The mountain village of Myrsini (also known as Panitsa, Laconia), belongs to the municipal unit of Gythio and is built at an altitude of 240 metres. It is located near the mountain range of Polyaravos, where the famous battle took place and Ibrahim's Egyptians were defeated by the Mani people, who prevented the occupation of their land (Mani) for the third and last time.
The village had more than 1000 people there during its peak, while it has approximately 104 permanent inhabitants today. The establishment of the settlement is connected with the coming of the Petropoulakis family in the area at the beginning of the 18th century. According to the inhabitants, the name Panitsa is not Venetian or Arabic but comes from the name of the goat -feet god Panas and from the verb "istai", which means, "I stand, I defend". Glorious Macedonian warrior Antonis Vlachakis, also known as "Captain Litsas", also came from Myrsini. The largest neibourhood in the village has been bearing his name since 1977. There, the visitor can see his statue, as well as the busts of the Macedonians who fell with him at Kastanofyto, in Kastoria.
In the village, there are several churches with Post-Byzantine frescoes, such as Agios (Saint) Spyridonas, Agios Georgios, Agios Konstantinos, Agios Ioannis (with the built-in iconostasis), the church of Zoodochos Pigi (which was renovated in 2006) etc. Finally, in Myrsini, you can also see Dimitris Iatridis' Tower, built in 1470, and today is maintained in very good condition.
