Velanidia, Laconia an observatory. Velanidia has an important distinction because of its Byzantine churches. Churches like those of Saint Constantine, Saint Panteleimon and Saint John has several wall paintures where we can observe the fidelity of figures. For photos, click here. From Velanidia you can visit the north side of Cape Maleas and its lighthouse, which was built in 1860 and it's the oldest at Mediterranean sea. For photos, click here. Velanidia, Laconia Velanidia () is a Byzantine village in Laconia, Greece, within the municipality of Monemvasia. Also, it is situated at the southern edge of Peloponnese and more specifically at the
Thalamae (Laconia) temple. Even the Spartan kings sometimes slept in the temple for this purpose. The site of Thalamae is located with the modern village of Thalames (formerly Koutiphari, but renamed to reflect the historical association). Thalamae (Laconia) Thalamae or Thalamai ( or Θαλάμη) was a town of ancient Laconia, which at various times belonged to Messenia. According to Greek mythology, Thalamae was founded by Pelops, who, after his sister Niobe married Amphion, brought colonists from Boeotia; and was called in the time of Strabo the Boeotian Thalamae. It stood 80 stadia north of Oetylus, and 20 stadia from Pephnus. Pephnus was