Sellasia, Sparti, Laconia,Peloponnese
Castle of Palaiopanagitsa
| Location: |
| On a hilly terrain 2,5 km SW of the village Sellasia of Laconia |
| Region > Prefecture: |  |
| Peloponnese Laconia | |
| Municipality > Town: | |
| City of Sparti • Sellasia | |
| Altitude: | |
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Elevation ≈ 340 m (Relative Height≈90 m) |
| Time of Construction | Origin | |
| Unknown | Late-BYZANTINE  |
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| Castle Type | Condition | |
| Castle |
Rather Poor
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A medieval building compound with a tower in a hilly area named “Paleopanagitsa” west of the village Sellasia of Laconia, north of Sparti.
The location surveys a gorge exiting into the Evrotas valley to the west.
We know absolutely nothing about this fortification.
One hypothesis is that it was a castle of the Late-Byzantine period, built by the Byzantines of the Despotate of Mystras who after the recapturing of the territory, they had built several castles in southern Peloponnese.
Another very interesting hypothesis is that it is the Teologo castle recorded in the lists of castles occupied by the Venetians in 1467 and 1471. After all, the modern village of Theologos is only 5 kilometers east (Sellasia is a bit closer).
Ultimately this identification seems to be the most likely even though there is no further evidence (beyond the proximity with Theologos) as the castle has never been systematically surveyed and has not been noted by earlier researchers.
A tower is the most visible element but there are ruins of several other buildings and of a fortification wall.
| First entry in Kastrologos: | September 2018 | Last update of info and text: | January 2024 |
Sources
- Pictures, Location and Info by Mr Nikolaos Krallis (2018)
- Ιωάννης Θ. Σφηκόπουλος, «Τα Μεσαιωνικά κάστρα του Μορηά» , Αθήνα,1968, σελ.363-364
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| Access |
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| Approach to the monument: |
| A rough dirt road leads from Sellasia up to 150m from the fort. From there, a difficult hiking effort is needed through dense vegetation. |
| Entrance: |
| Free access |