The Navarinia

The Navarinia is an annual commemoration held in Pylos on 20 October, the anniversary of the Battle of Navarino, organised by the Municipality of Pylos-Nestor with the Region of the Peloponnese. The Battle of Navarino was fought on 20 October 1827 in Navarino Bay when the allied British, French, and Russian squadrons under Admiral Sir Edward Codrington destroyed the Ottoman-Egyptian fleet without losing a ship. It was a decisive episode in the Greek War of Independence and the last major fleet engagement of the age of sail.

The ceremonies on 20 October begin with a flag-raising and doxology at the Church of the Dormition of the Mother of God, followed by a parade through the town centre and the laying of wreaths at the seafront monuments to the fallen. Representatives of Greece, Britain, France, and Russia attend. The preceding days include concerts at Three Admirals’ Square, among them the Hellenic Navy Band, and a Hellenic Navy frigate puts in at Pylos and is opened to visitors.

After nightfall, small craft trace the historical naval manoeuvres across Navarino Bay to cannon fire, narration, and fireworks, reenacting the battle at the location where it took place.