Mani Tower Houses

History Mani

Mani of history and stone will enchant you

Mani is a place of contrasts.

Landscapes waterless, rugged, perfumes of herbs, oregano, mint, thyme, tea, lavender.

Mani belongs to those places, that over the centuries, has shaped a unique cultural identity, which was reflected in all forms of traditional culture.

The stone tower houses, the Byzantine and Frankish castles exert a mysterious charm to the human soul.
The dispersed Byzantine churches, small coves, the beautiful pebbled beach and dramatic caves are all unique and magical at the same time.

Particularly impressive is the architectural heritage of Mani.
Traditional Mani settlements with few inhabitants, the preserved towers and Byzantine ruins of churches, testify their glorious and tumultuous past.

The geographical position of Mani is in the southernmost tip of Europe.
Located in the southern part of the Taygetos mountain which Myrivilis called " the male mountain"
Taygetos is young at age, and still growing each year taller by one centimeter.

It named by Taygeti, daughter of Atlas, while the highest peak called Taletos.

The human presence in Mani is ancient, having recently found fossilized human skeletons about 300,000 years and human tools1,000,000 years and more.

In 1978 the cave Apidima Mani is a very important discovery paleoanthropologist findings.

They found two skulls older than 200,000 belong to human form prior to Homo Sapiens.
This man named Taenarius man.

The first inhabitants of Mani, by Pausanias, were Leleges, while the Achaean times Mani was divided into small kingdoms.

The Mani starred from classical antiquity to modern times in liberating fights equating her name of the valor and bravery.

There are many versions as to when and how it was named Mani.
One says that it comes from the Latin word Manus (hand) because sailors flowed Tenaro cape so well looked up the shape of the land, called the region Brazzo di Maina.

Another version says that the sailors who passed through the area because of the strong winds made "maina" the sails,

while another says that the Romans often say the phrase In Manis, because they thought that was the gate of Hades coming souls ( Manes ).

Also important aspect is that which refers to the building of the famous castle of Maini, built by the architect called "Mainis"

Finally, the prevailing version is that the name Mani from the father of the gods "Mani."
The Mani was the father of Saturn and grandfather of Zeus and the Theogony of Apollodorus says: "Mani, the second name of God Uranus"

“Από τον Κάβο Ματαπά σαράντα μίλια μακριά,

κι από το Κάβο Γκρόσο σαράντα κι άλλο τόσο”

"From Cape Matapan forty miles away,

and from Cavo Grosso forty miles and same more so"

old seafarers saying

for avoiding piracy off the coasts of Mani

Pirate's Tower House History

The history of Pirate's Tower Houses est 1807 in Vamvaka dates back over two centuries ago.
In 1807 in a green farm in Vamvaka village, the famous pirate of the seas "Captain Draculis" built the tower as fortress and residence. His story begins from the famous Sfakia of Crete where he lived before he settled in Mani. Tradition says that after a fight where he killed two Ottoman Turks he was forced to move to Mani as he could not live anymore in, occupied by Turks, Crete. Mani by that time was free and he was safe. In Mani his power grew stronger and he became so powerful to control three pirate ships with a hundred and ten men as crew to his ships. In 1815 he made an agreement with Petros 'Petrobey' Mavromichalis who was the Bey Of Mani. We know that the War Tower was built with the help of Petrobey who sent forty of his followers to help. During the Greek Revolution at least two times in our tower house were held meetings under Petrobey and Captain Panayoti Dracula Nikolinako.

In 2014 a group of designers and engineers revived and renovated the tower houses combining modern comfort with the glamour and atmosphere of past centuries.

Discover a magnificent past and prepare yourself for an indulgent stay in the atmosphere of a medieval castle with modern facilities and amenities.