THE WAR OF INDEPENDENCE

17 March 1821, Areopoli

On 17 March 1821 the Maniots under Petros (Petrobey) Mavromichalis declared the Revolution at the church of the Taxiarches in Areopoli, then called Tsimova. On the same day the Ottomans left Mistras for Tripolitsa without a fight (Ministry of Culture). Kalamata was taken on 23 March. Monemvasia was the first town liberated (Kalligas). In 1825 Ibrahim Pasha’s army looted and burned the Sparta area.

**AREOPOLI**Statue of Petros Mavromichalis. Photo: Patrice78500, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.

**AREOPOLI**Plaque recording 17 March 1821. Photo: Pericles Gregoriou.

**AREOPOLI**The banner carried each 17 March. Photo: Pericles Gregoriou.

**AREOPOLI**The main square. Photo: Pericles Gregoriou.

**AREOPOLI**Bell tower of the Taxiarches church. Photo: Pericles Gregoriou.

Sources: Ministry of Culture, Castle Route; Kalligas, Monemvasia.