Methoni Castle

Methoni sits on a low promontory at the southwestern tip of the Peloponnese, and the Venetians walled the whole thing off with a rock-cut moat and a long arched bridge, so you cross water before you reach the gate. Inside is more space than building: a flat headland scattered with a granite column, cisterns, the shell of a bathhouse, a church and the outlines of streets that once held a whole town. The Lion of Saint Mark is carved above more than one gateway. At the far end a causeway runs out to the Bourtzi, an octagonal tower on its own rock with the open sea on three sides.

History

The Bourtzi, the octagonal tower on its own rock, dates from after 1500 and has served at times as a prison, with a cistern on its lower floor. Venetian emblems of the winged lion of St Mark and inscriptions are set into the walls, among them a plaque from the time of general Loredan's command in the Peloponnese, and inside the walls stand the ruins of Turkish military buildings, while a pier along the east wall formed the small fortified harbour (Wikipedia, Methoni Castle).

Highlights

• The moat and bridge - a rock-cut channel with a long arched crossing to the land gate.
• The Bourtzi - the octagonal sea tower reached by a short causeway at the far tip.
• The carved lions - Venetian reliefs above the gates, worn but still legible.
• The empty interior - column, cisterns, bathhouse and church standing alone on open ground.

When to go

Spring and early autumn are the sensible windows, since the headland has no shade at all and midsummer afternoons inside the walls are genuinely unpleasant. Late afternoon light on the sea walls is the best of the day, and the site tends to be near empty an hour before closing. Sea wind can be strong on the Bourtzi causeway in winter.

Practical notes

The interior is mostly grass and rubble with very little interpretation, so anyone expecting furnished rooms will be disappointed within twenty minutes. Several wall walks have unfenced drops straight to the rocks, which matters with children. The beach beside the castle fills up through August and parking in the village goes with it. Hours are not always as posted off-season.

Nearby

Koroni's castle sits on the other side of the peninsula, and Pylos with Voidokilia bay is a short drive north.

Key facts