Castle of Patras

Intertwined with the history of the city and with an uninterrupted presence for centuries, the Castle of Patras, built at the foot of Mt Panahaiko and with its foundation believed to be in the 6th century AD, is considered one of Achaia’s most important attractions and imposing monuments.
The Castle expands over a surface area of 5.7 acres, and consists of two parts, the enlarged triangular outer enclosure with towers and bastions, and the inner enclosure, rising in its northeastern corner and also called the bastion as it features 6 tower-bastions around its perimeter.
Built by the Byzantine emperor Justinian, on the site of an ancient acropolis and using its ruins as building material for the new construction, it has been the focus of conquerors and raiders (Frankish, Venetian, Turkish and French, some of them), and has experienced strong earthquakes and riots, interventions and additions, and was saved almost unscathed to this day, being a landmark and an ornament of the Achaean capital.
Situated 800m away from the coast, next to the adjacent grove of the upper town and commanding a breathtaking view, it remains a watchful guard of Patras, functioning as an archaeological site to be visited, but also as a place to host cultural events thanks to the small theatre that has been erected inside the castle.