The Castle of Karytaina is one of the most impressive castles in the Peloponnese.
Built by Hugo De Brugier (1245), a typical example of French fortified architecture, due to its magnificence it was called "Toledo of Greece".
Andronikos Palaiologos bought it from the French guard de Brugier (1320) so Byzantine churches and monasteries were built within its enclosure. Then it passed for a while to the Turks, to the Venetians and again to the Turks until the revolution.
Then it became a stronghold of Kolokotronis, an unattainable stronghold that even Ibrahim did not manage to attack. The interior of the castle of Karytaina is in ruins, while its fortification line is preserved on the outside. An uphill path through the cobblestones of Karytaina will lead you to it.
Admire, on occasion, the Byzantine bell tower of the church of Zoodochos Pigi (14th century).
Editor: Fotini Anastasopoulou
