- Type
- Fortress
- Origins
- 1714 · 18th century per Wikidata: founding, first mention or construction
- Location
- Peloponnese, Greece
- Coordinates
- 37.5619°, 22.8042°
History
The Venetians built the fortress in 1711–1714, during their second rule over the Peloponnese, on the hill dominating Nafplio, then the capital of their possessions. It consists of eight bastions linked by walls, so that each could hold out on its own. Despite these modern defences, the Ottomans took it almost without a fight in 1715. On the night of 29–30 November 1822, during the War of Independence, Greek insurgents led by Staikos Staikopoulos seized the fortress. In 1833–1835 the revolutionary hero Theodoros Kolokotronis was imprisoned here, and the fort later served as a prison until 1926.
What to see
A winding stairway cut into the rock leads up from the town, though it is easier to drive up the road from the east. Inside are bastions named after ancient heroes such as Leonidas, Miltiades and Themistocles, the chapel of St Andrew and Kolokotronis's cell. The walls command views of Nafplio, the Argolic Gulf and the islet fort of Bourtzi.
Wikipedia article Wikidata Q606341
Popularity: articles about this site in 20 Wikimedia projects (Wikipedia language editions and others).