Andiamo: 4/30–Katakalon & Chlemoutsi castle

Sunday, April 30, 2017

4/30–Katakalon & Chlemoutsi castle

This is one of those relatively undiscovered wonders. There are maybe 3 cars in the parking lot, and the place is basically deserted. We walk up to the ticket booth, where I don’t think the girl there speaks much English, but “ticket” is pretty universal nowadays –so we pay our 4 Euro fee and make our way into the castle.

This place is wonderful – first of all because we are two of six people there – and secondly, because it just is an amazing example of 12th century construction and architecture. Built by French rulers, the original name is the Clermont castle, but the Greeks named it Chlemoutsi, which is the name that stuck throughout time.

The castle is a hexagonal structure inside a courtyard with battlements and walls. We enter through the main gate, which leads to the courtyard strewn with ruins and relics of the original construction period.

Entering into the castle proper, you can see the hexagonal structure, with the garden area in the middle. The current day castle is divided into museum exhibits, which are a wonderful way to visibly explain the artifacts found here, and the uses of each room.

This is the castle of the princes – and the castle structure itself was a two story affair – the bottom level used as storage cellars and working rooms, the second floor used as the royal residence. Explanation placards mark your way, explaining how the princes would enter through the one gate with the arched walkway, which leads to the interior courtyard.

From here you can view the entire courtyard and interior walls – most of which have been restored, but you can still get the feel of how it would be to enter here in the 1200’s, with gardens below open and crenellated windows above.

There are wonderful displays throughout the lower floors. Including some great aerial photos and miniature reconstructions which give an excellent perspective on the entire complex.

The museum also does a wonderful job of explaining the rooms, the window seats, even the fireplace used to heat the second story.

There is also a entire room devoted to the coins that were first minted here. But the best feature is the rooftop area where you have a 360 degree view of Kastros and the coastline. From here, 250 meters above the sea, you can understand the strategically location choice, lording over the lower elevations, protecting the seaport. It also makes sense, why in later years, this castle was used as the jumping off point for the crusades. A totally defendable position, now overlooking hectares and hectares of olive groves and orange groves that stretch to the sea.