Kastania, Laconia Kastania, Laconia Kastania is a town in Mesa Mani, in Laconia, Greece. It is part of the municipal unit Sminos. In 1770, after the Orlov Revolt failed, the Ottomans wanted to punish the Maniots for their support of it. They attacked the two Maniot pyrgoi which belonged to the Venetsanakis clan. With them was the father of the hero of the Greek War of Independence, Theodoros Kolokotronis, Kostantinos Kolokotronis and his wife who was pregnant with his son. The Ottoman commander Hussan Bey, laid siege to the pyrgoi. After holding out for three days the defenders burst out of the
Laconia based in Amykles. The main mountain ranges are the Taygetus (2,407 m) in the west and the Parnon (1,961 m) in the northeast. Taygetus, known as Pentadaktylos ("five-fingers") throughout the Middle Ages, is west of Sparta and the Eurotas valley. It is the highest mountain in Laconia and the Peloponnese and is mostly covered with pine trees. Two roads join the Messenia and Laconia prefectures: one is a tortuous mountain pass through Taygetus and the other bypasses the mountain via the Mani district to the south. The stalactite cave, Dirou, a major tourist attraction, is located south of Areopolis in