RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations, Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report The castle was the biggest building built by the Franks in the Balkans. Today the fortress is visitable and is one of the most impressive though not so well known sights in the Peloponnese and generally in Western Greece. The Venetians believed that the coins of the principality of Achaia, the Tornese, were minted there. More specifically, during the period of Venetian rule in the region, the fortress in Kyllini was named Castel Tornese. Later, there is another change in the name of the castle. Later, the Greeks named it Chlemoutsi as it appears in the Chronicle of Morea or Chlemoutsi. It is a truly stunning vista.Ĭhlemoutsi was originally called Clermont Castle. From there you will have the opportunity to enjoy a view of the Ionian Sea almost being able to see Zakynthos.

You will see it dominating a hill nearly 200 meters high very close to the sea. The images you see here from above can make you get a taste of how big and significant a fortification center this castle once was. You will find it traveling to the village of Kastro in the prefecture of Ilia and there is no way you will not recognize it from afar. Geoffrey was involved in the conquest of Morea (Peloponnese) which was completed in a few years and in 1209 he was appointed ruler of the new state which was called the Principality of Achaea.

They partitioned among them several territories of the Byzantine Empire. Rather than freeing Jerusalem, the crusaders ended up conquering Constantinople in 1204. Geoffrey I of Villehardouin who built the fortress was a French knight who joined the Fourth Crusade. The fortress stands on a hill at the westernmost point of Peloponnese it was very visible from the sea and thus to ships on their route to the Levant it was a sort of symbol of the newly established state. The medieval stronghold was constructed in the early 1220s by the Crusader rulers of the Principality of Achaea as their main stronghold and is perhaps the finest fortification of the early period of Frankish rule in Greece preserved in the country today. One of the few exceptions is the castle of Chlemoutsi or the Castel Tornese situated in the northwest of the Elis regional unit in the Peloponnese peninsula of southern Greece, in the Kastro-Kyllini municipality. Imposing, and rich in history, Greece hosts countless medieval castles and fortresses, reports.Įach one has a different story to tell…Some are in better condition than others, while others have seen innumerable battles with their walls almost battered completely down.

Stronghold crusader 1 economy