Kythera Castles
Mylopotamos: Built by the Venetians on a steep rock to the west of the island, it once controlled the traffic in the Ionian Sea. The lion of St. Marcus of Venice dominates over the fort’s impressive gate, bearing the Latin inscription “Pax tibi Marco evangelista meus (Peace be with thee, Mark, my Evangelist) 1565”. Within the castle, many churches of the 16th-17th century, demonstrating exquisite architecture, full of murals of splendid art, as well as houses, which were inhabited up to the 1950s, have been preserved. The castle encloses an actual necropolis.
Chora: Built on one of the most strategic points of the southern Aegean, it controls the Cretan, Ionian and Aegean seas. It was called “the eye of Crete and of the Greek Seas”. Because of its position, it attracted the interest of conquerors. Being a characteristic sample of the Venetian fortification technique, it assumed its current form in 1503, while it housed the administrative centre of the island, which had its own Prudent there since 1502. Restoration and highlighting works have been recently made on this monument, giving emphasis to its particular significance for the history of the island.
Paliochora: On the north-east side of the island, hidden well from the rough rocky environment, stands the deserted Byzantine capital of the island, Saint Dimitrios. Despite its natural fortification, the wealthy and densely inhabited town could not prevent its absolute destruction after a well-planned attack made by the Turkish Naval Fleet Admiral, Hayreddin Barbarossa in 1537, who pirated the village and killed all its habitants. Those, who escaped death, left and the city has since been deserted. Relics of the wall, the palace and many churches have survived from the ruins that have been mercilessly exposed to the hardship of time and weather conditions. Saint Varvara of Monemvasian architecture, which is situated just outside the town, as well as the Lady of Foro (Forum-agora) at the entrance of the castle, stands out. A place of massacre, war and plunder, today it is possessed by a metaphysical silence that is interrupted only by the sounds of nature and of the winds that echo in its ravines.
Avlemonas: The Venetian fort-observation tower on the east coast of the island was built in the 16th century at Avlemonas, which was one of the most significant ports of the island during that period. The locals named it “Castello”. Characterised by a pretty architecture, its main rooms and some of its canons have been preserved.