Patras Castle

The Patras Castle (Greek: Κάστρο Πατρών) was built around the mid-6th century above the ruins of the ancient acropolis, on a low outlying hill of the Panachaiko Mountain and ca. 800 m from the sea. The castle covers 22,725 m² and consists of a triangular outer wall, strengthened by towers and gates and further protected originally by a moat, and an inner compound on the northeastern corner, also protected by a moat.

History

The castle plan at the entrance.

Patras' castle from up close.

Patras castle from a late 19th-century post card.

Patras castle, 1890.

The castle on the hill overlooking the city.

The castle was built by Byzantine emperor Justinian I after the catastrophic earthquake of 551, re-using building material from pre-Christian structures. One of these spolia, the torso and head of a marble Roman statue, became part of the city's folklore, a sort of genius loci. It is known as the "Patrinella", a maiden who is supposed to have been transformed into a man during Ottoman times, guards the city against disease and weeps whenever a prominent citizen of Patras dies.

The fort remained in constant use thereafter, even until the Second World War. In the Byzantine period, it was besieged by Slavs, Saracens, Normans and many others, but it never fell. In particular, the successful repulsion of a great siege of 805 AD by the Arabs and the Slavs was attributed to the city's patron saint, St Andrew.

In 1205, in the aftermath of the Fourth Crusade, it was taken over by the Franks, who strengthened it further, opening a moat on all three sides. In 1278, the Principality of Achaea pawned it to the local Latin (Catholic) Archbishop, while the Pope leased it to the Venetians for five years in 1408. The Latin Archbishop remained in possession of the castle until 1430, when it was taken by the Despot of the Morea and future last Byzantine emperor, Constantine Palaiologos, who made extensive repairs to its walls. The castle fell to the Ottoman Turks in 1458, and remained one of their main seats of power in the Peloponnese throughout the Tourkokratia. The Venetians took the castle in 1687 during the Morean War, and kept it until the Morea was retaken by the Turks in 1715.

Following independence, the castle remained in use by the Greek Army until after World War II. In 1973, the castle was turned over to the 6th Ephorate of Byzantine Antiquities. It is used nowadays for cultural events, especially during summer, and features a theatre with a capacity of 640 seats.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Patras Fortress.

Coordinates: 38°14′42″N 21°44′30″E / 38.2450°N 21.7418°E / 38.2450; 21.7418

Landmarks of Patras

Landmarks	Achaia Clauss Apollon Theatre Archaeological Museum Cathedral of Saint Andrew Georgiou I Square Pampeloponnisiako Stadium Patras Castle Psilalonia Square Rio–Antirrio bridge Roman aqueduct Roman Odeon Roman Stadium

Events	Patras Carnival

Byzantine Greece

People	Byzantine Greeks Justinian I Justinian II Irene of Athens Staurakios Nikephoros I Basil I Nikon the Metanoeite Luke of Steiris Basil II Eustathius of Thessalonica Michael Choniates Leo Sgouros Leo Gabalas Michael I Komnenos Doukas Theodore Komnenos Doukas Demetrios Chomatenos John Apokaukos Michael II Komnenos Doukas Michael VIII Palaiologos John I Doukas of Thessaly Nikephoros I Komnenos Doukas Thomas I Komnenos Doukas Nicholas Orsini Andronikos Asen John II Orsini Andronikos III Palaiologos Michael Monomachos John Angelos Stephen Gabrielopoulos Nikephoros II Orsini Manuel Kantakouzenos Simeon Uroš Thomas Preljubović Esau de' Buondelmonti Alexios Angelos Philanthropenos Theodore II Palaiologos Gemistus Pletho Constantine XI Palaiologos Demetrios Palaiologos Thomas Palaiologos Byzantine scholars in Renaissance

Major centres	Thessaloniki Athens Corinth Mystras Patras Thebes Arta Ioannina

Provinces and regions	Theme of the Aegean Crete Theme of Hellas Theme of Samos Theme of Macedonia Theme of Strymon Theme of Thessalonica Theme of the Peloponnese Theme of Cephallenia Theme of Nicopolis Sclaviniae Melingoi and Ezeritai Tsakonia Great Vlachia

Greek states after 1204	Despotate of Epirus Empire of Nicaea Empire of Thessalonica Despotate of the Morea Thessaly

History	Byzantine Iconoclasm Arab–Byzantine wars Muslim conquest of Crete Byzantine reconquest of Crete Byzantine conquest of Bulgaria Siege of Patras (805 or 807) Seljuq campaigns in the Aegean Byzantine–Norman wars Sack of Thessalonica (1185) Fourth Crusade Battle of the Olive Grove of Kountouras Under the Palaiologos dynasty Battle of Prinitza Battle of Makryplagi Battle of Neopatras Battle of Pharsalus (1277) Battle of Demetrias Byzantine civil war of 1321–28 Byzantine–Genoese War (1348–49) Zealots of Thessalonica Byzantine civil war of 1341–47 Byzantine–Ottoman Wars Siege of Thessalonica (1422–30) Battle of the Echinades (1427) Morea revolt of 1453–54

Monuments	Acrocorinth Agios Eleftherios Church, Athens Angelokastro (Corfu) Church of the Holy Apostles, Athens Church of the Parigoritissa Daphni Monastery Gardiki Castle Hexamilion wall Hosios Loukas Kassiopi Castle Meteora Mount Athos Monastery of Saint John the Theologian Monemvasia Mystras Nea Moni of Chios Panagia Episkopi Paleochristian and Byzantine monuments of Thessaloniki Panagia Ekatontapiliani Patras Castle

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