Antirrio Castle
The “Kasteli of Roumeli”
The Castle of Antirrio, known as “Kasteli of Roumeli”, is built in a strategic position at the southern end of the prefecture of Etoloakarnania and at the narrowest point of the sea passage between Central Greece and the Peloponnese ∙ in the so-called “Little Dardanelles”.
- INFO
The Kasteli of Roumeli
The Castle of Antirrio, known as “Kasteli of Roumeli”, is built in a strategic position at the southern end of the prefecture of Etoloakarnania and at the narrowest point of the sea passage between Central Greece and the Peloponnese ∙ in the so-called “Little Dardanelles”.
Its construction started in 1499 by Sinan Pasha, under orders from Sultan Vayazit II, together with the fortress of Rion on the opposite side of the channel, in order to control sea traffic in the area.
The initial fortress was restored and fortified in 1533 and again in 1543 by the Ottomans and since became a bone of contention between the Venetians and the Ottomans. The fortress we see today -hexagonal layout with polygonal bulwarks on the corners- was built by the Venetians during the second Venetian occupation (1687-1715). The wall has a slight inclination (scarpa) and cannon loops along the southeast and western sides. A trench(moat), which does not survive today, protected the northeast and northwest walls on the mainland side. The main gate of the fortress is located on its northwest side and leads to the interior via an arched corridor. There are no building structures that survive inside the fortress, however there are some vaulted areas alongside the walls. Ramps and stairways lead to the circuit of the walls which allow the visitor to tour the ramparts.
Another mpressive sight is the AntirrionLighthouse, which was built in 1880. The altitude of tower is 9 metres and the height of focal plane is 15 metres .
Inside the fortress, on its northwest side, there are some impressive metallic bollards, like large buoys, which were once used by ships to dock instead of anchoring, as well as large iron anchors, so closely associated with the naval past of the region.
Today, the Antirrio Fortress is used for cultural events during the summer months.
The Antirrio Fortressis open 8:30 – 15:30 year-round, except Tuesdays.
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