GREECE PELOPONNESE LAKONIA MONEMVASIA

In the Lower town with its small cobbled streets featuring Venetian architecture, various small shops, tavernas, cafeterias, hotels, and some 40 Byzantine churches.

Above: The three-aisled Christos Elkomenos church with its free-standing belltower that looks like an Italian campanile, built in 1697 in Venetian style. It stands on 13th century Byzantine fundaments of an earlier church. Its name, Christos Elkomenos meaning "dragged to the cross" comes from a famous icon that was removed towards the end of the 12th century and brought to Constantinople.

Below left: The relief above the portal of the Christos Elkomenos Church depicts two peacocks - ancient Christian symbols of redemption - standing on a snake - symbol of the devil. It may have been a parapet plate of a previous church from about AD 1000. - Below right: Above the door of the house of Monemvasia's bishop next to the Platia Tzami is a heavily weathered relief showing the winged lion of St. Mark, the landmark of Venice.