Castle of St. George description and photos - Greece: Kefalonia Island (Topic)

Castle of St. George description and photos - Greece: Kefalonia Island. Detailed information about the attraction. Description, photographs and a map showing the nearest significant objects. The name in English is Castle of St. George.

Photo and description

7 km southeast of the capital of the island of Kefalonia, Argostoli, above the small village of Peratata, is the castle of St. George, or rather, the ruins of a once majestic building. This ancient fortification is one of the most famous historical landmarks of the island.

The Fortress of St. George is located on a hill with a height of about 320 m. Most likely, the territory in the vicinity of the castle has been inhabited since ancient times, since they were found nearby Mycenaean tombs. The first written sources testifying to the strengthening of this hill belong to the Byzantine period (12th century). The location of the castle was of great strategic importance, and its walls were well protected from pirate raids.

Castle as it looks which we see today was built by the Venetians in the early 16th century and until 1757 was the capital and administrative center of the island (known as Castro). The building has a polygonal shape and covers an area of 16,000 sq. m. It was a well-fortified city with residential and public buildings, food depots, hospitals, a prison, etc. Near a small square on the territory of the castles, today you can see the ruins of the Catholic Church of St. Nicholas. After another earthquake, the inhabitants of the fortress gradually moved to a well-protected natural bay, where they founded a new capital (modern Argostolion).

The abandoned castle was thoroughly damaged in 1953, when a strong earthquake struck the island, but nevertheless less, the massive fortress walls survived. Subsequently, a partial reconstruction of the castle was carried out, and today it is open to the public.

Stunning panoramic views open from the top of the Fortress of St. George.

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Topic: Castle of St. George description and photos - Greece: Kefalonia Island.