Castle of Kythira, castle on Kythira, Greece
Castle of Kythira is a stone hilltop fortress in Chora, the main town of the island, looking south over the sea. Its thick walls, narrow passages, and small towers follow the natural rock, forming a large open-air compound that still feels solid and watchful.
Built by the Venetians in the early 13th century, the fortress later received major additions in the early 1500s when the main walls and entrance were completed. Over time it passed through Byzantine, French, Russian, Turkish and British control, and became a protected archaeological site in modern Greece.
The lion of Saint Mark once carved near the entrance marked the Venetian claim over the island, though later rulers removed those symbols. Today local life around the fortress continues in Mesa Vourgo, the old quarter of narrow lanes and stone houses that sits right below the walls.
Wear shoes with good grip because the paths inside are uneven and made of old stone. The exposed hilltop offers little shade, so a hat and water are useful during the warmer hours.
An old powder magazine inside the walls now holds a small museum with weapons and coats of arms, a reuse few visitors expect to find among the ruins. The spot was also called “the eye of Crete” because it allowed watchmen to spot ships approaching from many directions at once.
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