Charakas, Monemvasia, Laconia,Peloponnese
Paliochora of Charakas
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the chapel of Profitis Elias
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the path to the castle
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the tower of the NW corner
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the tower-like building of the NE corner
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one of the two housew of the west slope
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the other of the two housew of the west slope
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THE END
| Location: |
| On a rocky coastal hill east of the village Charakas of Laconia on the SE coast of Peloponnese |
| Region > Prefecture: |  |
| Peloponnese Laconia | |
| Municipality > Town: | |
| City of Monemvasia • Charakas | |
| Altitude: | |
| Elevation ≈ 585 m |
| Time of Construction | Origin | |
| 13th century | Late-BYZANTINE  |
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| Castle Type | Condition | |
| Medieval Settlement |
In Ruins
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A fortified byzantine settlement on a rock above the Myrtoan sea.
History
The first fortification on the rock appeared in the 9th century when a naval observatory of the Byzantines was built there to survey the activity of the Saracen pirates, especially those based in Crete.
Later, a settlement was developed there which existed from the 13th until the 17th century. The settlement was known as “Charakas” at least since the 16th century.
The place was abandoned during the 6th Turkish-Venetian war (1684-1699) when the population moved to the main village of the territory, Kremasti. After the war, the population moved permanently to the location of the modern village with the same name.
Old Charakas became known as Paliochora. There are ruins of walls, one tower, two unnamed churches, cisterns, various buildings and the renovated chapel of Profitis Elias with frescos dated from the late 14th-early 16th century.
| First entry in Kastrologos: | November 2015 | Last addition of photo/video: | November 2021 |
Sources
- Νεκτάριος Γ. Σκάγκος, Ιστορικές και αρχαιολογικές μαρτυρίες από τον Χάρακα Λακωνίας, Ιστοριογεωγραφικά (περιοδική έκδοση για την Ιστορία, Γεωγραφία και Τοπογραφία του Ελληνικού χώρου κατά τους μέσους χρόνους), τόμος όγδοος, Γιάννενα-Θεσσαλονίκη 2000, σ.σ 221-242
- Photos (4,5,6, 9-16) Sagoundon, July 2009
- Video by the user G Traveller Παλιόχωρα Χάρακα | Paliochora of Charakas origin also of photos 1, 2, 3, 8, 17, 18, 19
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| Access |
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| Entrance: |
| ? |
| Other castles around |
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| Paliokastro of Asopos |
| Tower of Elea |
| Tower of Palia Monemvasia |
| Castle of Kalogria |
| Paliopyrgos of Molaoi |
| Castle of Reichea |
| Ancient Zarax |
