Castle of Mendenitsa, Medieval castle near Thermopylae, Greece
The Castle of Mendenitsa is a medieval fortress near Thermopylae featuring two concentric fortified enclosures with walls reaching up to 2.5 meters in thickness. The structure incorporates ancient building blocks repurposed from earlier constructions at the site.
A Lombard knight named Guido Pallavicini constructed the fortress in 1204 during the Frankish occupation of Greece. The location was chosen to strategically oversee the passage at Thermopylae.
The fortress served as the seat of a Latin Crusader domain that controlled the passage between northern and southern Greece. Visitors can still observe how the architecture reflected this medieval power center.
The archaeological site sits at 550 meters elevation on Mount Kallidromo with free entrance for visitors. Be prepared for unpaved paths and dense local vegetation when exploring the area.
The fortress walls blend medieval construction methods with repurposed ancient stones from earlier structures at the site. This combination reveals how builders reused ancient ruins to strengthen their defenses.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
