The Mani Peninsula is a geographical and cultural region of the Peloponnese in southern Greece. It is often referred to as Mani (Greek: Μάνη) or "the Mani". The inhabitants of Mani are known as Maniots (Mανιάτες, Maniátes). Mani and the Maniots played a key role in the Greek War of Independence that began in 1821.
The Mani is the central of the three peninsulas extending southwards from the Peloponnese into the Mediterranean Sea. To Mani's east lie the Laconian Gulf and the peninsula of Cape Maleas, and to its west, the Messenian Gulf and the peninsula of Messenia. The Mani Peninsula is the southern extension of the Taygetus mountain range. It is about 45 km (28 mi) long, with a rocky, rugged, interior bordered by scenic coastlines. Mani terminates at Cape Matapan, the southernmost point of continental Greece.
In ancient times, Mani was considered part of Laconia, a region dominated by the powerful city-state (polis) of Sparta. Its administration is now divided between the municipalities of East Mani in modern Laconia, and West Mani in Messenia. Mani's towns include Areopoli, Gytheio, and Pyrgos Dirou. Notable sites in Mani include the ruins of the ancient Temple of Poseidon at Cape Matapan, the Monastery of Panayia Yiatrissa, and the Apidima Cave with its Neanderthal fossils.
Mani was known as Maina Polypyrgos ('Many-Towered Maina') for its numerous tower-houses. From 1978 onwards, the Greek state decreed many settlements with tower-houses "traditional", setting restrictions on construction. In 2003, the whole peninsula was designated a "cultural complex of international importance".
Name
The origin of the name "Mani" is uncertain. The earliest known record is a reference to the bishop of a diocese – ὁ Μαΐνης (ho Maïnēs, 'the one who is [bishop] of Maïna') – in a hierarchical list of dioceses deposited in the archives of the Patriarchate of Constantinople in 907. Compiled during the reign of Emperor Leo VI, it shows Maïna's bishop as subordinate to the metropolitan of Corinth. In around 950, Constantine VII mentioned the inhabitants of a "city of Maïna" in his treatise De Administrando Imperio (On Administering the Empire).
The 14th-century Greek-text version of the Chronicle of Morea narrates how William of Villehardouin, ruler of the Principality of Achaea (r. 1246–1278), journeyed εἰς τὴν Μάνην (eis tēn Manēn, 'to Mani') and built a castle he named Μάνη (Manē, 'Mani') on a promontory there. The castle is more usually known as Grand Magne.
Ecology
The Mani is in the Aegean and Western Turkey Sclerophyllous and Mixed Forests ecoregion, which is part of a biome known as Mediterranean Forests, Woodlands, and Scrub.
Governance
The southern part of the peninsula, covering about 317 km2 (122 sq mi), is a Special Protection Area (SPA) within the Natura 2000 network. This SPA was designated in 2010 under the Birds Directive of the European Union; it protects 72 bird species. The protected area is an important habitat for migrating raptors, notably Bonelli's eagle, the short-toed snake eagle, the lanner falcon, and the rare eastern imperial eagle.
Geology
Landforms
The Mani is a peninsula with Cape Matapan forming its southern tip. The massif of the Taygetus range, about 100 km (62 mi) long, extends from the centre of the Peloponnese to Cape Matapan. The tallest mountain is Mount Taygetus. Its summit, Profitis Ilias (Προφήτης Ηλίας 'Prophet Elijah'), stands at 2,404 m (7,887 ft), and is the highest in the Peloponnese. Some historians identify Profitis Ilias with the "Taletum, a peak of Taygetus" mentioned by Pausanias.
Soils
The peninsula is composed of Mesozoic-era carbonate rocks, predominantly limestone, which erode to form karst caves such as the one at Alepotrypa. Shallow lithosols and rendzina soils, with a low capacity for holding water, dominate on limestone bedrock. Terra rossa (Italian for 'red soil'), a water-retentive, clayey soil with a deeper profile, is common in cultivated areas. Alluvial soils are found in river valleys, and saline soils in coastal environments. Due to erosion, the soils of Mani are at high risk of desertification.
Land cover and vegetation
Vegetation in the Mani occupies a range of natural, semi-natural and human-made habitats with a high diversity of species.
Communities of low-growing alpine plants thrive above the tree line of the Taygetus range: examples are Clinopodium alpinum (rock thyme); Astragalus angustifolius (a species of milkvetch); and the rare Jurinea taygetea, an endemic species in the Jurinea genus. Montane forests dominated by Abies cephalonica (Greek fir) and Pinus nigra (European black pine) occur at moderate elevations.
Maquis, a type of impenetrable scrubland made up of evergreen, hard-leaved shrubs about 1.5–3 m (5–10 ft) tall, is widespread on lower mountain slopes. Typical species are Arbutus unedo (strawberry tree), Pistacia lentiscus (mastic), Quercus coccifera (kermes oak), and Smilax aspera (a species of vine). Garrigue, a more open vegetation type, is also found over large areas at lower altitudes. This habitat features aromatic, shrubby plants, usually less than 1 m (3 ft) high, such as Sarcopoterium spinosum (spiny burnet), Euphorbia acanthothamnos (Greek spiny spurge), Thymus capitatus (conehead thyme), and Anthyllis hermanniae (lavender-leaved anthyllis). Olive groves on the lower slopes (often terraced) and in the coastal plain of Messenian Mani are mainly cultivated without the use of herbicides; the groves provide habitats for many spring-flowering annual plants.
The Vyros Gorge hosts several endemic species, including Lithodora zahnii of the genus Lithodora, and Thalictrum orientale (a type of meadow-rue).
Mani's rocky shores and sandy beaches, a specific habitat, feature plants such as Matthiola sinuata (sea stock), Limonium sinuatum (sea lavender), and Pancratium maritimum (sea daffodil). Posidonia oceanica (Neptune grass) is found offshore.
Wildlife
The Peloponnese is exceptional in its range and abundance of fauna, especially reptiles, and the Mani is one of several biodiversity hotspots within it.
Reptiles and amphibians
The marginated tortoise (Testudo marginata) is densely distributed throughout Mani; Hermann's tortoise (Testudo hermanni) is more rarely found.
Many types of lizard are found on dry-stone walls and in rocky areas, including the Greek rock lizard (Hellenolacerta graeca), Kotschy's gecko (Mediodactylus kotschyi), Peloponnese wall lizard (Podarcis peloponnesiacus), and European legless lizard (Pseudopus apodus). The Greek snake skink (Ophiomorus punctatissimus) is common in maquis.
Maquis and other habitats are frequented by snakes such as the venomous nose-horned viper (Vipera ammodytes meridionalis), European cat snake (Telescopus fallax), and eastern Montpellier snake (Malpolon insignitus). The burrowing Eurasian worm snake (Xerotyphlops vermicularis) is a regular prey of little owls (Athena noctua) in the spring.
The most widespread amphibian is the highly adaptable European green toad (Bufotes viridis), occurring in maquis, open forests, arid hilly areas, olive groves, beaches, on agricultural land, and in villages. The common toad (Bufo bufo), European tree frog (Hyla arborea), marsh frog (Pelophylax ridibundus), and Greek newt (Lissotriton graecus) occur in northeast Mani. The fire salamander (Salamandra salamandra) is found in mountainous areas in the north of the peninsula.
Several beaches near Gytheio – at Mavrovouni, Valtaki, and Selinitsa – are major nesting sites for loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta).
Mammals
Wild boar (Sus scrofa), extinct in the Peloponnese by c. 1830, were reintroduced by hunting associations between 1988 and 2004, and recorded in many parts of Mani from 2000. Several incidents involving them – such as traffic accidents, attacks on people, and beach invasions – have been reported.
Beech martens (Martes foina) are common around villages.
The population and distribution of the golden jackal (Canis aureus) in the Mani (and mainland Greece as a whole) has rapidly expanded since the early 21st century. This has been attributed to the species' high adaptability and capacity for colonizing human-dominated habitats, especially those with rough terrain.
The main bat species occurring in Mani are the greater horseshoe (Rhinolophus ferrumequinum), Mediterranean horseshoe (Rhinolophus euryale), lesser mouse-eared (Myotis blythii), Natterer's (Myotis nattereri), and Schreiber's (Miniopterus schreibersii).
Climate
The Mani peninsula, like much of southern Greece, has a hot-summer Mediterranean climate (Köppen climate classification Csa) featuring mild to cool, wet winters and hot, dry summers. The Messenian, or Outer, Mani receives more rainfall than the Laconian, or Inner and Lower, Mani, which is in a rain shadow; as a consequence, Outer Mani is more agriculturally productive. Locals call Messenian Mani aposkiaderi 'shady' and Laconian Mani prosiliaki 'sunny'.
Local government and services
Local government is provided by the municipalities of West Mani (Δυτική Μάνη, Dytikí Máni), and East Mani (Ανατολική Μάνη, Anatolikí Máni). Each municipality is headed by a mayor, who governs with the aid of a municipal council.
West Mani, with its administrative seat in Kardamyli, is part of the regional unit of Messenia; East Mani, whose administrative seat is Gytheio, is in Laconia.
Messenia and Laconia are within the Peloponnese administrative region.
Traditional regions
The three traditional regions of Mani are:
Outer Mani (Έξω Μάνη, Exo Mani) in the northwest, corresponding approximately to West Mani;
Lower Mani (Κάτω Μάνη, Kato Mani) in the east, corresponding approximately to northern East Mani;
Inner Mani (Μέσα Μάνη, Mesa Mani) in the southwest, corresponding approximately to southern East Mani.
Cranae, an island just off the coast of Gytheio in Lower Mani, was linked to the mainland by a causeway in 1898.
Media
Local newspapers covering events in Mani include:
Lakonikos, an online newspaper focused on Laconia;
Messinia Press, an online newspaper with a section on West Mani;
Notos Press, an online newspaper covering the Peloponnese Region;
Θάρρος (Thárros 'Courage'), a daily print and online newspaper focused on Messenia, with a section on West Mani.
Transport links
Roads
A winding road with coastal stretches links Kalamata, via Kampos, Kardamyli and Stoupa, to Oitylo, from where a cross-peninsular road runs northeast to Gytheio. From Oitylo, the road continues south towards Cape Matapan via Areopoli, Gerolimenas and Vatheia, looping back north to Gytheio along the east coast via Kokkala, Kotronas and Skoutari. Another cross-peninsular road runs southeast from Areopoli to Kotronas.
From Gytheio, National Road 39 (European route E961) runs north to Sparta. Gytheio can be reached from Kalamata from the north by using the toll road motorways A7 and A71; the A7 connects with National Road 39.
Paths
The Peloponnese section of the E4 European long-distance path runs via Sparta and Kastania to Gytheio in northeast Mani, and then continues, via ferry, in Crete.
Ferries
Ferries connect Gytheio to Kythera, Antikythera, Crete, and Piraeus, the port of Athens.