It is built amphitheatrically on the edge of Navarino Bay, a natural harbour. Because of the oblong island of Sfaktiria, it is considered one of the most secure in the Mediterranean. Pylos is known for its unique views and its long and significant history.
HISTORY OF PYLOS
To unravel the long history of Pylos, we have to reach prehistory since Pylos has evidence of continuous human presence dating back to the Neolithic Age.
According to Greek mythology, it is mentioned that it was founded either by the mythical hero Pylos or King Nileas, father of Nestor. A lot of references can be found in the Homeric epics. Pylos was the capital of Nestor's Kingdom, one of the most important in Mycenaean Greece.
In later times the Spartans sieged and finally conquered Pylos during the Peloponnesian War and in 'The Sfacteria Battle' part of the Peloponnesian War, fought in 425 BC between Athens and Sparta, much known as "The Battle of Pylos".
In the 13th century, during the Frankish rule, Pylos was known as Navarino by its Italian name.
In 1500, during the Ottoman occupation, the Turks used the Bay as a naval base and built the city niokastro of Pylos at a higher altitude. In 1821 Pylos was liberated by the Greek chieftains, but again in 1825, Ibrahim pasha of Egypt overcame and took control of the city. Two years later, the allied Russians, British and French faced the Turkish-Egyptian fleet in the Navarino Bay in a naval battle which is recorded as the last that ever happened and ratified, along with the victory against the conquerors, the independence of Greece.
