Sparta has about 15.000 people; it's in the north part of the Prefecture of Laconia and it is its commercial and administrative centre. It's about 225 klm. from Athens.
Being the capital city of the Prefecture of Laconia, it's a modern city with well laid-out streets, built near the riverside of Eurotas river, at the same site as the old city of Sparta. It's the centre of economy and trade of the bassin that spreads from the descent of the arcadian mountains (Sellassia region) , between Taygetus and Parnon to the Laconian bay.
The ancient city was abandoned after the raids of the hordes of the Goths and Alaric (4th century), but mostly after the building of Mystras (5klm. westwards) during the Frankish domination (in the middle of the 13th century). It was built since 1834, when the residents of Mystras began to descend to the age-long cradle of the Spartan spirit.