Mytilene Castle

The castle occupies a headland between the two harbours of Mytilene and covers around sixty acres, which puts it among the largest fortified enclosures in the Mediterranean. Its fabric is layered: Byzantine walls of the sixth century rebuilt in 1373 by the Gattilusi, the Genoese family who ruled Lesvos, then extended by the Ottomans after 1462, with additions into the nineteenth century. Inside the pine-shaded enclosure are the ruins of a Gattilusi palace, a medieval cistern, a powder magazine, an Ottoman medrese and a small mosque, along with the base of an ancient temple. Ancient marble blocks and inscriptions are visible reused in the walls. The upper enceinte gives a view over the town, the harbour and the Anatolian coast opposite.

History

The Byzantine core of the fortress is believed to stand on the ancient acropolis; Mytilene was wrecked by the Romans in 88 BC after Lesbos joined the revolt of the Mithridatic Wars, and Pompey later restored its autonomy. Francesco I Gattilusio made the first major alterations in 1373, the Ottomans bombarded and took the castle in 1462, and in 1501 Bayezid II repaired it after the war with Venice and added two large round gun towers; in 1643-1644 Bekir Pasha modernised it, perhaps with the coming Cretan War in mind, building a new wall in front of the medieval one (Wikipedia, Castle of Mytilene).

What you'll find

• The layered walls - Byzantine, Genoese and Ottoman work in one circuit.
• The Gattilusi palace ruins - the medieval residence inside the enclosure.
• The reused antiquities - ancient blocks and inscriptions built into walls.
• The headland view - Mytilene, both harbours and the coast of Anatolia.

When to go

Spring and autumn; the enclosure has pines and some shade but is large and hot in summer. Mornings are best, and the castle occasionally hosts summer events.

Things to know

Much of the interior is ruin and scrub with limited signage, and parts are fenced for safety. The scale means a lot of walking on uneven ground. Restoration works have closed sections periodically.

Nearby

Mytilene's archaeological museum is below the walls; Molyvos and the north coast are an hour away.

Key facts