Nafplio or Nauplio () is a coastal city located in the

Peloponnese The Peloponnese ( ), Peloponnesus ( ; , ) or Morea (; ) is a peninsula and geographic region in Southern Greece, and the southernmost region of the Balkans. It is connected to the central part of the country by the Isthmus of Corinth land bridg ...

Greece Greece, officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. Located on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula, it shares land borders with Albania to the northwest, North Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north, and Turkey to th ...

. It is the capital of the regional unit of

Argolis Argolis or Argolida ( , ; , in ancient Greek and Katharevousa) is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the modern regions of Greece, region of Peloponnese (region), Peloponnese, situated in the eastern part of the Peloponnese penin ...

and an important tourist destination. Founded in antiquity, the city became an important seaport in the

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and ...

during the

Frankokratia The Frankish Occupation (; anglicized as ), also known as the Latin Occupation () and, for the Venetian domains, Venetian Occupation (), was the period in Greek history after the Fourth Crusade (1204), when a number of primarily French ...

as part of the lordship of

Argos and Nauplia During the late Middle Ages, the two cities of Argos (, ) and Nauplia (modern Nafplio, Ναύπλιο; in the Middle Ages Ἀνάπλι, in French ''Naples de Romanie'') formed a lordship within the Frankish-ruled Morea in southern Greece. Foll ...

, held initially by the

de la Roche The de la Roche family was a French noble family named for La Roche-sur-l'Ognon in Burgundy, France that founded the Duchy of Athens 1204 and held it for just over a century. Notable members * Alice de la Roche (unknown-1282), Lady of Beiru ...

following the

Fourth Crusade The Fourth Crusade (1202–1204) was a Latin Christian armed expedition called by Pope Innocent III. The stated intent of the expedition was to recapture the Muslim-controlled city of Jerusalem, by first defeating the powerful Egyptian Ayyubid S ...

before coming under the

Republic of Venice The Republic of Venice, officially the Most Serene Republic of Venice and traditionally known as La Serenissima, was a sovereign state and Maritime republics, maritime republic with its capital in Venice. Founded, according to tradition, in 697 ...

and, lastly, the

Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire (), also called the Turkish Empire, was an empire, imperial realm that controlled much of Southeast Europe, West Asia, and North Africa from the 14th to early 20th centuries; it also controlled parts of southeastern Centr ...

. The city was the second capital of the

First Hellenic Republic The First Hellenic Republic () was the provisional Greek state during the Greek Revolution against the Ottoman Empire. From 1822 until 1827, it was known as the Provisional Administration of Greece, and between 1827 and 1832, it was known as ...

and of the

Kingdom of Greece The Kingdom of Greece (, Romanization, romanized: ''Vasíleion tis Elládos'', pronounced ) was the Greece, Greek Nation state, nation-state established in 1832 and was the successor state to the First Hellenic Republic. It was internationally ...

, from 1827 until 1834.

Name

The name of the town changed several times over the centuries. The

modern Greek Modern Greek (, or , ), generally referred to by speakers simply as Greek (, ), refers collectively to the dialects of the Greek language spoken in the modern era, including the official standardized form of the language sometimes referred to ...

name of the town is ''Nafplio'' (Ναύπλιο). In

modern English Modern English, sometimes called New English (NE) or present-day English (PDE) as opposed to Middle and Old English, is the form of the English language that has been spoken since the Great Vowel Shift in England England is a Count ...

, the most frequently used forms are ''Nauplia'' and ''Navplion''. The oldest reference to Nafplio appears to be in the so-called "Aegean List" from the

Mortuary Temple of Amenhotep III The Mortuary Temple of Amenhotep III, also known as Kom el-Hettân, was built by the main architect Amenhotep, son of Hapu, for Pharaoh Amenhotep III during the 18th dynasty of the New Kingdom. The mortuary temple is located on the Western bank ...

, dating to 14th century BCE, where it is recorded as (). In

Classical Antiquity Classical antiquity, also known as the classical era, classical period, classical age, or simply antiquity, is the period of cultural History of Europe, European history between the 8th century BC and the 5th century AD comprising the inter ...

, it was known as ''Nauplia'' (Ναυπλία) in

Attic Greek Attic Greek is the Greek language, Greek dialect of the regions of ancient Greece, ancient region of Attica, including the ''polis'' of classical Athens, Athens. Often called Classical Greek, it was the prestige (sociolinguistics), prestige diale ...

See Liddell and Scott revised by Jones (1940), Ναυπλία. Retrieved 2012-01-26.See Liddell and Scott (1889), Ναυπλία. Retrieved 2012-01-26.See Bailly (1901), p. 585, Ναυπλία. Retrieved 2013-07-03.See Smith (1854), NAU´PLIA. Retrieved 2012-01-26. and ''Naupliē'' (Ναυπλίη) in

Ionian Greek Ionic or Ionian Greek () was a subdialect of the Eastern or Attic Greek, Attic–Ionic Ancient Greek dialects, dialect group of Ancient Greek. The Ionic group traditionally comprises three dialectal varieties that were spoken in Euboea (West Ioni ...

. In

Latin Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...

, it was called ''Nauplia''. During the

, several variants were used in

Byzantine Greek Medieval Greek (also known as Middle Greek, Byzantine Greek, or Romaic; Greek: ) is the stage of the Greek language between the end of classical antiquity in the 5th–6th centuries and the end of the Middle Ages, conventionally dated to the F ...

, including ''Náfplion'' (Ναύπλιον), ''Anáplion'' (Ἀνάπλιον), and ''Anáplia'' (Ἀνάπλια). During the

Late Middle Ages The late Middle Ages or late medieval period was the Periodization, period of History of Europe, European history lasting from 1300 to 1500 AD. The late Middle Ages followed the High Middle Ages and preceded the onset of the early modern period ( ...

and

early modern period The early modern period is a Periodization, historical period that is defined either as part of or as immediately preceding the modern period, with divisions based primarily on the history of Europe and the broader concept of modernity. There i ...

, under Venetian domination, the town was known in

Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, a Romance ethnic group related to or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance languag ...

as ''Napoli di Romania'', after the medieval usage of "Romania" to refer to the lands of the

Byzantine Empire The Byzantine Empire, also known as the Eastern Roman Empire, was the continuation of the Roman Empire centred on Constantinople during late antiquity and the Middle Ages. Having survived History of the Roman Empire, the events that caused the ...

, and to distinguish it from ''Napoli'' (

Naples Naples ( ; ; ) is the Regions of Italy, regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 908,082 within the city's administrative limits as of 2025, while its Metropolitan City of N ...

) in

Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...

. Also during the early modern period, but this time under Ottoman rule, the Turkish name of the town was ''Mora Yenişehir'', after

Morea Morea ( or ) was the name of the Peloponnese peninsula in southern Greece during the Middle Ages and the early modern period. The name was used by the Principality of Achaea, the Byzantine province known as the Despotate of the Morea, by the O ...

, a medieval name for the

, and ''"yeni şehir"'', the Turkish term for "new city" (apparently a translation from the Greek Νεάπολη, Italian ''Napoli''). The Ottomans also called it ''Anabolı''. In the 19th century and early 20th century, the town was called indiscriminately ''Náfplion'' (Ναύπλιον) and ''Nafplio'' (Ναύπλιο) in

. Both forms were used in official documents and travel guides. This explains why the old form ''Náfplion'' (sometimes transliterated to ''Navplion'') still occasionally survives up to this day.

Geography

Nafplio is situated on the

Argolic Gulf The Argolic Gulf (), also known as the Gulf of Argolis, is a gulf of the Aegean Sea off the east coast of the Peloponnese, Greece. It is about 50 km long and 30 km wide. Its main port is Nafplio, at its northwestern end. At the entrance ...

in the northeast

. Most of the old town is on a peninsula jutting into the gulf; this peninsula forms a naturally protected bay that is enhanced by the addition of human-made moles. The city was originally almost isolated by marshes; landfill projects, primarily since the 1970s, have nearly doubled its land area.

Municipality

The municipality Nafplio was formed at the 2011 local government reform by the merger of the following 4 former municipalities, that became municipal units: * Asini * Midea *Nafplio * Nea Tiryntha The municipality has an area of 390.241 km², the municipal unit 33.619 km². The municipal unit Nafplio consists of the communities Nafplio,

Aria In music, an aria (, ; : , ; ''arias'' in common usage; diminutive form: arietta, ; : ariette; in English simply air (music), air) is a self-contained piece for one voice, with or without instrument (music), instrumental or orchestral accompan ...

, Lefkakia and Pyrgiotika.

Population

History

Mythical origins and Classical antiquity

The area surrounding Nafplio has been inhabited since ancient times, but few signs of this, aside from the walls of the

Acronauplia The Acronauplia (; , "Inner Castle") is the oldest part of the city of Nafplion in Greece. Until the thirteenth century, it was a town on its own. The arrival of the Venetians and the Franks transformed it into part of the town fortifications. ...

, remain visible. The town has been a stronghold on several occasions during

. It seems to be mentioned on an Egyptian funerary inscription of

Amenophis III Amenhotep III ( , ; "Amun is satisfied"), also known as Amenhotep the Magnificent or Amenhotep the Great and Hellenized as Amenophis III, was the ninth pharaoh of the Eighteenth Dynasty. According to different authors following the "Low Chronol ...

as ''Nuplija''. Nauplia () was the port of

Argos Argos most often refers to: * Argos, Peloponnese, a city in Argolis, Greece * Argus (Greek myth), several characters in Greek mythology * Argos (retailer), a catalogue retailer in the United Kingdom Argos or ARGOS may also refer to: Businesses ...

, in

ancient Argolis The regions of ancient Greece were sub-divisions of the Hellenic world as conceived by the ancient Greeks, shown by their presence in the works of ancient historians and geographers or in surviving legends and myths. Conceptually, there is no cl ...

. It was situated upon a rocky peninsula, connected with the mainland by a narrow isthmus. It was a very ancient place, and is said to have derived its name from Nauplius, the son of

Poseidon Poseidon (; ) is one of the twelve Olympians in ancient Greek religion and mythology, presiding over the sea, storms, earthquakes and horses.Burkert 1985pp. 136–139 He was the protector of seafarers and the guardian of many Hellenic cit ...

and

Amymone In Greek mythology, Amymone (; , "blameless; innocent") was one of the 50 Danaïdes, Danaids as a daughter of Danaus, king of Libya. As the "blameless" Danaid, her name identifies her as, perhaps, identical to Hypermnestra ("great wooing" or "high ...

, and the father of Palamedes, though it more probably owed its name, as

Strabo Strabo''Strabo'' (meaning "squinty", as in strabismus) was a term employed by the Romans for anyone whose eyes were distorted or deformed. The father of Pompey was called "Gnaeus Pompeius Strabo, Pompeius Strabo". A native of Sicily so clear-si ...

has observed, to its harbour. Pausanias tells us that the Nauplians were

Egyptians Egyptians (, ; , ; ) are an ethnic group native to the Nile, Nile Valley in Egypt. Egyptian identity is closely tied to Geography of Egypt, geography. The population is concentrated in the Nile Valley, a small strip of cultivable land stretchi ...

belonging to the colony which

Danaus In Greek mythology, Danaus (, ; ''Danaós'') was the king of Libya. His myth is a foundation legend of Argos, one of the foremost Mycenaean cities of the Peloponnesus. In Homer's ''Iliad'', " Danaans" ("tribe of Danaus") and " Argives" comm ...

brought to Argos; and from the position of their city upon a promontory running out into the sea, which is quite different from the site of the earlier Grecian cities, it is not improbable that it was originally a settlement made by strangers from the East. Nauplia was at first independent of Argos, and a member of the maritime confederacy which held its meetings in the island of

Calaureia Kalaureia () or Calauria or Kalavria () is an island close to the coast of Troezen in the Peloponnesus of mainland Greece, part of the modern island-pair Poros. Strabo describes the coastwise journey along the Hermionic Gulf: :The gulf begins at ...

. About the time of the

Second Messenian War The Second Messenian War was a war which occurred ca. 660–650 BC between the Ancient Greek states of Messenia and Sparta, with localized resistance possibly lasting until the end of the century.L. G. Pechatnova, ''A History of Sparta (Archaic ...

, it was conquered by the Argives; and the

Lacedaemonians Sparta was a prominent city-state in Laconia in ancient Greece. In antiquity, the city-state was known as Lacedaemon (), while the name Sparta referred to its main settlement in the valley of Evrotas river in Laconia, in southeastern Pe ...

gave to its expelled citizens the town of Methone in

Messenia Messenia or Messinia ( ; ) is a regional unit (''perifereiaki enotita'') in the southwestern part of the Peloponnese region, in Greece. Until the implementation of the Kallikratis plan on 1 January 2011, Messenia was a prefecture (''nomos' ...

, where they continued to reside even after the restoration of the Messenian state by the Theban general

Epaminondas Epaminondas (; ; 419/411–362 BC) was a Greeks, Greek general and statesman of the 4th century BC who transformed the Ancient Greece, Ancient Greek polis, city-state of Thebes, Greece, Thebes, leading it out of Spartan subjugation into a pre ...

. Argos then took the place of Nauplia in the Calaureian confederacy; and from this time Nauplia appears in history only as the seaport of Argos. As such it is mentioned by

, but in the time of Pausanias (2nd century) the place was deserted. Pausanias noticed the ruins of the walls of a temple of

, certain forts, and a fountain named Canathus, by washing in which

Hera In ancient Greek religion, Hera (; ; in Ionic Greek, Ionic and Homeric Greek) is the goddess of marriage, women, and family, and the protector of women during childbirth. In Greek mythology, she is queen of the twelve Olympians and Mount Oly ...

was said to have renewed her virginity every year.

Byzantine and Frankish rule

Peter von Hess - The Entry of King Othon of Greece into Nauplia - WGA11386

The

has walls dating from pre-classical times. Subsequently, Byzantines,

Franks file:Frankish arms.JPG, Aristocratic Frankish burial items from the Merovingian dynasty The Franks ( or ; ; ) were originally a group of Germanic peoples who lived near the Rhine river, Rhine-river military border of Germania Inferior, which wa ...

, Venetians, and

Turks Turk or Turks may refer to: Communities and ethnic groups * Turkish people, or the Turks, a Turkic ethnic group and nation * Turkish citizen, a citizen of the Republic of Turkey * Turkic peoples, a collection of ethnic groups who speak Turkic lang ...

added to the fortifications. In the Middle Ages, Nauplia was called τὸ Ναύπλιον, τὸ Ἀνάπλιον, or τὰ Ἀνάπλια. It became a place of considerable importance, and has continued so down to the present day. In the time of the

Crusades The Crusades were a series of religious wars initiated, supported, and at times directed by the Papacy during the Middle Ages. The most prominent of these were the campaigns to the Holy Land aimed at reclaiming Jerusalem and its surrounding t ...

it first emerges from obscurity. Nafplio was taken in 1212 by French Crusaders of the

Principality of Achaea The Principality of Achaea () or Principality of Morea was one of the vassal states of the Latin Empire, which replaced the Byzantine Empire after the capture of Constantinople during the Fourth Crusade. It became a vassal of the Kingdom of Thes ...

. It became part of the lordship of

, which in 1388 was sold to the Republic of Venice, who regarded it as one of their most important places in the Levant. During the subsequent 150 years, the lower city was expanded and fortified, and new fortifications added to Acronauplia.

Venetian and Ottoman rule

The city, under Venetian rule twice repelled Ottoman attacks and sieges, first by

Mehmed the Conqueror Mehmed II (; , ; 30 March 14323 May 1481), commonly known as Mehmed the Conqueror (; ), was twice the sultan of the Ottoman Empire from August 1444 to September 1446 and then later from February 1451 to May 1481. In Mehmed II's first reign, ...

during the

Ottoman–Venetian War (1463–1479) The First Ottoman–Venetian War was fought between the Republic of Venice with its allies and the Ottoman Empire from 1463 to 1479. Fought shortly after the capture of Constantinople and the remnants of the Byzantine Empire by the Ottomans, ...

and then by

Suleiman the Magnificent Suleiman I (; , ; 6 November 14946 September 1566), commonly known as Suleiman the Magnificent in the Western world and as Suleiman the Lawgiver () in his own realm, was the List of sultans of the Ottoman Empire, Ottoman sultan between 1520 a ...

. The city surrendered to the Ottomans in 1540, who renamed it Mora Yenişehri and established it as the seat of a

sanjak A sanjak or sancak (, , "flag, banner") was an administrative division of the Ottoman Empire. The Ottomans also sometimes called the sanjak a liva (, ) from the name's calque in Arabic and Persian. Banners were a common organization of nomad ...

. At that period, Nafplio looked very much like the 16th century image shown below to the right. The Venetians retook Nafplio in 1685 and made it the capital of their "

Kingdom of the Morea The Kingdom of the Morea or Realm of the Morea (; ; ) was the official name the Republic of Venice gave to the Peloponnese peninsula in Southern Greece (which was more widely known as the Morea until the 19th century) when it was conquered from ...

". The city was strengthened by building the castle of

Palamidi Palamidi () is a fortress to the east of the Acronauplia in the town of Nafplio in the Peloponnese region of southern Greece. Nestled on the crest of a high hill, the fortress was built by the Venetians during their second occupation of the ...

, which was in fact the last major construction of the

Venetian empire Venetian often means from or related to: * Venice, a city in Italy * Veneto, a region of Italy * Republic of Venice (697–1797), a historical nation in that area Venetians might refer to: * Masters of Venetian painting in 15th-16th centuries * ...

overseas. However, only 80 soldiers were assigned to defend the city and it was easily retaken by the Ottomans in 1715. Palamidi is located on a hill north of the old town. During the

Greek War of Independence The Greek War of Independence, also known as the Greek Revolution or the Greek Revolution of 1821, was a successful war of independence by Greek revolutionaries against the Ottoman Empire between 1821 and 1829. In 1826, the Greeks were assisted ...

, it played a major role. It was captured by forces of Staikopoulos and Kolokotronis in November 1822.

19th century: Independence and first capital

During the

, Nafplio was a major Ottoman stronghold and was besieged for more than a year. The town finally surrendered on account of forced starvation. After its capture, because of its strong fortifications, it became the seat of the provisional government of Greece. Count

Ioannis Kapodistrias Count Ioannis Antonios Kapodistrias (; February 1776 –27 September 1831), sometimes anglicized as John Capodistrias, was a Greek statesman who was one of the most distinguished politicians and diplomats of 19th-century Europe. Kapodistrias's ...

, first head of state of newly liberated Greece, set foot on the Greek mainland for the first time in Nafplio on 7 January 1828 and made it the official capital of Greece in 1829. He was assassinated on 9 October 1831 by members of the Mavromichalis family, on the steps of the church of Saint Spyridon in Nafplio. After his assassination, a period of anarchy followed, until the arrival of King

Otto Otto is a masculine German given name and a surname. It originates as an Old High German short form (variants '' Audo'', '' Odo'', '' Udo'') of Germanic names beginning in ''aud-'', an element meaning "wealth, prosperity". The name is recorded fr ...

and the establishment of the new

. Nafplio remained the capital of the kingdom until 1834, when King Otto decided to move the capital to

Athens Athens ( ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Greece, largest city of Greece. A significant coastal urban area in the Mediterranean, Athens is also the capital of the Attica (region), Attica region and is the southe ...

20th and 21st centuries

Tourism emerged as an important economic activity following the

Greek Civil War The Greek Civil War () took place from 1946 to 1949. The conflict, which erupted shortly after the end of World War II, consisted of a Communism, Communist-led uprising against the established government of the Kingdom of Greece. The rebels decl ...

, and Nafplio became one of the first areas to develop mass tourism in the mainland. Nowadays it is one of the most popular destinations in Greece and attracts a large variety of tourists, with the most coming from Athens and other cities in Greece, followed by many tourists from Germany, France, Scandinavia, Russia, the Balkans and the United States. Due to its architectural legacy, its proximity to the capital, Athens, and its mild and pleasant climate it attracts visitors all-year round, and it is the most popular destination for weekend or one-day excursions. Apart from tourism agriculture is a very important sector and the city is also surrounded by a fertile irrigated plain and produces oranges, lemons, peaches, apricots, olives and almonds. The Port of Nafplio is used only for bulk cargo due to its insufficient depth and also hosts a great number of leisure ships during the tourist season. The city has not developed any industrial activity of note and all secondary activities are related to agriculture or the construction industry.

Transportation

Bus

Since 1952, the town has been served by public bus ( KTEL Argolida), which provides daily services to all destinations in region as well as other major Greek centers such as Athens. The journey to Athens takes two to two hours and 20 minutes, going via Corinth/Isthmos and

Train

Rail service began in 1886 using an earlier station that still stands. The town is connected by a branch line of ten kilometers from Argos to Nafplio. In 2011, the Corinth–

–Nafplio train service was suspended during the

Greek financial crisis Greek may refer to: Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor of all kno ...

. The Region of the Peloponnese is currently trying to secure funding to restore railway services and modernize the line.

Architecture

is the oldest part of the city though a modern hotel has been built on it. Until the thirteenth century, it was a town on its own. The arrival of the Venetians and the

transformed it into part of the town fortifications. Other fortifications of the city include the

and Bourtzi, which is located in the middle of the harbour. Nafplio maintains its own distinct traditional architectural style with many colourful buildings around the old town, influenced by the Venetians, due to their domination between 1338–1540 and during the

and to a much lower degree by the Ottomans. Furthermore the city also contains a great number of eclecticist and neoclassical buildings and even a smaller number of modernist buildings such as Hotel Amphitryon (designed in the 1950s by architect Kleon Krantonellis). The city also contains the only example of

Mycenaean Revival architecture Mycenaean Revival is a rare revival architectural style developed as part of the twentieth century neoclassicist architectural revival in Greece.

, the

National Bank of Greece The National Bank of Greece (NBG; ) is a banking and financial services company with its headquarters in Athens, Greece. Founded in 1841 as the newly independent country's first financial institution, it has long been the largest Greek bank, a ...

branch of Nafplio. It is one of the few Greek cities to have been spared the widespread destruction of traditional architecture during the process of '' antiparochí'', due to the efforts of the archaeologist Evangelia Protonotariou Deilaki, whose actions went against the prevailing trend of the post-war era. Around the city can be found several sculptures and statues. They are related mostly with the modern history of Nafplio, such as the statues of

Otto of Greece Otto (; ; 1 June 1815 – 26 July 1867) was King of Greece from the establishment of the Kingdom of Greece on 27 May 1832, under the Convention of London, until he was deposed in October 1862. The second son of King Ludwig I of Bavaria, Ott ...

and

Theodoros Kolokotronis Theodoros Kolokotronis (; 3 April 1770 – ) was a Greek general and the pre-eminent leader of the Greek War of Independence (1821–1829) against the Ottoman Empire. The son of a klepht leader who fought the Ottomans during the Orlov revolt ...

Quarters

*Gyalós *Kourti *Old town *Psaromachalas *Prónoia (planned by

Stamatis Voulgaris Stamatis Voulgaris or Stamati Bulgari (), was a Greek painter, architect and the first urban planner of modern Greece. He was born in Lefkimmi in the island of Corfu, Venetian Ionian Islands in 1774, and died in 1842. He was also an officer in t ...

)

Culture

Cuisine

Local specialties include: *'' Goglies'' (Goges), pasta *''Striftades/Striftaria'', hand made pasta *''Giosa'', lamb or goat meat *''Bogana'', lamb meat with potatoes

Museums

* Archaeological Museum of Nafplion

Education

Since 2003, the

University of Peloponnese The University of (the) Peloponnese (UoP; , ΠΑΠΕΛ, PAPEL) is a Greek tertiary educational institution, composed of campuses in Tripoli, Corinth, Kalamata, Nafplio, Sparta, and Patras. The University of Peloponnese offers 22 undergraduate ...

has incorporated a new faculty, the School of Fine Arts. In 2007, a single department exists, the Department of Theatre, offering four majors: *

Acting Acting is an activity in which a story is told by means of its enactment by an actor who adopts a character—in theatre, television, film, radio, or any other medium that makes use of the mimetic mode. Acting involves a broad range of sk ...

and Directing *

Dance Dance is an The arts, art form, consisting of sequences of body movements with aesthetic and often Symbol, symbolic value, either improvised or purposefully selected. Dance can be categorized and described by its choreography, by its repertoir ...

Set Set, The Set, SET or SETS may refer to: Science, technology, and mathematics Mathematics *Set (mathematics), a collection of elements *Category of sets, the category whose objects and morphisms are sets and total functions, respectively Electro ...

and

Costume Costume is the distinctive style of dress and/or makeup of an individual or group that reflects class, gender, occupation, ethnicity, nationality, activity or epoch—in short, culture. The term also was traditionally used to describe typica ...

design *Theatrical Studies

Notable people

*Nicolas "the Greek" (fl. 1519–1522), one of the 18 survivors of the expedition that completed the first

circumnavigation Circumnavigation is the complete navigation around an entire island, continent, or astronomical object, astronomical body (e.g. a planet or natural satellite, moon). This article focuses on the circumnavigation of Earth. The first circumnaviga ...

of the world on the ''

Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Queen Victoria (1819–1901), Queen of the United Kingdom and Empress of India * Victoria (state), a state of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, a provincial capital * Victoria, Seychelles, the capi ...

'' in 1519–1522 * Tellos Agras (1880–1907), fighter in the Greek Struggle for Macedonia *

Leonidas Drosis Leonidas Drosis (; (1834/1836/1843 - 1882) was a Greek Neoclassicism, neoclassical sculptor of the 19th century. Born in Tripoli, Greece, Tripoli or Nafplion, to a Germans, German (Bavaria, Bavarian) father named Von Dorsch, who was a soldier ...

(d. 1882), sculptor *

Nina Bawden Nina Mary Bawden CBE, FRSL, JP (19 January 1925 – 22 August 2012) was an English novelist and children's writer. She was shortlisted for the Booker Prize in 1987 and the Lost Man Booker Prize in 2010. She was a recipient of the Golden PEN ...

(1925–2012), writer (resident) * Merkur Bua, 16th century Albanian Stratiot. * Timoleon Filimon (1833-1898), politician * Austen Kark (1926–2002), managing director of the

BBC World Service The BBC World Service is a British Public broadcasting, public service broadcaster owned and operated by the BBC. It is the world's largest external broadcaster in terms of reception area, language selection and audience reach. It broadcas ...

(resident) *

Nikos Karouzos Nikos Karouzos () was a Greek modernist poet. He was born in Nafplion on 17 July 1926 and died in Athens on 28 September 1990. He published his first poems in 1949. He also wrote literary criticism and essays on the theatre Theatre or ...

(1926–1990), poet *

Vangelis Kazan Vangelis Kazan () (1936 – 10 March 2008) was a Greek character actor. Biography Kazan was born in Nafplion. His career in theater, cinema and television spanned for half a century. He repeatedly collaborated with Theo Angelopoulos and was awar ...

(1936–2008), actor *

Sotirios Sotiropoulos Sotirios Sotiropoulos (; 1831–1898) was a Greek economist and politician who briefly served as Prime Minister of Greece. Biography Sotiropoulos was born in Nafplio in 1831. He went to Athens to study law at the University of Athens, but was for ...

(1831–1898), lawyer, politician and former Prime Minister of Greece *

Angelos Terzakis Angelos Terzakis (; 16 February 1907 – 3 August 1979) was a Greek writer of the " Generation of the '30s". He wrote short stories, novels and plays. Life He was born in Nafplion in 1907 and lived there until 1915, when he moved to Athens, whe ...

(1907–1979), writer *

Charilaos Trikoupis Charilaos Trikoupis (; 11 July 1832 – 30 March 1896) was a Greek politician who served as a Prime Minister of Greece seven times from 1875 until 1895. He is best remembered for introducing the vote of confidence in the Greek constitution, p ...

(1832–1896),

Prime Minister of Greece The prime minister of the Hellenic Republic (), usually referred to as the prime minister of Greece (), is the head of government of the Greece, Hellenic Republic and the leader of the Cabinet of Greece, Greek Cabinet. The officeholder's of ...

seven times from 1875 until 1895 * Panagiotis Tachtsidis (born 1991), football player currently playing in Saudi Professional League for AL Fay-ha FC * Emmanouil Zymvrakakis (1861–1928), Greek general of World War I

International relations

Twin towns – sister cities

Nafplio is twinned with:

Consulates

The city hosts honorary

consulates A consulate is the office of a consul. A type of mission, it is usually subordinate to the state's main representation in the capital of that foreign country (host state), usually an embassy (or, only between two Commonwealth countries, a h ...

from the following countries: *

Russia Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...

Sports

Pannafpliakos F.C. Pannafpliakos F.C. is a Greek football club, based in Nafplion, Argolis. The club was founded in 1924. They played in Gamma Ethniki for the 2024-25 season. History Pannafpiakos G.S. founded in 1924. 1955 merged with Iraklis Pronoia which had b ...

, football

Gallery

File:Ναός Κοίμησης Θεοτόκου Μέρμπακα (Α.Τριαδα).jpg, Byzantine church (12th century) File:Nauplia Denkmal.jpg, Monument for the

Morea Expedition The Morea expedition () is the name given to the land intervention of the French Army in the Peloponnese between 1828 and 1833, at the time of the Greek War of Independence, with the aim of expelling the Ottoman-Egyptian occupation forces from ...

, Philellinon Square File:Πόλη του Ναυπλίου, μεταξύ του σιδηροδρομικού σταθμού και της θέσης Πέντε Αδέλφια (6).jpg, View of

File:Ρολόι Ναυπλίου 7794.jpg, Clock tower in Acronauplia File:Nafplion view from Palamidi castle.JPG, View from Palamidi File:Ναύπλιο 001.JPG, The building of

(example of

Mycenaean Revival architecture Mycenaean Revival is a rare revival architectural style developed as part of the twentieth century neoclassicist architectural revival in Greece.

) File:Πλατεία Τριών Ναυάρχων 7913.jpg, Trion Navarchon (Three admirals) Square with the monument to Demetrius Ypsilantis File:Άγιος Νικόλαος, Ναύπλιο 8171.jpg, The church of

Saint Nicholas Saint Nicholas of Myra (traditionally 15 March 270 – 6 December 343), also known as Nicholas of Bari, was an early Christian bishop of Greeks, Greek descent from the maritime city of Patara (Lycia), Patara in Anatolia (in modern-day Antalya ...

File:Άγιος Γεώργιος, Ναύπλιο 8430.jpg, St. George Church File:Οδός Όθωνος 8196.jpg, Othonos Street File:Ναός Αγίου Σπυρίδωνα, Ναύπλιο 7934.jpg, St Spyridon church, where

was murdered File:NafplioStreet.JPG, Street of Nafplio File:Τζαμί_Τριανόν_8311.jpg, Trianon Mosque

References

Sources

*. *Entick, John. ''A Compendious Dictionary of the English and Latin Tongues.'' New edition carefully revised and augmented throughout by Rev. M.G. Sarjant. London, 1825.

*Ellingham, Mark; Dubin, Marc; Jansz, Natania; and Fisher, John (1995). ''Greece, the Rough Guide''. Rough Guides. . *Gerola, Giuseppe (1930–31). "Le fortificazioni di Napoli di Romania," ''Annuario dell regia scuola archeologicca di Atene e delle missioni italiane in oriente 22-24.'' pp. 346–410. *Gregory, Timothy E. (1983). ''Nauplion.'' Athens. *Karouzos, Semnes (1979). ''To Nauplio.'' Athens. *Kolokotrones, Theodoros (1969). ''Memoirs from the Greek War of Independence, 1821-1833.'' E. M. Edmunds, trans. Originally printed as ''Kolokotrones: The Klepht and the Warrior. Sixty Years of Peril and Daring. An Autobiography.'' London, 1892; reprint, Chicago. *Lamprynides, Michael G. (1898). ''Ê Nauplia.'' Athens, reprint 1950. *. *. *. *. *McCulloch, J. R. (1866). "A Dictionary, Geographical, Statistical, and Historical of the Various Countries, Places, and Principal Natural Objects in the World". New edition carefully revised. Longmans, Green, and Co., London, UK. p. 457.

*. *Schaefer, Wulf (1961). "Neue Untersuchungen über die Baugeschichte Nauplias im Mittelalter," ''Jahrbuch des Deutschen Archäologischen Instituts''. Vol. 76, pp. 156–214. *. *Thomas, George Martin (1966). ''Diplomatarium Veneto-Levantinum''. B. Franklin, New York, US.

*Wright, Diana Gilliland (1999). ''Bartolomeo Minio: Venetian administration in 15th-Century Nauplion.'' Doctoral dissertation. The Catholic University of America, Washington DC, US.

External links

Municipality of Nafplio Official Website
*
Nafplion City
{{Authority control Nafplion, Municipalities of Peloponnese (region) Populated places in Argolis Greek prefectural capitals Former national capitals Mediterranean port cities and towns in Greece Stato da Màr Capitals of Greek states

Name

Geography

Municipality

Population

History

Mythical origins and Classical antiquity

Byzantine and Frankish rule

Venetian and Ottoman rule

19th century: Independence and first capital

20th and 21st centuries

Transportation

Bus

Train

Architecture

Quarters

Culture

Cuisine

Museums

Education

Notable people

International relations

Twin towns – sister cities

Consulates

Sports

Gallery

See also

References

Sources

External links