Limeni – The stone and the light of Laconic Mani

Limeni, port of Areopolis, is a historic place, home of the prominent family of Mavromichalis,  is admittedly one of the most beautiful residential complexes of Laconic Mani.

The stone buildings of the settlement, the high standard tourist accommodation and the fish taverns are spread along the coast, in a narrow strip of land between the transparent, turquoise waters of the bay of the area and the road that connects Limeni with Neos Oitilos, and Karavostasi.

In Limeni dominates the "palace" of Petrobei Mavromichalis, the tower-castle of the last ruler (bey) of Mani, who played a leading role during the revolutionary and post-revolutionary times. Visitors also have the opportunity to see the tomb and bust of the famous Mani military leader and politician.

The quaint image of the settlement is completed by the small church of Agios Sostis, in the cemetery, the church of Agios Nikolaos and the ruined church of Panagia Bretti.

The two-volume encyclopedic and linguistic dictionary "Papyrus" (Athens, 1965) mentions the following about Petros or Petrobeis Mavromichalis (1765-1848), a controversial div in any case:

The last ruler (bey) of Mani (1816-1821), a member of the Friendly Society [a secret revolutionary organization that fostered the uprising of 1821] and one of the military leaders of the Revolution. He was the first, followed by Th. Kolokotronis, Nikitaras, Anagnostaras, Mourtzinos and two thousand armed Laconians, who raised the flag of the Revolution in Kalamata (March 23).

The next day, after the official eulogy on the capture of the city, he was proclaimed commander-in-chief of the forces of the Peloponnese and on the 28th of the same month he addressed the famous revolutionary proclamation to the European...