Monemvasia has a powerful visual and emotive separation from the world. The‘Castro’ or fortress is set on a rock in the southern Peloponnese of the Aegean Sea, joinedby a causeway to the Greek mainland. Inhabitants are further isolated behind the fortifiedwalls, with only one gateway into the Castro. From the 6th century AD it has played a significantrole in Byzantine and Mediterranean history. The unique environment determined how thecommunity evolved through periods of social change. The photographic collection spans over a century, from 1890 until the present day, andalongside historic and contemporary quotations, provides a graphic description of Monemvasiansociety throughout its recent history. It is an illustration of how a community, living inunique, physical and historical surroundings, may flourish and recreate within itself a strongbond of solidarity, pride and continuity. This interaction determines the pattern of the book.It is a journey, on a physical and emotional level, through Monemvasia. The chapters movethrough the public spaces and activities into the private experiences of family life.
