Karystos Castle
Kokkinokastro, Castello Rosso, or the Karystos Fortress is a medieval castle located in southern Euboea. It is built at the foot of Mount Ochi, between the villages of Mylos and Grampia, 4 kilometers from Karystos. It takes its name from the red local stones from which it was constructed.
Historical Information
The castle is said to have been built by the Lombard house of Dale Carceri after 1205, as the lord’s residence and administrative center of southern Euboea. A Byzantine castle from the 11th century had previously stood on the site. Licario conquered the castle on behalf of the Byzantines in 1276, but the Lombards regained control of the castle in 1295, led by Boniface da Verona. After Boniface’s death in 1318, the fortress, along with the castle of Armeni, passed into the hands of the Catalans. The Venetians, interested in Karystos, attempted to purchase the castle, which they did in 1366, at a cost of 6,000 ducats. However, the castle fell into decline, so the Venetians leased it to the Giustiniani family in 1386 and to the barony of Niccolò Zorzi in 1406.
In 1470, with the conquest of Chalkis by the Ottomans, the castle came under Ottoman control. The fortress became known as Kizil Hisar. Greeks continued to live in the castle until the revolution of 1684. During the revolution of 1821, despite sieges by Androutsos, Kriezotis, and Favieros, the castle remained impregnable. Restoration work on the castle began in 1967, focusing particularly on the entrance gate, the outer bailey, and sections of the walls.
Description
The castle is located at the top of the conical hill known as Montopholi, overlooking the plain of Karystos. It consists of two enclosures that follow the natural topography and surrounded the medieval settlement. At the summit stood a fortified structure, now destroyed, which served as the keep. The walls are built of local schist with a strong mortar of gravel and lime. They survive up to the height of the battlements. The castle had four towers. The gate is located on the southwest side, while a pentagonal tower stands on the southeast side. Inside the castle, a two-story rectangular building and the ruins of houses and cisterns remain. Next to the rectangular building stands the newer church of Prophet Elias. To the north is an aqueduct that carries water from Mount Ochi.
WikipediaΚοκκινόκαστρο_Καρύστου
