Kasteli, Faistos, Herakleion,Crete
Castel Nuovo
or Kainourgio Kasteli or Castelnuovo
| Location: |
| On a hill west of the village Kasteli in Kainourgio region, Heraclion, Crete |
| Region > Prefecture: |  |
| Crete Herakleion | |
| Municipality > Town: | |
| City of Faistos • Kasteli | |
| Altitude: | |
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Elevation ≈ 255 m (Relative Height≈55 m) |
| Time of Construction | Origin | |
| 1206 | GENOAN  |
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| Castle Type | Condition | |
| Castle Ruins |
In Ruins
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Castel Nuovo was on a hill northwest of the village Kastelli, close to Phaestus.
The castle was built in 1206 by the Genoan pirate Enrico Pescatore who named it Nuovo, perhaps because one of the forts he built from scratch.
It is believed that this is the site of the ancient city Aina. The entrance to the fort was located on the south side of the hill, where there was a steep staircase.
History
During the Revolution of Τwo Syvritos (1230-1236) (the Venetians had occupied the island), the fort was occupied by the rebels. During Kallergi’s revolution (1363-1367), the rebels tried to take without success. As the number of movements against the Venetians decreased, the fort lost its importance and was eventually abandoned. Only during the Cretan War (Venetian-Turkish war) it was reused.
The name of the castle was also used for the current name of Kainourgiou Province (meaning New). Today the fort is ruined and severely damaged, with only a few parts of the walls and water tanks surviving.
| First entry in Kastrologos: | December 2013 |
Sources
- Website CretanBeaches - Καινούργιο Καστέλι (Castel Nuovo)
- Giannis Christakis, "Historical Fortification Monuments of Crete (330BC-1898)", Publication "Ktitika Grammata", 2004
- Nikos M.Gigourtakis , Monograph in the History Department of the University of Crete, “Byzantine fortifications in Crete in the 2nd Byzantine period (961-1204)”, Rethymno 2004
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| Access |
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| Approach to the monument: |
| ? |
| Entrance: |
| Access is free |
