Description of the attraction
The small picturesque island of Skiathos is one of the islands of the Northern Sporades archipelago in the Aegean Sea. It has been inhabited since prehistoric times, and for a long time its settlement was on the territory of the modern city of Skiathos.
Around the middle of the 14th century, due to constant pirate raids, the inhabitants of the city were forced to move to more inaccessible places. So, on a high steep cliff in the northern part of the island, the new city of Castro was created, which by its location was a wonderful natural fortress. For the purpose of additional strengthening, the fortification was surrounded by high walls with embrasures and cannons. The communication between the fortress and the land was provided by means of wooden mobile bridges, which were removed in case of danger, and it was impossible for enemies to enter the castle.
Until 1453, the castle was in the power of the Byzantines, and then passed to the Venetians. From 1538 to 1821, with a short break, the Ottoman Empire ruled here. The main problem of the inhabitants was the very limited space in the castle walls. The houses were built very small and close to each other. However, this fortress housed about 300 residential buildings, 22 churches and a mosque built during the Turkish domination. The castle was abandoned at the beginning of the 19th century.
Today the ruins of a medieval castle are of great interest to tourists and are one of the main attractions of the island. On the territory of the fortress today you can see the well-preserved churches of the Nativity of Christ (with a carved iconostasis and magnificent frescoes) and Agios Nicholas, the dilapidated church of Panagia Preklas and a Turkish mosque without a minaret, as well as some other buildings. Several cannons were also retained.
Skiathos Castle is visited by a huge number of tourists every year, who are attracted by both the history of this place and the stunning panoramic views that open from the top of the fortress.
