Monemvasia: People. Place. Presence.

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, joined by a causeway to the Greek mainland. Inhabitants are further isolated behind the fortified walls, with only one gateway into the Castro. From the 6th century AD it has played a significant role in Byzantine and Mediterranean history. The unique environment determined how the community evolved through periods of social change.

The photographic collection spans over a century, from 1890 until the present day, and alongside historic and contemporary quotations, provides a graphic description of Monemvasian society throughout its recent history. It is an illustration of how a community, living in unique, physical and historical surroundings, may flourish and recreate within itself a strong bond 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 move through the public spaces and activities into the private experiences of family life.