1278) from the castle they built. Later occupied by the Turks from 1481 to 1685 like the rest of Greece, the city was next taken over by the Venetians in 1685. During the Venetian occupation the city was fortified, developed and thrived economically. However, the Turks reoccupied Kalamata in 1715 and controlled it until the Greek War of Independence of 1821 when Petrobeis Mavromihalis liberated the city. Kalamata was again in the news and headlines on Saturday, 13 September 1986, as an earthquake measured at almost 6.6 on the Richter scale. The earthquake, although, moderately strong-reported caused heavy damage and killed 20 people.
Today, Kalamata has the second largest population and mercantile activity in Peloponnese. It makes important exports, particularly of local products such as raisins, olives and olive oil. Although the city experienced catastrophic consequences after the earthquake of 1986, it has overall recovered its pace and is forging ahead successfully from a commercial aspect.
There are numerous historical and cultural sights in Kalamata, such as the Villehardouin castle, the Ypapandis Byzantine church, the Kalograion monastery with its silk-weaving workshop where the Kalamata scarves are made, and the municipal railway park. Mavromihalis declared the revolution in the church of Agion Apostolon. Art collections are housed at the Municipal Gallery, the Archaeological Museum of Messenia and the Folk Art Museum.
Church of the Ypapandi
Kalamata’s catehdral of the Ypapandi (Presentation of the Lord to the Temple) nestles beneath the 14th century Frankish castle. The foundation stone was laid on Jan 25, 1860 and the building was consecrated on Aug 19, 1873. It suffered great damage during the 1986 earthquake, but was subsequently restored. The Festival of the Ypapandi (27.01 - 09.02) is of national importance for the Greek orthodox world and, locally, the occasion for a holiday (02.02). The litany of the miraculous
