The ruined city of Mystras, Peloponnese

On the last foothills of the Taygetus mountains towards the plain of Sparta in the south of the Greek Peloponnese peninsula lies Mystras, the former Byzantine fortress. In the 14th and 15th centuries, the city had up to 40,000 inhabitants; today, significantly fewer people live in the neighbouring village. The buildings are scattered across the entire mountainside right up to the castle. Many restored frescoes and churches from the Byzantine period are still preserved.