti Square. The museum was founded by the local Association for the dissemination of Letters. The museum includes historical, folklore and folk artifacts from everyday life.
Among the exhibits in the museum are included the collection Karelia with the traditional attire of Kalamata, representation of the traditional coffee house and home and exhibition dedicated to bookbinding and typography, since Kalamata was the first printing house of the free Greece where it was printed the Notice of the Rebellious Greeks to the European Courts .
The Benaki Archaeological Museum of Kalamata: It is located southwest of the Ypapanti Square and housed in a remarkable neoclassical building. The building was donated by Anthony Benaki, founder of the Athens museum. The museum is open since 1971 and features exhibits from the Mycenaean era, prehistoric times and Roman times from different regions of Messinia.
The Archaeological Museum of Kalamata: It is housed in the old municipal market building in the historic center of the old city. The museum contains archaeological finds from ancient and Byzantine times around Messinia. The museum was founded in 2002 and the showroom unfolds the long history of Messinia.
The Tobacco Factory Karelia: In Frangolimnas square opposite the southeast side, there is the old tobacco factory of Karelia.
The Philharmonic City: It is housed in an old mansion Panagiotis Jane, which was used by the commander of the struggle Peter Mauromichalis as supply depots in the revolution of 1821. The mansion is located southwest of the Ypapanti Square.
The Municipal Gallery of Kalamata „A. TASSOS“: It is located southwest of the Ypapanti Square and it was founded in 2002. The gallery belongs to the Municipal Corporation of the Cultural Development of Kalamata and named after the great engraver A. Tassos, who came from Messinia and donated many of his works.
The exhibits of the gallery are works of Varotsos, Tetsis, Zouni, Katsoulidis, Bostoglou and others. The neoclassical building where is the Gallery, is located in the historic center of Kalamata, where are made several exhibitions.
