Top 5 Castles in Attica

Outside the fortress, to the north, there is a second wall surrounding Klistos Vourgos, with its many churches and houses. The castle contains several cannons from the Venetian, Russo-Turkish, and English periods. Two of Mirtidiotissa's miracles are connected to the castle and can be seen at the bottom of the icon. One of them relates to the ship that was transporting the precious metal for the icon's dress from Crete and was threatened by pirates. The second refers to the lightning that struck the castle in 1829, passing in front of the image and the adjacent gunpowder magazine without causing any damage.

In the center of the castle, you'll notice some dilapidated two-story houses. 200 years ago, 200 inhabitants lived in the castle, the last of whom remained during the occupation, when the conquerors seized the buildings. After another 30 meters of walking, you'll reach the gunpowder magazine, a building with walls more than a meter thick, and right next to it, the Church of Pantokratoras, filled with ancient wall paintings. In front of the church is the old seat of the castle; the building now houses the Historical Archives of Kythera. Crossing the large tunnel under the main seat, you'll reach the main seat square with the large 16th-century church—originally the Catholic "Our Lady of the Latins." In 1806, the church was consecrated as an Orthodox church, commemorating Mirtidiotissa. Next to it is the Church of Panaghia Orfani, where the icon and relics of the Agarathos Monastery in Heraklion were kept for 300 years while Crete was under Turkish rule. The Church of Mirtidiotissa retained the icon of the same name even during periods of pirate attacks until 1842, when the icon was returned to the Mirtidia Monastery, and a copy from 1844 was left in the castle.

The island's most characteristic monument is the Castle of Chora! The castle, or "Fortezza," was built in the 13th century when Kythera was ruled by the Venetians. The "Eye of Crete," as it was also called due to its strategic location, allowing ships to observe three seas simultaneously—the Ionian, the Aegean, and the Cretan—was built at various stages of the island's history, but the largest and most important part, including the facade, was built in 1503 by the Venetians, who subsequently repaired and reconstructed it. At the entrance to the castle, you can see the tunnel, or "fossa"! On this front wall, the Venetian coat of arms of the Lion of St. Mark once stood, but it was destroyed by the French in 1797, along with the book of nobility and the coats of arms. To the left of the castle entrance, you can see the prison, and a little further up, on the right side of the southwestern part, the huge Venetian reservoir with domes and arches.

A fantastic tour! The ruins of KatoChora are the most interesting LOST PLACE I have ever seen. The Venetian fortress is around 600 years old. The entire large area is accessible, as are the buildings. Despite the advanced state of decay, you don't have to worry that they could collapse on you. Everything seems lifelike. Some houses were inhabited until the 1950s. The location on a steep cliff and the fantastic view of the mountains and especially the sea make everything even more attractive.

Well-preserved medieval Tower, 11.5 m high, with three floors, without "easy" access inside. more: https://www.kastra.eu/castlegr.php?kastro=oinoe https://www.mixanitouxronou.gr/to-mistirio-me-ton-meseoniko-pirgo-pou-echtise-o-panischiros-fragkos-igemonas-tis-athinas-giati-i-choriki-prospathisan-na-ton- dilitiriasoun-ke-ti-schesi-echi-me-tin-katara-ton-nte-la-ros /

Πηγή: https://www.kastra.eu/castlegr.php?kastro=benaki O πύργος βρίσκεται μέσα στο παλιό κτήμα Μπενάκη. Στο κτήμα υπάρχουν τουλάχιστον δύο ακόμα κτίρια —σχετικά πιο επιβλητικά— που χαρακτηρίζονται επίσης ως «πύργοι» αλλά πρόκειται μάλλον για κατασκευές του τέλους του 19ου ή των αρχών του 20ου αιώνα. Το κτήμα Μπενάκη είναι ιδιοκτησία του μουσείου Μπενάκη. Μέχρι το 1830 ανήκε στον Ομέρ πασά ο οποίος με την ίδρυση του Ελληνικού κράτους και την οργανωμένη, σύμφωνα με τις συνθήκες, αποχώρηση των Τούρκων ιδιοκτητών, το πούλησε στον Αλέξανδρο Καντακουζηνό. Από αυτόν το κτήμα πέρασε στην κόρη του και στον σύζυγό της Σκαρλάτο Σούτσο. Οι κληρονόμοι του Σούτσου, το 1911, πούλησαν το κτήμα στον Εμμανουήλ Μπενάκη, πάμπλουτο επιχειρηματία και Υπουργό Εθνικής Οικονομίας του Βενιζέλου, ο οποίος αγόρασε 30.000 στρέμματα αντί 450.000 δραχμών. Από το 1933 το κτήμα το είχε ο γιος του, ο Αντώνης Μπενάκης, (ο γνωστός Τρελλαντώνης της Π.Δέλτα και ο ιδρυτής του Μουσείου Μπενάκη). Επί των ημερών του το κτήμα γνώρισε τις καλύτερές του μέρες. Ο Αντώνιος Μπενάκης πέθανε το 1954, και ο κληρονόμος του πέθανε κι αυτός το 1962 κληροδοτώντας το κτήμα στο μουσείο Μπενάκη. Από τότε το κτήμα και οι εγκαταστάσεις του αφέθηκαν να ρημάξουν. Για να επιστρέψουμε στα περί του πύργου, ερευνητές του 19ου αιώνα αναφέρουν μέσα στο κτήμα Σούτσου την ύπαρξη μεσαιωνικού πύργου, ο οποίος έστεκε σε καλή κατάσταση στο κέντρο ενός τετραγώνου που σχημάτιζαν άλλα βοηθητικά κτίρια του κτήματος και χρησίμευε σαν αποθήκη γεωργικών προϊόντων. Κατά πάσα πιθανότητα εκείνος ο πύργος επιβίωσε δεχόμενος πολλές τροποποιήσεις και είναι ο συγκεκριμένος πύργος που παρουσιάζεται εδώ, η τελευταία χρήση του οποίου ήταν περιστερώνας. Αυτός ο πύργος-περιστερώνας είναι στο κέντρο περίπου του κτήματος περιστοιχιζόμενος από τα ερείπια άλλων λειτουργικών κτιρίων που είναι σε πολύ χειρότερη κατάσταση παρόλο που είναι νεώτερα. Τα στοιχεία που συνηγορούν σε αυτήν την υπόθεση είναι: —η απουσία άλλων ιχνών του πύργου που είχε παρατηρηθεί τον 19ο αιώνα —η θέση, που αντιστοιχεί περίπου στις αναφορές του 19ου αιώνα —το είδος της (ισχυρής) αργιλολιθοδομής, που δεν ταιριάζει σε κατασκευή του 19ου αι. αλλά σε πολύ παλαιότερη —το σχήμα, οι διαστάσεις και το ύψος που μοιάζουν με άλλους μεσαιωνικούς πύργους της Αττικής —η ασυνήθιστα ισχυρή και μεγάλου πάχους τοιχοποιία που δεν ταιριάζει σε αποθήκη σιτηρών (ούτε σε περιστερώνα). Έρευνα και φωτογραφίες Ιωάννης Δέδες (Σεπτέμβριος 2018) M. K. Langdon, (survey 1986), The Mortared Towers of Central Greece: An Attic Supplement, The Annual of the British School at Athens, Vol. 90, Centenary Volume (1995), item 17, pp. 482 Ιστοσελίδα MHXANH TOY XRONOY - Κτήμα Μπενάκη https://www.mixanitouxronou.gr/deite-apo-psila-to-agnosto-ktima-benaki-sto-kato-souli-pou-kapote-itan-othomaniko-tsifliki-otan-perase-se-ellinika-xeria-enisxyse-tin-topiki-oikonomia-simera-rimazei-vinteo-drone/

Near the Pythian of the god Apollo in Oinoi is this imposing Frankish tower. The tower was built around 1250, during the period when the ruler of Attica was Guy de la Ross (or Delaros). Guy de la Ross was the son of Otto de la Roche, a nobleman from Burgundy (from La Roche-sur-l'Ognon) who was one of the knights who took part in the Fourth Crusade (which ended with the fall of Constantinople in 1204). Otto was the ancestor of the Delaros who were masters of the Duchy of Athens until 1308. The concept of "Duke" and "Duchy" seems to have been a oddity of Otto Delaros, whose title was normally Lord of Athens (Sire d'Athenes and, for the Greeks, Megas Kyris or Megakyris). But Otto insisted on calling himself "Duke" and finally this title was formalized in 1260 and so the Frankish manor of Attica went down in history as the Duchy of Athens. The purpose of the tower was rather to protect and supervise the estates of the area. It may have belonged to the Delaros family or to one of their subjects. The tower is kept in relatively good condition. Recently, renovation works were carried out that respected the medieval form of the tower. The entrance to the tower was through an opening on the first floor, something common in medieval towers. In a more recent period, a new entrance was created at ground level, which can be seen in older photos. This later entrance has been closed following recent renovations. So getting inside is now difficult and dangerous. Source: https://www.kastra.eu/castlegr.php?kastro=oinoe

2nd century BC building restored to house the museum displaying the phases of development in the agora area from the Neolithic to the late Roman phase