Kalamata is the capital of the prefecture of Messenia, with a population of 54,000. It is the second largest city of the Peloponnese (after Patras) and is built at the foothills of Mount Kalathi. Kalamata is 223 kilometres from Athens.
The city’s history begins in the Homeric years when Homer mentions the ancient town of Farai, which was built on the spot approximately where the Frankish castle is today. From the middle of the 8th BC century until the middle of the 4th century BC., Kalamata (Farai) was under Laconian rule. Traveller Pausanias mentions Farai in the "Messenian-Solar" (160-170 AD) on his way from southern Laconia to Messina. The available information on the city's history is minimal during the Middle-Byzantine period and up to the 10th century.
The city got its current name either from an old Byzantine monastery, which was dedicated to the Virgin Mary, "Kalamata", or from the reeds of the river Nedon and specifically from the popular form "kalάmata".
The most important event in the long history of Kalamata is its liberation from the Turks, on March 23rd, 1821, with Kolokotronis, Nikitaras, Petrobeis Mavromichalis and Papaflessas as protagonists. All together participated in the solemn eulogy held in the small Byzantine church of the Holy Apostles (with frescoes from the 14th century), which today dominates the city’s historic centre and is one of the most important attractions. In fact, from Kalamata, the Messenian Senate drew up the two critical texts, "Warning to the European Courts" and "Proclamation".
The port of Kalamata, characterised as "the Marseille of Moria", which still operates today, was built at the end of the 19th century.
The northwestern part of the city is dominated by the castle, which dates back to the Byzantine period. However, its current form is due to its reconstruction by Godefroid I' Villeardouinos at the beginning of the 13th century. The castle has the typical structure of a Byzantine castle with vertical walls and a spire with a vaulted water tank. In 1950, a small open theatre was built at the southern end of the castle, where various cultural events occur every summer. Just below the Castle of Kalamata is the church of Ypapanti tou Sotiros (Candlemas), which is also the metropolitan church of the city. The church celebrates on February 2nd, where, on that day, a grand celebration is held with parallel events.
To the south of the centre of Kalamata, the "Municipal Railway Park", the only outdoor museum of its kind in the whole of Greece, is worth visiting. It was established in September 1986, but due to the great earthquake in the city, it was completed in 1990. The exhibits of the open-air museum include the railway station, four boarding platforms, the water tower, seven steam locomotives, one diesel locomotive, three passenger vehicles, etc.
In the historic centre of Kalamata, in the building of the old Municipal Market, the "Messenia Archaeological Museum" is housed with important archaeological findings which date from the Bronze Age to Roman times. The Archaeological Museum is divided into four main sections: the province of Trifylia, Messina, Pylia and Kalamata.
Another museum worth visiting is the "Military Museum of Kalamata", where various historical relics are housed, such as weapons, military uniforms of multiple periods, etc. Also impressive to the visitor are the tanks in the museum’s forecourt, with the F-5 aircraft standing out.
The "Historical and Folklore Museum of Kalamata" is housed in a two-storey neoclassical building and is divided into thematic sections dealing with rural life, handicrafts, textile art, pottery and soap making. Also, on the first floor, there is a section dedicated to bookbinding and printing since the first printing house of free Greece operated in Kalamata.
Of particular interest is the "Collection of Greek Clothing "Victoria G. Karelia" which includes clothing sets (women's and men's) from all regions of Greece, as well as unique jewellery.
In the central square of King George II, the "Monument of Light", a contemporary open-air piece of art, which consists of metal, white marble and photo sculptural elements, stands out. The monument is the work of art of sculptor Panagiotis Lambrinidis and is a Captain Vassilis and Carmen Konstantakopoulos Foundation donation.
Since 1995, every July, the "Kalamata International Dance Festival" has been held in the city with a series of performances by Greek and foreign artists, workshops, and parallel events that attract thousands of visitors. Also, in recent years the "Kalamatian Carnival" has been held, during which a parade of floats and carnival events in various parts of the city takes place.
Finally, we should mention that Kalamata is the birthplace of many influential personalities, such as the leader of the Revolution of 1821, Nikitaras (Nikitas Stamatelopoulos), politician and ten-time prime minister Alexandros Koumoundouros, poet Maria Poledouris, the "father of Folklore" Nikolaos Politis, internationally renowned composer and pianist Yanni and many more.
