Sights of Kalamata
The city of Kalamata is full of sights that no visitor should miss the opportunity to see. The central location of the apartments Jasmine & Magnolia gives you the opportunity to visit the sights of the city just by taking a nice walk to them, since the distances from our apartments are so short that you will not need a vehicle. Below we have gathered and presented to you some of the most important sights of the city, as well as the routes on the map that you must follow to reach them.
Church Holy Apostles
In the heart of the historical center of Kalamata, in the 23rd of March square, there is a great monument of the Byzantine Times, the church of Holy Apostleswhere important events of modern Greek history took place.
More specifically, in the church of Holy Apostles according to tradition, the beginning of the revolutionary struggle in Messinia was announced, on March 23, 1821..
The original Byzantine core of the church (the eastern part of the modern building), built according to the brick-enclosed system, belongs to the variant of the free cross with a dome, and has beautiful ceramic jewelry and a three-sided external arch on the east side.
Structural and morphological elements lead to the dating of the original building to the 12th century.
The original church is decorated with frescoes that probably date back to the 16th-17th century and are preserved in a mediocre condition.
Distance from the apartments: 30 meters
Castle of Kalamata
The Castle of Kalamata is a fortified building located in the present city of Kalamata in Messinia. It is located on a hill to the northwest of the city where the river Nedontas passes at its foot. The castle inside contained a fortified citadel while ruins of a temple have been found.
In ancient times on the hill the mythological hero Faris had built the Acropolis of the ancient city of Farai. There was the palace of the kings of the city mentioned among those who took part in the Trojan War. In the 6th century AD. A Christian church was built on the ancient ruins and then the Byzantines fortified the place again.
During the Frankish rule it was rebuilt by the Villehardouins and new fortifications were added. Godfrey I Villardwin made it his residence and seat of the Baroness of Kalama, it remained in the hands of the family until 1325 when it was occupied by the Byzantines with the last owner Macho of Ainos. In the 15th century it passed into the hands of the Ottomans and the period 1685 to 1715 in the Venetians where they maintained the existing fortifications and added new ones.
In the 19th century it declined and in 1821 it was occupied by the Greeks during the revolution. In 1825 it was besieged by Ibrahim and caused great destruction.
Also, the castle is still used today for various performances, events, concerts and much more.
Distance from the apartments: 500 meters
March 23 Square
Village of March 23 Square in the old town of Kalamata took its name from the day the city was liberated by the Turks, in 1821. In this square, after all, is the church of Agios Apostolos, where according to tradition, the Revolution was proclaimed and the first service was performed of liberated Kalamata. In the center March 23 Square is the Hero that mentions the moment of the uprising, which was created by the sculptor Christos Riganas.
Village of March23 square is the focus of events for the liberation of the city. The representation of liberation and other events take place there every year.
Village of March 23 Square is full of life, as it has many cafes, bars and taverns. In the streets around it there are coffee mills, traditional cafes and bakeries, which take care to fill the air of the area with the wonderful smells of their goodies.
A few meters north of March 23 square23 square, in the Paplomatadika district and Amfeias square, are also the busy hangouts of the city's youth.
Distance from the apartments: 180 meters
Collection of Greek Costumes Victoria Karelia
The Collection of Greek Costumes Victoria Karelia was created by the founding member and for many years President of the Lyceum of Greek Women of Kalamata, V. Karelia, initially as a personal collection.
The result of the collecting effort of 50 years, was given to L.E.K. in order to integrate into a renowned body for the protection and promotion of the Greek tradition. Since then, it bears, as a sign of recognition and after a unanimous decision of the Board of Directors of L.E.K., the name of the collector.
The collection includes complete clothing sets, for women and men, from all over Greece, gold embroidered cloaks, exceptional samples of the art of terzides, as well as jewelry, which not only cover the needs of completing and decorating the clothes, but are an autonomous and important piece. of the collection.
The classification of the costumes of the exhibition follows the typological division of the folklorist Angeliki Hatzimichali into costumes with sequins, costumes with kavadi and costumes with dress.
Distance from the apartments: 350 meters
Museum of Military History
The museum has been operating since June 2006 in a building donated for this purpose by the Holy Diocese of Messinia. Its aim is to present the modern Greek history from the Revolution of 1821 to the present day, through texts, photographic and audiovisual material.
The tour of the museum begins with exhibits of uniforms, war and photographic material from the Struggle of 1821. The Macedonian Struggle follows, with similar exhibits and with special reference to the Messinian Macedonian Warriors. Next, exhibits on the Balkan Wars are presented (including enemy loot).
A large part of the exhibition is dedicated to the Asia Minor Catastrophe. This is followed by tributes to the First and Second World Wars, the battles of the Forts and Crete, the Middle East and the National Resistance. There is also a reference to the peacekeeping missions of the Greek army (Korea, Somalia, former Yugoslavia, Gulf War, Afghanistan).
In the specially adapted room "Sound and Light" a film with the historical route of the 9th Infantry Regiment is screened. A special part of the museum is the book of the Messinian dead, who fell during the games from 1897 to 1974.
Finally, an M48-A5 chariot, an M8 armored vehicle, firearms and an F-5 aircraft have been installed in the museum courtyard.
Distance from the apartments: 290 meters
Archaeological Museum of Messinia
The Museum building is located in the heart of the historic center of Kalamata, where the Municipal Market of the city used to be, which was flooded daily by the noisy crowd of traders and customers.
After the catastrophic earthquake of 1986, the Agora building was demolished due to the severe damage it had suffered. The new building that took the place of the old Agora, was granted by the Municipality of Kalamata to the Ministry of Culture, in order to function as an Archaeological Museum.
Following the old geographical division of the prefecture into four provinces, Kalamata, Messina, Pylia and Trifylia, the exhibition develops in respective large geographical units, which include the most important archaeological sites with representative findings, coming either from excavations or excavations. or even by random traditions of the ancients, by ordinary citizens.
Distance from the apartments: 35 meters
Holy Church of Ypapantis Kalamata
The Holy Church of Ypapantis Kalamata, which dominates the homonymous square, is the Metropolitan Church of Kalamata.
It was founded in 1860 and inaugurated in 1873 very close to the place where until 1770 the old church was located, when it burned down, and for which in its southeast Holy Church of Ypapantis Kalamata a stone cross has been erected at the place where it is considered to be its Holy Table with the inscription: "This plaque reminds of a sanctuary and a sanctuary".
The Holy Temple of Ypapantis belongs to the type of cruciform inscribed church with a large dome and narthex while it also has double bell towers. It may have suffered severe damage in the 1886 and 1986 earthquakes but both have been repaired.
Inside the Holy Temple of Ypapantis is kept the homonymous icon for which the legend wants to be found in the ruins of the temple that was destroyed in 1770 when the horseman of the Turkish pasha who had built a stable for his horses there saw in his dream a woman pointing to him to dig there to find the miraculous image.
The Metropolitan Holy Church of Ypapantis Kalamata celebrates on February 2 with the litany of the icon, which has been held continuously since 1889, but the rituals, as defined since 1948, last a total of 14 days as they begin on January 27 and end on February 9 with a solemn all-night vigil.
Distance from the apartments: 290 meters
Historical and Folklore Museum of Kalamata
The Folklore Museum of Kalamata is housed in the Kyriakou mansion in Kalamata, a two-storey building of 19th century. It was founded by the local "Association for the Dissemination of Letters", with the aim of collecting archival material and objects from the Revolution of 1821, as well as the rescue and promotion of objects of the modern culture of the wider area.
On the ground floor of the Folklore Museum of Kalamata you can see small topics related to rural and pastoral life, agricultural handicrafts, textiles, pottery and urban professions. Another series of exhibits comes from the daily life of the inhabitants.
On the next floor Folklore Museumthe exhibition begins with an impressive section dedicated to typography and bookbinding, which reminds the visitor that the first printing house in Greece, after the liberation, operated in Kalamata. The Proclamation of the Greek Revolutionaries to the European Courts was printed on it.
The first room on the right floor of the Folklore Museum of Kalamata captures the image of the urban house of the city at the beginning of the 20th century, while in the corridor of this floor there is a representation of a traditional cafe. In the large hall on the right is presented historical material related to the Revolution of 1821 and comes from Kalamata.
Distance from the apartments: 160 meters
Municipal Railway Park of Kalamata
The Municipal Railway Park of Kalamata operates since 1986 at the initiative of the municipality, with the participation of the Association of Friends of the Railway (S.F.S.). The museum consists of a former station of OSE. and a park of 54 acres.
The exhibits of the Museum include the station and its area, with a two-storey station building, four boarding platforms with an entrance tower, the water tower, three cockroaches and steering wheels, a metal footbridge, 28 m long, along the axis of the station and small stations. organization of the railway landscape (change keys, lamps, stalls).
Seven locomotives are on display (of which 2 for construction by Breda and 2 Zs by SPAP) and a diesel wagon, a manual crane (1890), two jacks (bicycle and manual), three A 'position passenger cars, five A'-B' position (1885), eight trucks of various types (1885-1947). There are also vehicles of SPAP, ST and EIS, which serve as refreshments, libraries, auxiliary spaces, etc. After the earthquake of 1986, many wagons became a shelter for the homeless.
Distance from the apartments: 2 km.