Kalamata Tourist Attractions
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Kalamáta, lying to the west of Mt Taygetos, is chief town of the nomos of Messenia and a port for the shipment of the agricultural produce of the region. It occupies the site of Mycenaean Pharai, a town in the kingdom ruled by Menelaos. In 720 B.C., together with the rest of Messenia, it fell into Spartan hands. From 1204, under its present name, it became the residence, along with Andravída, of the Villehardouins. After periods of Byzantine, Turkish and Venetian rule it was sacked by Ibrahim Pasha in 1825. It still bears the marks of the damage caused by a severe earthquake in 1986.
Villehardouins Castle
Above the town of Kalamáta is the castle of the Villehardouins. At the foot of the hill stands the convent of Áyios Konstantínos, occupied by nuns who make hand-woven silks. In the Kyriákos House is a museum displaying items of local interest, mainly from the Venetian period and the struggle for liberation.The Frankish castle has been turned into a park with a tourist pavilion, where one can have refreshments and enjoy a superb view of the area.Not far from the convent of Áyios Konstantínos is the church of Áyios Charálambos, one of the most note-worthy Byzantine churches in the area.Kalamáta hosts a traditional folk dance festival every July in the amphitheater of the medieval castle.
Kalamáta Folk Art Museum
The Kalamáta Folk Art Museum has a good number of exhibits, ranging from Stone Age weapons to mirrors and coins from Venetian times. The most impressive part of the museum, however, is that which houses mementos and relics from the Greek War of Independence.
Benakeion Archeological Museum
The Benakeion Archeological Museum houses artifacts from the Bronze Age to the Roman period. The museum is in a Venetian-style mansion which was damaged in a 1986 earthquake, but was restored between 1988-92.
Railway Museum
Located in the southern end of the Municipal Park of the Railways in Kalamáta, are the railway exhibits. Visitors can see the railway station, platform, water-tower, fountains for steam engines, as well as rolling stock.
