Patras Castle

Greek castle

The castle from up close

The Patras Castle (Greek: Κάστρο Πατρών) was built around the mid-6th century AD above the ruins of the ancient acropolis of the city of Patras, 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.

The first castle on the spot 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.[1] In 1278, the Principality of Achaea pawned it to the local Latin 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, who called it Balya Badra (from Greek Παλιά Πάτρα, 'Old Patras').[2]

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.

## Gallery

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* View of the castle

* The castle as seen on a late 19th-century post card

* Patras castle, 1890

* Overview

* The Greek flag flying from the highest point in the fortress

* A tower

* A view of the keep

* The entrance to the castle

* Spolia in the castle walls

* An elevation plan view for the blind

* The inner moat of the Patras Fortress

## References

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1. ^ Diplomatics in the Eastern Mediterranean 1000-1500: Aspects of Cross-Cultural Communication. BRILL. 2008-03-31. pp. 112–122. ISBN 978-90-474-3303-3.
2. ^ Rutar, Sabine (2014). Beyond the Balkans: Towards an Inclusive History of Southeastern Europe. LIT Verlag Münster. p. 233\. ISBN 978-3-643-10658-2.

## External links

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Patras Fortress.

* https://web.archive.org/web/20070927204223/http://patras2006.gr/el/modules/html/index.php?id=6
* Patras Fortress at the Ministry of Culture

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

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Landmarks of Patras

Landmarks|

* Achaia Clauss
* Apollon Theatre
* Archaeological Museum of Patras
* Cathedral of Saint Andrew
* Catholic church of Saint Andrew
* Georgiou I Square
* Kapodistria Square
* Mycenaean cemetery of Voudeni
* Olgas Square
* Pampeloponnisiako Stadium
* Patras Castle
* Patras Lighthouse
* Psilalonia
* Rio–Antirrio Bridge
* Roman and Medieval Aqueducts
* Roman Odeon
* Roman Stadium

Events|

* Patras Carnival

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Byzantine Greece

Provinces and regions|

* Achaea Province
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People|

* Justinian I
* Heraclius
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* Basil II
* Nikephoros Melissenos
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* Michael I Komnenos Doukas
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* Demetrios Chomatenos
* John Apokaukos
* Michael II Komnenos Doukas
* Michael VIII Palaiologos
* John I Doukas of Thessaly
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* Thomas I Komnenos Doukas
* Gregory Palamas
* Demetrios Kydones
* Catalan Company
* 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
* Gemistos Plethon
* Constantine XI Palaiologos
* Demetrios Palaiologos
* Thomas Palaiologos
* Byzantine bureaucracy and aristocracy
* Byzantine scholars in Renaissance
* Historians: Niketas Choniates
* George Akropolites
* Nicephorus Gregoras
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* Michael Glykas
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Major centres|

* Thessaloniki
* Athens
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* Mystras
* Patras
* Thebes
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* Despotate of Epirus
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History|

* Persecution of paganism
* Barbarian invasions
* Under the Heraclian dynasty
* Byzantine Iconoclasm
* Siege of Thessalonica (676–678)
* Siege of Patras (805 or 807)
* Arab–Byzantine wars
* Muslim conquest of Crete
* Byzantine reconquest of Crete
* Macedonian Renaissance
* Byzantine conquest of Bulgaria
* East-West Schism
* Byzantine–Norman wars
* Sack of Thessalonica (1185)
* Fourth Crusade
* Battle of the Olive Grove of Kountouras
* Battle of Klokotnitsa
* Battle of Pelagonia
* Under the Palaiologos dynasty
* Reconquest of Constantinople
* Battle of Prinitza
* Battle of Makryplagi
* Battle of Neopatras
* Battle of Pharsalus (1277)
* Battle of Demetrias
* Byzantine civil war of 1321–1328
* Hesychast controversy (Palamism)
* Byzantine–Genoese War (1348–1349)
* Zealots of Thessalonica
* Byzantine civil war of 1341–1347
* Byzantine–Ottoman Wars
* Siege of Thessalonica (1422–1430)
* Battle of the Echinades (1427)
* Morea revolt of 1453–1454
* Ottoman conquest of the Morea

Culture|

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Monuments|

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* Panagia Ekatontapiliani
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Castles in Greece

* Acrocorinth
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* St. George's Castle, Preveza
* Amfissa Castle
* Castle of Saint Andrew
* Angelokastro (Corfu)
* Antimachia Castle
* Arkessini Castle
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* Aptera Fortress
* Arcadia Castle
* Astypalaia Castle
* Assos Castle
* Castle of Bouka
* Bourtzi Castle
* Castle of Chios
* Chlemoutsi
* Cythera Castle
* Didymoteicho Fortress
* Eleutherae
* Exomvourgo
* Fortezza of Rethymno
* Firkas Fortress
* Fortifications of Chania
* Fortifications of Heraklion
* Frangokastello
* Gardiki Castle
* Glarentza
* Heptapyrgio
* Ioannina Castle
* Izzeddin
* Kastellos (Kritinia)
* Kalamata Castle
* Kassiopi Castle
* Kavala Castle
* Kazarma fortress
* Koules (Castello a Mare)
* Larissa Castle, Argos
* Leros Castle
* Livadeia Castle
* Mystras
* Monemvasia
* Methoni Castle
* Monastery of Saint John the Theologian
* Miryna Fortress
* Mithymna Castle
* Castle of Mytilene
* New Fortress, Corfu
* New Navarino fortress
* Nafpaktos Castle
* Nerantzia Castle
* Old Fortress, Corfu
* Old Navarino castle
* Parga Castle
* Palace of the Grand Master of the Knights of Rhodes
* Palamidi
* Patras Castle
* Platamon Castle
* Fortifications of Rhodes
* Riniasa Castle
* Rio Castle
* Rogoi
* Skiathos Castle
* Trikala Castle
* Vonitsa Castle
* Walls of Thessaloniki

See also: List of gates in Greece

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