Kastrologos

Castles of Greece
 

Loganikos, Sparta, Laconia,Peloponnese

Paleologean Castle of Loganikos

  
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Location:
Loganikos, Laconia, central Peloponnese
Region > Prefecture: Greek Map
Peloponnese
Laconia
Municipality > Town:
City of Sparta
• Loganikos
Altitude:
Elevation ≈ 940 m 
(Relative Height≈320 m)
Time of Construction   Origin
End of 13th century  
Late-BYZANTINE
H 
Castle Type   Condition
Castle  
Rather Poor
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A castle in high altitude (940m) in a strategic location. It controlled the upper valley of Evrotas from a place where the mountains Taygetos and Parnon converge. It was a point of defense since the time of ancient Sparta.

The castle was built by the Byzantines of the Despotate of Mystras before the end of the 13th century or perhaps in the beginning of the 14th century. Maybe, initially, it was a Frankish castle which soon passed under the control of the Byzantines who took the area after the battle of Pelagonia (1259).

After the conquest of Peloponnese by the Ottomans (1460), the castle remained Turkish for a while but in 1463 it is included in the list of the important castles with a Venetian guard. By 1467, it was again under Ottoman occupation.

During the Tourkokratia, the castle remained functional to protect the village (that prospered in that period) and to survey the passages of the mountains in order to prevent invasions by the people of Mani.

The castle is built on a steep hill with 3 zones of fortification. Today only ruins of the walls and of some towers remain.


First entry in Kastrologos:    November 2012

Sources