Home Writing Artwork Photography About News Contact Links
The Kastro
It’s a must to venture up to the kastro at the summit of Chora, you'll find a host of fascinating architecture and views on the way and as you near the base of the castle it towers above majestically.
Finding the entrance is part of the fun, but it's not difficult. (Free entry)
There’s a helpful information board in the castle entrance with a splendid vaulted/arched ceiling and cobbled floor, and as you pass through you get a first glimpse of the interior of the kastro.
Built above the tunnel of the entrance stands the mid-19th century church of Panaghia Kastriani .
Respect the signs restricting access for safety reasons, but you can still clamber about a fair bit of the kastro and get a feel for what it might have been like, to have lived there. It was inhabited until fairly recently, but apparently depopulation and WWII damage saw the last people leave its protective walls
Aghios Georgios was built in 1790 (rumoured to stand on the site of an ancient temple).
The windows make great frames for views across to Livadi, Maltezana and the hills beyond
You can carefully climb a set of old steps to take you on to the uppermost part of the castle walls to gain further tremendous views of the environs.
On a clear day it is meant to be possible to see Amorgos and Santorini on the horizon.
At night the kastro is closed but is bathed in golden
light from the well-placed uplights.