Sparta's Historic Court Building Set for €2.8 M Restoration to Host Lakonia State Archives

On 22 July 2026 the Greek Minister of Education, Religious Affairs and Sports Sofia Zacharaki and Deputy Defence Minister Thanasis Davakis signed a programming contract to restore the protected Old Court of Sparta. The agreement, between the ministries of Education and National Defence, allocates €2.8 million from the Public Investment Programme to convert the historic building into the new headquarters of the General State Archives of Lakonia.

Zacharaki said the project proves “that history is not a closed chapter but a living legacy that must be protected and accessible to all”. The restoration follows a recent €30 million digitisation of the archives and further funding of archival facilities in other parts of Greece, signalling a broader policy to preserve and modernise the nation’s documentary heritage.

The renovated structure will serve both cultural and educational functions for the Sparta community once the works are completed.