Few traces of a Frankish castle in the village Riolos of Achaea. The castle has been described as small and not strong, mainly because it was not on high ground.
Only fragments of the fortification are visible today embedded in fences and walls of post-byzantine houses. A remarkable and unusual feature is the stone-paved path that leads to the location of the castle. Apparently this has been a Frankish road.

History

The castle was probably built in the 13th century belonging to the barony of Acova. The French version of the Chronicle of Morea (“Livre de la conqueste de Constantinople et de l’empire de Romanie, et dou pays de la princée de la Morée”) informs that “Oriol” was a maison de plaisance used as a summer resort by the Prince of Achaea Florent de Hainaut and his wife, Isabelle de Villehardouin, daughter of Guillaume II de Villehardouin. This means that the castle have been acquired by the Principality of Achaea in 1276, when the last Baron of Acova died.

The French chronicle mentions again Riolo as a castle captured by Ferran de Mallorca in 1315. Ferran was one of the claimants of the throne of Achaea at that period. The Chronicle also reports that Ferran stayed in this castle the night before the battle of Manolada (July 1316), in which he was killed.

Riolo is mentioned in the lists of fiefs as “Le Oriol” (1391), “Ruolio” or “Ruolo” (1463), “Riolo” (1467), “Riollo” (1471). The name “Teriolo” is used by the Byzantine Historian Georgios Frantzis (or Sphrantzes) in his “Chronikon”. In the 1471 is recorded in the hands of the Ottomans but not destroyed.

The castle is mentioned again in the second Venetian occupation (1687-1715). Perhaps it was destroyed some time in the 17th or the 18th century.

Sources