FORTRESS OF PALAMIDI; A HISTORY-BREATHING MONUMENT

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Nafplion, one of the most beautiful Greek cities, welcomes the visitor all year round. When we, the elysian team, travelled there, the fortress of the city immediately caught our eyes.

The Palamidi fortress was built around 1700, during the Venetian occupation, based on the plans of the engineers Lasalle and Giaxich. It stands on a 216m high rock. It is very well preserved and its architecture is really impressive. There are eight bastions, six of them named after Greek heroes; Epaminondas, Miltiades, Leonidas, Phocion, Themostocles. The seventh is named after saint Andrew and the last after the French philehellene Robert who died in the battle of the Acropolis. The fortress is connected with many historical events. It was captured by the Greeks in 1822 during the Greek war of Independence against the Ottoman occupation. Furthermore, the Miltiades bastion served as a prison for criminals. Theodoros Kolokotronis, a leader of the Greek revolution, spent years there after being condemned for treason. You may visit the prison, the church of saint Andrew and the rest of the bastions and feel like travelling through time.

You can approach the fortress by two ways; the first is via the road (by car or taxi). The other one is trickier but definitely more rewarding; you can climb the 999 steps to reach the top of the castle. We decided to take the steps and it was an unforgettable experience!! Just a few tips; have water with you, climb early and enjoy the route. The view from above is breathtaking and it will enchant all travellers!!