Laconia

Laconia (Λακωνία), also known as Lacedaemonia, was in ancient Greece the portion of Peloponnesus of which the most important city was Sparta. Throughout the classical antiquity the Spartans held Messinia, whose inhabitants (the helots) were permanently enslaved. In medieval times it was part of the Byzantine Empire and following the Crusades it was the home of the Byzantine Despotate of Mystras, held by the penultimate Byzantine ruling dynasty, the Palaeologi. In modern times, Laconia has the legal status of a prefecture, with Sparta its administrative capital. Its main towns and cities are Amyclae, Areopolis, Gytheion, Molaoi, Monemvasia, Mystras, Neapolis (Vatika) and Sellasia. It encompasses Cape Malea and Cape Tainaron and a large part of the Mani Peninsula.

The Evrotas is the longest river in the prefecture. The valley of the Evrotas is predominantly an agricultural region that contains many citrus groves, olive groves and pasture lands and most of all, oranges. It is the location of the largest orange production in the Peloponnese and probably all of Greece. The brand of orange juice named after this prefecture Lakonia is based in Amyclae and sells fresh orange juice entirely from this region.

Taygetus (2,407 m), known as Pentadaktylos (five-fingers) throughout the middle ages, is west of Sparta and the Evrotas valley. It is the highest mountain in Laconia and the Peloponnese, and mostly covered with pine trees. Two roads connect the adjoining prefectures of Messinia and Laconia: one is a tortuous mountain pass through Taygetus and the other bypasses the mountain via the Mani district to the south. The other major mountain is Parnon (1,961 m) to the east.

A stalactite cave in the southwest of the prefecture is located south of Areopolis. This famous cave is called Dirou and is a major tourist attraction.

It is bounded by the Taygetus mountains to the west with Messinia, Arcadia to the north and with the Parnon mountains to the northeast, the Myrtoan Sea to the east and the Gulf of Laconia and the Mediterranean Sea to the south. The islands of Cythera and Anticythera lie to the south, but they administratively belong to the prefecture of Piraeus.

The English word "laconic" is derived from the name of the region by analogy - to speak in a concise way, as the Spartans were reputed by the Athenians to do.

Climate

The area has hot summers and mild winters in most of the prefecture while in the mountains, especially Taygetus, snow is very common throughout the winter.

Transportation

Greece Interstate 37, N, Cen., S
Molaoi to Leonidio Road, E, NE
Greece Interstate 82, W
Greece Interstate 86, S, E, SE, Gytheio - Monemvasia

Communications

Radio

Fly FM - 90.3 FM (Sparta)
Lakonia FM - 91.1 FM (Sparta)
Politeia FM - 91.9 FM
Radiofonias Notias Lakonias (Southern Laconia Radio) - 93.5 (Gytheio)
Radio Sparti - 92.7 FM (Sparta)
Star FM - 94.7

Television

Ellada TV - UHF 43, Sparta
TV Notias Lakonias - Molaoi

Population history

1907: 87,106
1991: 95,696
2001: 94,918

Provinces

Municipalities

Name of municipality	Municipal code	Seat	Postal code
Asopos	3202	Pappadianika	230 56
Anatoliko/East Mani	3201	Kotronas	230 66
Elos	3207	Vlachiotis	230 55
Farida	3222	Xirokampi	230 54
Geronthri	3204	Geraki	230 58
Gytheio	3205	Gythion	232 00
Oinounta	3216	Sellasia	230 64
Oitylo	3217	Areopolis	230 62
Krokees	3211	Krokees	230 57
Molaoi	3212	Molaoi	230 52
Monemvasia	3213	Monemvasia	230 70
Mystras	3214	Magoula	231 00
Niata	3215	Niata	230 60
Pellana	3218	Kastorion	230 59
Skala	3219	Skala	230 51
Smynos	3220	Agios Nikolaos	230 61
Sparta	3221	Sparta	231 00
Therapni	3209	Goritsa	231 00
Voia	3203	Neapolis (Vatika)	230 53
Zarakas	3208	Richea	230 68

There are two independent communities and they are

Elafonissos (mun code: 3206, postal code: 230 53)
Karyes (mun code: 3210, postal code: 230 67)

Communities

See List of communities of Laconia

External links