Fortress St. George, Medieval fort in Kastro Kefalonia, Greece

Fortress St. George sits on a hilltop and occupies a large area surrounded by stone walls. The site contains multiple structures including residential buildings, administrative spaces, and a church, all arranged within the fortified area.

The castle is first documented in 1085, when Italo-Norman forces under Roger Borsa besieged it without success. It was taken by a Venetian fleet in 1125 or 1126, and from 1504 to 1594 the Venetians rebuilt it on a larger scale with three bastions outside the 600-metre circuit. It remained the island's capital until 1757, when the authorities moved to Argostoli.

The name comes from a small church of Saint George inside the original Byzantine fort, first recorded in a document of 1264. In the borgo east of the gate stands the metropolitan church of the Evangelistria, a specimen of Heptanesian baroque, which keeps post-Byzantine icons from the ruined churches of the castle. Near a small square in the enclosure are the remains of the Catholic church of Saint Nicholas.

The site sits on a hilltop and requires some physical effort to explore its pathways. It is advisable to wear comfortable shoes and bring water, especially on hot days.

The castle's name comes from a small church of Saint George inside the original Byzantine fort, first recorded in a document of 1264. In 1125 or 1126 a Venetian fleet took the castle and carried off the relics of Saint Donatus of Euroea to Murano.