Text and research by Nikos Aivalis, translation by Eva Trombetas
Sparta, Greece, Peloponnese, capital of Laconia, at the east of Taygetos, on the south of the ancient city of Sparta and near the river Eurotas. What to say first for one of the most historic cities in the world, where its name is known around the world. The three main reasons why Sparta has a mythical status all over the world: 1) the Battle of Thermopylae where King Leonidas with 300 select Spartans and 700 Thespians sacrificed themselves for the freedom of Greece against the mighty Persian Empire, 2) the legendary Spartan phalanx which it was perhaps the most powerful military corps of the time and 3) the state and the laws of Lycurgus. In this article we will delve into Sparta, we will travel there to get to know Sparta from antiquity to the present days.
As our journey starts, we are heading to Sparta, starting from ancient Sparta, to reach the modern and contemporary Sparta. The area has a huge history from antiquity, the middle ages to modern times. Dorians and Heracleidaes, following the laws of Lycurgus, built a long-lasting state that was to remain in history. The Spartans were wrongly accused of being bloodthirsty. Archaeologists, scholars and researchers investigating Spartan society disagree and speak of a Sparta of fairness and equality, where from the king to the last citizen, they were all under the law and the law worked for the common good of Sparta. In addition, the position of women was very important in Sparta, as they enjoyed enormous freedoms compared to the women of other Greek cities.
It is also important to mention the well-known Kaiadas, the abyss at the foothills of Taygetos near the modern village of Trypi, where according to the legend the Spartans threw the crippled infants there, something that is completely wrongly believed even today. The first official survey was conducted in 1983, where no one skeleton of an infant was found by anthropological study. According to Stravonas, only criminals and prisoners of war were thrown into Kaiadas, while many famous Spartans were not born able-bodied, such as King Agisilaos, who was lame, and the poet Tyrtaeus, who was blind.
The Spartans were laconic but not deprived, it is wrongly believed that they did not leave behind monuments like other cities, which is not the case and we will see below. The reason why Sparta today does not have as many monuments as other cities, and that what is left is stones and marbles broken and thrown away, is due to the catastrophic flare that passed through the area in the name of Michel Fourmon. A French priest, envoy of the French king Louis XV and with the permission of the Turks, Furmon came to Turkish-occupied Greece and Sparta in 1730. He literally left no stone unturned in ancient Sparta and the surrounding area as far as Amykles, where he demolished the temple of Apollo. He excavated, demolished, vandalized and destroyed all the ancient monuments of the city, only what he could send to France by ships was saved, such as 300 inscriptions of invaluable value.
Sparta also experienced more lootings, such as in 395 by the Goths under Alarichos, but also by the Slavs in 587, where many Spartans were forced to leave and go to Monemvasia, Mani and Sicily. Over the years, other antiquity looters have plundered the site, and as a result many laconian findings of value can be found in museums in other countries and in private collections.
According to spartans narration, the first king of the country was Lelegas, who had two children, Mylis and Polykaonas. Mylis succeeded Lelegas and Mylis was succeeded by Eurotas, from which the river, formerly called Iris, took its name. Eurotas had a daughter, Sparta, who married Lacedaemon, who was son of Zeus and Taygeti. Lacedaemon built a city, which he named after his wife, Sparta. The son of Lacedaemon and Sparta was Amyklas. According to the excavator Theodoros Spyropoulos, archaeologist and curator of antiquities of Sparta, the first city of Sparta, the Homeric Lacedaemon where Menelaus and Beautiful Helen had their palace, were in the location of Pellana, where a large number of monuments have been found, such as tombs and the most importantly is the royal tomb of 1500 BC with its dome having a diameter of more than 10 meters.
Sparta’s history is huge. From the Trojan war, the Persian wars where it took part in the battle of Thermopylae with King Leonidas, in the naval battles of Artemisio and Salamina where it took part with Admiral Evryviadis, the battle of Plataea with General Pausanias and many other historic battles, which made the Spartan warriors so famous that only by hearing their name did the hearts of their enemies tremble. The reason was the powerful Spartan phalanx, which, made up of highly trained soldiers, seemed invincible. But Sparta not only produced famous warriors and kings such as Leonidas, Agisilaos, Brasidas, Clearchus, Lysander and others, but also other important people such as Hilon Lacedaemon (600 BC - 520 BC), Spartan politician, legislator , philosopher and poet, who was one of the seven sages of ancient Greece. Also Tyrtaeus, a Spartan poet who lived in the 7th century BC, famous for his patriotic paeans and of course Lycurgus, legislator of Sparta, who lived around 800 BC.
In the middle ages, the city of Sparta had been severely degraded, but neighboring Mystras was one of the most powerful forces in Byzantium. In modern times, in 1821 the region will revolt against the Turks with the help of the Maniates (a south Laconian tribe) and till 1828 they will achieve to occupy the castles of the region and fight against Ibrahim Pasha of Egypt. In 1834 Otto of Greece decided to build the modern city of Sparta. The designs of the modern city were made by the Bavarian Friedrich Stauffert based on the principles of the neoclassical urban planning of Europe, something that even today can be seen in the city of Sparta, as it is famous for its excellent symmetrical building blocks.
So, as we are entering Sparta we start from the ancient Sparta, which is located behind the Municipal Stadium of Sparta, at the end of the main avenue of Konstantinos Paleologos. When entering the space, the emotion from the history of the place, as well as its energy, certainly do not leave anyone indifferent. Within nature, wildflowers and olives, the fragments of the ancient grandeur of the Spartans. On the way to the Acropolis of Sparta, there is the sanctuary of Athena Chalkioikos, the patron saint of the ancient city, as well as a number of other findings filling the place.
The ancient theater perched on the slope of the Acropolis, whose opening reaches 140 meters. Near the theater there are the ruins of the great Basilica of the Savior Christ, where according to tradition, the construction of the temple was done by Saint Nikonas, patron saint of modern Sparta. Remains of a 4th century AD wall, a Roman Stoa, a more circular building in the southeastern part of the archeological site, a Byzantine temple of the 10th century AD, the Agora, an Archaic Stoa and much more have been found.
However, these monuments are not the only to be found there, since even within the modern city there are scattered attractions, such as Roman mansions and buildings, but also the exceptional Byzantine bath complex on Triakosion street. Baths in ancient Greece were very important for cleanliness, but also for healing, something that the Greeks passed on to the Romans and from there to the Byzantine period. The complex had areas of cold, lukewarm and hot water, locker rooms and much more, as well as perfect decoration.
Other attraction of Sparta is the Leonidaeo, otherwise a cenotaph of Leonidas, a temple of the 5th century BC in Kenotafio square, between Herakleidon and Thermopylon streets. Respectively, 5 km from the city, at the top of the hill of Prophet Elias in ancient Therapni, there is the Menelaio, where there was a temple. Another very important attraction is the sanctuary of Orthia Artemis, 100 meters east of the bridge of Eurotas, where the settlement of the Limnes (= lakes) was located. Orthia Artemis was worshiped there, who was the protector of children and adolescents. The sanctuary was an important place for the state education of children in herds.
In front of the Municipal Stadium of Sparta, there is a statue of the legendary King Leonidas, right in front of the main avenue of Konstantinos Paleologos, a work by Vassos Falireas from Kardamyli Mani, in 1969. In front of the statue it is written: “Moλών Λαβέ” (molon lave = come and take them), while underneath it, it is written: "ω! τρακόσιοι! σηκωθείτε και ξαναλθέτε σ' εμάς τα παιδιά σας, θελ' ιδείτε πόσο μοιάζουνε μ' εσάς" (= oh! three hundred Spartans! get up and come back to us, your children, you want to see how much they look like you", by Dionysios Solomos.
On the avenue there is also the church of Saint Nikonos, the reconstruction of which began in 1940 approximately. The memory of Nikonos is celebrated on November 26 with big celebrations taking place in the city. Opposite the church there is a beautiful park with a fountain. Paleologos Avenue is known for the palm trees located along the road, which offer an island image.
At Christmas the palm trees are getting decorated, creating a pleasant atmosphere in the city. Also in Paleologou there are neoclassical and stone houses, one of which houses hosts the Koumantario Gallery, which was inaugurated in 1982, as a branch of the National Gallery in a beautiful mansion of 1909. Also on the street there is a monument engraved with all the names of the Spartan winners of Olympic Games from antiquity to the present days, as well as the names of the winners of the Spartathlon.
Paleologou street is one of the busiest streets in Sparta, since there you will find the residents either taking a walk or going for work all day long, plenty of shops, bakeries, cafes, hotels and whatever else you may want. At night, the shops are full of life, offering coffee, drinks and food, while many residents go for a night walk.
Above Paleologou is the center of Sparta, the main square of the City Hall. The City Hall was inaugurated in 1909 in a beautiful neoclassical building. The square is stone paved, full of life with children playing, while there are beautiful shops such as cafes, bars and restaurants.
On the square there is a statue of a Spartan warrior, which bears a plaque with the march of Tyrtaeus saying: "τι τιμή στο παλικάρι όταν πρώτο στη φωτιά σκοτωθεί για την πατρίδα με τη σπάθα στη δεξιά" (= what an honor to the young man when he is killed first in the fire for the homeland with the sword on the right). Another main road of Sparta is Lykourgou street. There we find the Courthouse and the imposing metropolitan church of Evangelistria, which was built in 1893. Opposite the Courthouse there is a square and the statue of the Spartan legislator, Lykourgos. On the same street there is the Public Central Library of Sparta, which was founded in 1972, with a number of bibliographies.
In the city of Sparta there are many churches, such as the church of Agios Nikolaos on the provincial road Sparti - Mystras, Agia Varvara on the road EO Sparti - Gytheio, the church of Agia Aikaterini near Paleologos street, the church of Agios Panteleimon in the end of Triakosion street, the church of Agios Spyridonas also on Triakosion street etc. Also close to the city, there is the Sainopouleio amphitheater, located in a green park, near the settlement of Magoula, overlooking Taygetos and Mystras. Various cultural events take place there, especially during the summer months. Inside the park there are playgrounds, plenty of space for children to play, benches, as well as “the street of poets”, where there are busts of many great Lacones and other Greek poets. Specifically, there are the busts of: Nikiforos Vrettakos, Giannis Ritsos, Odysseas Elytis, George Seferis, Tyrtaios, Kostis Palamas, Alkman and Dionysios Solomos.
Another very nice place for peace and leisure is Goude Park, on the road EO Sparti - Mystras. In a short distance from the center of Sparta, a green area is offered for picnics, walking, cycling and gymnastics as there is fitness equipment, and it offers relaxation, while it is suitable for children since it has a playground in excellent condition.
On the road between Lykourgou and Agiou Nikonos there is the Archaeological Museum of Sparta. It was built around 1874 and is said to be the first Greek museum to be built in a provincial town. The museum has a number of invaluable findings, from the Mycenaean years (1600 BC) till the Roman period. Outside the museum there is a very beautiful park, suitable for someone to rest. A very important place one must visit is the Olive and Greek Oil Museum, on Othonos Amalias street. The exhibits relate to oil and olive, olive cultivation and oil collection, the evolution of olive mills from prehistoric to Byzantine times, as well as traditional oil production techniques.
In the beautiful and peaceful Sparta there are also very important sports events being held. The first one is Spartathlon. In memory of the calendar Pheidippides sent by the Athenian General Miltiades to Sparta, so that the Athenians could ask for help to face the Persian threat in Marathon in 490 BC. Every year, the international 246.8 km long marathon race takes place, starting from Athens and ending in Sparta. It is an international event, where people from all over the world come to compete in this very difficult marathon. A second event is Spartakiada, an annual cycling race starting from Athens and ending in Sparta.
In 2019, the international sports competition Spartan Race was a great success, in which men, women and children take part. The competition consists of a series of obstacle races with different distances and difficulty levels, where they usually range from 3 km to marathon distances. The event started in the USA in 2010 and has spread to over 30 countries, such as Canada, Australia, etc, until it came to Sparta, attracting people from all over the world. Finally, the Olympic Flame passed by for the first time from the city of Sparta for the Olympics in Tokio, in 2020. The city's honorary ambassador, Roy Danali Apostolopoulou, as well as Scottish actor Gerard Butler, who in 2006, embodied King Leonidas in the movie "300", took part in the torch race ceremony that honored the city.
After wandering around Sparta, its attractions, its shops, getting to know its world, our journey does not end there. Within short distance there are dozens of destinations where everyone can visit, with wonderful natural beauty and history. Taygetos (see our article Tribute to Taygetos), Eurotas (see our article Eurotas the ancient river), Mystras (see our article Mystras the Byzantine castle state), Parori, Anavryti (see our article Anavryti the balcony of Taygetos), Trypi, Kastoreio, Faridos area (see our tribute to the villages of Anogeia, Palaiopanagia, Kalyvia Sohas), as well as many other places around Sparta, will satisfy even the most demanding visitor. This is Sparta, the city of heroes, we recommend you to visit it too.
Sparta, Greece, Peloponnese, capital of Laconia, at the east of Taygetos, on the south of the ancient city of Sparta and near the river Eurotas. What to say first for one of the most historic cities in the world, where its name is known around the world. The three main reasons why Sparta has a mythical status all over the world: 1) the Battle of Thermopylae where King Leonidas with 300 select Spartans and 700 Thespians sacrificed themselves for the freedom of Greece against the mighty Persian Empire, 2) the legendary Spartan phalanx which it was perhaps the most powerful military corps of the time and 3) the state and the laws of Lycurgus. In this article we will delve into Sparta, we will travel there to get to know Sparta from antiquity to the present days.
 |
| Ancient Sparta |
As our journey starts, we are heading to Sparta, starting from ancient Sparta, to reach the modern and contemporary Sparta. The area has a huge history from antiquity, the middle ages to modern times. Dorians and Heracleidaes, following the laws of Lycurgus, built a long-lasting state that was to remain in history. The Spartans were wrongly accused of being bloodthirsty. Archaeologists, scholars and researchers investigating Spartan society disagree and speak of a Sparta of fairness and equality, where from the king to the last citizen, they were all under the law and the law worked for the common good of Sparta. In addition, the position of women was very important in Sparta, as they enjoyed enormous freedoms compared to the women of other Greek cities.
 |
| Ancient Sparta and Modern Sparta |
It is also important to mention the well-known Kaiadas, the abyss at the foothills of Taygetos near the modern village of Trypi, where according to the legend the Spartans threw the crippled infants there, something that is completely wrongly believed even today. The first official survey was conducted in 1983, where no one skeleton of an infant was found by anthropological study. According to Stravonas, only criminals and prisoners of war were thrown into Kaiadas, while many famous Spartans were not born able-bodied, such as King Agisilaos, who was lame, and the poet Tyrtaeus, who was blind.
 |
| Kaiadas |
The Spartans were laconic but not deprived, it is wrongly believed that they did not leave behind monuments like other cities, which is not the case and we will see below. The reason why Sparta today does not have as many monuments as other cities, and that what is left is stones and marbles broken and thrown away, is due to the catastrophic flare that passed through the area in the name of Michel Fourmon. A French priest, envoy of the French king Louis XV and with the permission of the Turks, Furmon came to Turkish-occupied Greece and Sparta in 1730. He literally left no stone unturned in ancient Sparta and the surrounding area as far as Amykles, where he demolished the temple of Apollo. He excavated, demolished, vandalized and destroyed all the ancient monuments of the city, only what he could send to France by ships was saved, such as 300 inscriptions of invaluable value.
 |
| ancient finds within the city |
Sparta also experienced more lootings, such as in 395 by the Goths under Alarichos, but also by the Slavs in 587, where many Spartans were forced to leave and go to Monemvasia, Mani and Sicily. Over the years, other antiquity looters have plundered the site, and as a result many laconian findings of value can be found in museums in other countries and in private collections.
 |
| Ancient Sparta |
According to spartans narration, the first king of the country was Lelegas, who had two children, Mylis and Polykaonas. Mylis succeeded Lelegas and Mylis was succeeded by Eurotas, from which the river, formerly called Iris, took its name. Eurotas had a daughter, Sparta, who married Lacedaemon, who was son of Zeus and Taygeti. Lacedaemon built a city, which he named after his wife, Sparta. The son of Lacedaemon and Sparta was Amyklas. According to the excavator Theodoros Spyropoulos, archaeologist and curator of antiquities of Sparta, the first city of Sparta, the Homeric Lacedaemon where Menelaus and Beautiful Helen had their palace, were in the location of Pellana, where a large number of monuments have been found, such as tombs and the most importantly is the royal tomb of 1500 BC with its dome having a diameter of more than 10 meters.
 |
| Ancient Pellana |
Sparta’s history is huge. From the Trojan war, the Persian wars where it took part in the battle of Thermopylae with King Leonidas, in the naval battles of Artemisio and Salamina where it took part with Admiral Evryviadis, the battle of Plataea with General Pausanias and many other historic battles, which made the Spartan warriors so famous that only by hearing their name did the hearts of their enemies tremble. The reason was the powerful Spartan phalanx, which, made up of highly trained soldiers, seemed invincible. But Sparta not only produced famous warriors and kings such as Leonidas, Agisilaos, Brasidas, Clearchus, Lysander and others, but also other important people such as Hilon Lacedaemon (600 BC - 520 BC), Spartan politician, legislator , philosopher and poet, who was one of the seven sages of ancient Greece. Also Tyrtaeus, a Spartan poet who lived in the 7th century BC, famous for his patriotic paeans and of course Lycurgus, legislator of Sparta, who lived around 800 BC.
 |
| ancient theater of Sparta |
In the middle ages, the city of Sparta had been severely degraded, but neighboring Mystras was one of the most powerful forces in Byzantium. In modern times, in 1821 the region will revolt against the Turks with the help of the Maniates (a south Laconian tribe) and till 1828 they will achieve to occupy the castles of the region and fight against Ibrahim Pasha of Egypt. In 1834 Otto of Greece decided to build the modern city of Sparta. The designs of the modern city were made by the Bavarian Friedrich Stauffert based on the principles of the neoclassical urban planning of Europe, something that even today can be seen in the city of Sparta, as it is famous for its excellent symmetrical building blocks.
 |
| view from the Acropolis of Sparta |
So, as we are entering Sparta we start from the ancient Sparta, which is located behind the Municipal Stadium of Sparta, at the end of the main avenue of Konstantinos Paleologos. When entering the space, the emotion from the history of the place, as well as its energy, certainly do not leave anyone indifferent. Within nature, wildflowers and olives, the fragments of the ancient grandeur of the Spartans. On the way to the Acropolis of Sparta, there is the sanctuary of Athena Chalkioikos, the patron saint of the ancient city, as well as a number of other findings filling the place.
 |
| circular building, Ancient Sparta |
The ancient theater perched on the slope of the Acropolis, whose opening reaches 140 meters. Near the theater there are the ruins of the great Basilica of the Savior Christ, where according to tradition, the construction of the temple was done by Saint Nikonas, patron saint of modern Sparta. Remains of a 4th century AD wall, a Roman Stoa, a more circular building in the southeastern part of the archeological site, a Byzantine temple of the 10th century AD, the Agora, an Archaic Stoa and much more have been found.
 |
| temple of Athena Chalkioikos |
However, these monuments are not the only to be found there, since even within the modern city there are scattered attractions, such as Roman mansions and buildings, but also the exceptional Byzantine bath complex on Triakosion street. Baths in ancient Greece were very important for cleanliness, but also for healing, something that the Greeks passed on to the Romans and from there to the Byzantine period. The complex had areas of cold, lukewarm and hot water, locker rooms and much more, as well as perfect decoration.
 |
| Byzantine bath complex |
Other attraction of Sparta is the Leonidaeo, otherwise a cenotaph of Leonidas, a temple of the 5th century BC in Kenotafio square, between Herakleidon and Thermopylon streets. Respectively, 5 km from the city, at the top of the hill of Prophet Elias in ancient Therapni, there is the Menelaio, where there was a temple. Another very important attraction is the sanctuary of Orthia Artemis, 100 meters east of the bridge of Eurotas, where the settlement of the Limnes (= lakes) was located. Orthia Artemis was worshiped there, who was the protector of children and adolescents. The sanctuary was an important place for the state education of children in herds.
 |
| temple of Orthia Artemis |
In front of the Municipal Stadium of Sparta, there is a statue of the legendary King Leonidas, right in front of the main avenue of Konstantinos Paleologos, a work by Vassos Falireas from Kardamyli Mani, in 1969. In front of the statue it is written: “Moλών Λαβέ” (molon lave = come and take them), while underneath it, it is written: "ω! τρακόσιοι! σηκωθείτε και ξαναλθέτε σ' εμάς τα παιδιά σας, θελ' ιδείτε πόσο μοιάζουνε μ' εσάς" (= oh! three hundred Spartans! get up and come back to us, your children, you want to see how much they look like you", by Dionysios Solomos.
 |
| statue of King Leonidas |
On the avenue there is also the church of Saint Nikonos, the reconstruction of which began in 1940 approximately. The memory of Nikonos is celebrated on November 26 with big celebrations taking place in the city. Opposite the church there is a beautiful park with a fountain. Paleologos Avenue is known for the palm trees located along the road, which offer an island image.
 |
| church of Saint Nikonas |
At Christmas the palm trees are getting decorated, creating a pleasant atmosphere in the city. Also in Paleologou there are neoclassical and stone houses, one of which houses hosts the Koumantario Gallery, which was inaugurated in 1982, as a branch of the National Gallery in a beautiful mansion of 1909. Also on the street there is a monument engraved with all the names of the Spartan winners of Olympic Games from antiquity to the present days, as well as the names of the winners of the Spartathlon.
 |
| Paleologos Avenue |
Paleologou street is one of the busiest streets in Sparta, since there you will find the residents either taking a walk or going for work all day long, plenty of shops, bakeries, cafes, hotels and whatever else you may want. At night, the shops are full of life, offering coffee, drinks and food, while many residents go for a night walk.
 |
| Christmas in Sparta |
Above Paleologou is the center of Sparta, the main square of the City Hall. The City Hall was inaugurated in 1909 in a beautiful neoclassical building. The square is stone paved, full of life with children playing, while there are beautiful shops such as cafes, bars and restaurants.
 |
| City Hall of Sparta |
On the square there is a statue of a Spartan warrior, which bears a plaque with the march of Tyrtaeus saying: "τι τιμή στο παλικάρι όταν πρώτο στη φωτιά σκοτωθεί για την πατρίδα με τη σπάθα στη δεξιά" (= what an honor to the young man when he is killed first in the fire for the homeland with the sword on the right). Another main road of Sparta is Lykourgou street. There we find the Courthouse and the imposing metropolitan church of Evangelistria, which was built in 1893. Opposite the Courthouse there is a square and the statue of the Spartan legislator, Lykourgos. On the same street there is the Public Central Library of Sparta, which was founded in 1972, with a number of bibliographies.
 |
| statue of Lykourgos, Courthouse statue of Spartan warrior, City Hall |
In the city of Sparta there are many churches, such as the church of Agios Nikolaos on the provincial road Sparti - Mystras, Agia Varvara on the road EO Sparti - Gytheio, the church of Agia Aikaterini near Paleologos street, the church of Agios Panteleimon in the end of Triakosion street, the church of Agios Spyridonas also on Triakosion street etc. Also close to the city, there is the Sainopouleio amphitheater, located in a green park, near the settlement of Magoula, overlooking Taygetos and Mystras. Various cultural events take place there, especially during the summer months. Inside the park there are playgrounds, plenty of space for children to play, benches, as well as “the street of poets”, where there are busts of many great Lacones and other Greek poets. Specifically, there are the busts of: Nikiforos Vrettakos, Giannis Ritsos, Odysseas Elytis, George Seferis, Tyrtaios, Kostis Palamas, Alkman and Dionysios Solomos.
 |
| the street of poets |
Another very nice place for peace and leisure is Goude Park, on the road EO Sparti - Mystras. In a short distance from the center of Sparta, a green area is offered for picnics, walking, cycling and gymnastics as there is fitness equipment, and it offers relaxation, while it is suitable for children since it has a playground in excellent condition.
 |
| Spartan olive |
On the road between Lykourgou and Agiou Nikonos there is the Archaeological Museum of Sparta. It was built around 1874 and is said to be the first Greek museum to be built in a provincial town. The museum has a number of invaluable findings, from the Mycenaean years (1600 BC) till the Roman period. Outside the museum there is a very beautiful park, suitable for someone to rest. A very important place one must visit is the Olive and Greek Oil Museum, on Othonos Amalias street. The exhibits relate to oil and olive, olive cultivation and oil collection, the evolution of olive mills from prehistoric to Byzantine times, as well as traditional oil production techniques.
 |
| Sparta |
In the beautiful and peaceful Sparta there are also very important sports events being held. The first one is Spartathlon. In memory of the calendar Pheidippides sent by the Athenian General Miltiades to Sparta, so that the Athenians could ask for help to face the Persian threat in Marathon in 490 BC. Every year, the international 246.8 km long marathon race takes place, starting from Athens and ending in Sparta. It is an international event, where people from all over the world come to compete in this very difficult marathon. A second event is Spartakiada, an annual cycling race starting from Athens and ending in Sparta.
 |
| ancient finds around the city |
In 2019, the international sports competition Spartan Race was a great success, in which men, women and children take part. The competition consists of a series of obstacle races with different distances and difficulty levels, where they usually range from 3 km to marathon distances. The event started in the USA in 2010 and has spread to over 30 countries, such as Canada, Australia, etc, until it came to Sparta, attracting people from all over the world. Finally, the Olympic Flame passed by for the first time from the city of Sparta for the Olympics in Tokio, in 2020. The city's honorary ambassador, Roy Danali Apostolopoulou, as well as Scottish actor Gerard Butler, who in 2006, embodied King Leonidas in the movie "300", took part in the torch race ceremony that honored the city.
 |
| Spartan Race 2019, Sparta |
After wandering around Sparta, its attractions, its shops, getting to know its world, our journey does not end there. Within short distance there are dozens of destinations where everyone can visit, with wonderful natural beauty and history. Taygetos (see our article Tribute to Taygetos), Eurotas (see our article Eurotas the ancient river), Mystras (see our article Mystras the Byzantine castle state), Parori, Anavryti (see our article Anavryti the balcony of Taygetos), Trypi, Kastoreio, Faridos area (see our tribute to the villages of Anogeia, Palaiopanagia, Kalyvia Sohas), as well as many other places around Sparta, will satisfy even the most demanding visitor. This is Sparta, the city of heroes, we recommend you to visit it too.
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