Wall Cistern Travel Guide

The Wall Cistern in Monemvasia offers a fascinating look into the ingenuity required to sustain life in this unique fortress town. Built during the Byzantine era, the cistern was part of an organized water supply system designed to collect rainwater, a necessity due to the lack of natural springs on the island.These underground reservoirs were essential for the town's survival, especially when Monemvasia was a bustling center of trade and culture. The cisterns are rectangular, vaulted constructions coated with hydraulic mortar to ensure sealing. Public cisterns were located in common areas, temples, and other public buildings. Ottoman traveler Evliya Celebi noted many communal cisterns in Monemvasia in 1670.Exploring the cool, shadowy depths of the Wall Cistern offers a serene escape from the sun-drenched streets of Monemvasia. The architecture showcases the advanced engineering skills of the Byzantine era, with vaulted ceilings and intricately carved stone walls.