Lagada

...the historical

Built on a glen (that’s where its name comes from) this village is characterized by its genuine outer Mani architecture.

Its history began in 68 A.D. when the Romans occupied Thalames, the city next to Lagada.

They decided to make their barns in Lagada and the bodyguards stayed in Somatiana (naming the place since then after this incident).

And so the area was firsly inhabited by romans whose names where hellenized.

Today we can detect their latin origin. The old church of Giatrissa is one of the attractions of the area as it used to be the greatest Monastery of the Lakonian peninsula.

Here lived 300 monks along with the Abbot who joioned Filiki Eteria and supported the national revolution after Kolokotronis’ invitation.

There are also the byzantine churches of Faneromeni and Agia Marina whose agiographies were made by the monk Andronikos Paleologos, brother of Kostantinos Paleologos. Nikon Metanoete died in Lagada. He was an Armenian who preached christianity in Mani and he lies in the church of Esodia tis Theotokou.