Aghia Kyriaki is a small settlement of only a few houses, located over the Cape Tigani in Inner Mani, very close to the village of Nomia.
According to our family tradition, Patsourakos family begun in this settlement and had their lands in the nearby village of Nomia.
The family lived here from 900 to 1400 when they were forced to leave the area and migrate to Eastern Mani.
The church of Aghia Kyriaki belonged to our family and is a typical Byzantine church of the 12th century. Inside it is covered with frescoes typical of the early Christian era of Mani.
The topographical position of the settlement of Agia Kyriaki is such that it is over and dominates the terrible sea fortress of Mani, called Tigani, because of its shape (Tigani=pan, fryer).
The fortress was built probably by the Byzantine Emperor Ioustinianos and was known as "Castle of Maina". It is built on a nearly round and steep rock at some height above sea level and is connected to the nearby rocky shore with a low and narrow strip of land, 1700 meters of length.
On the rocky shore just opposite Tigani, on the edge of a cliff, there is also the church of "Panagia Agitria" ("Holly Mother, our Companion") another early Byzantine church of extreme beauty.
On the west side of the Castle of Tigani, there is a mark on the rock which the locals believe that was made by the horseshoe of a beautiful girl of Mani. According to the legend, she was a retainer of Lady Anna Komninos, a Byzantine Princess who ruled the castle, but helped her fellow countrymen take up the castle and chose to commit suicide as she betrayed her Lady in favour of her homeland.
