Skiathos Medieval Castle

Location: Lalaria

Temporarily closed for restoration works.

Built on a rocky islet on the northern coast of Skiathos, the Castle-town of Skiathos was the island’s most significant center during the medieval era and the centuries of Ottoman rule. As the Skiathian author Alexandros Papadiamantis once wrote, this islet is a land that now “narrates a heartrending story of suffering and bloodshed that stretches over five centuries”.

Historians generally agree that the Castle was constructed in the 14th century, probably around 1360, when the island’s population abandoned the settlement where the present-day Town of Skiathos stands, seeking refuge from the constant pirate raids. Protected by sheer cliffs, it was impregnable from the sea and was only accessible through a wooden drawbridge that afforded its inhabitants some protection. It was, in fact, more of a natural than a man-made fort, which is why the three seaward sides were fortified merely with low walls. Only the fourth side was defended by a higher enceinte with a murder hole and a tower with cannons. Evidence suggests that there must have been two main defensive towers, as well as some smaller towers.

The Castle passed from Byzantine to Venetian hands in 1453, while in 1538 it was seized by the Ottomans, under the fleet of Hairedin Barbarossa. In 1660, it was also besieged by the Venetian admiral Francesco Morosini. Inside the enceinte, the houses were densely built close to one another, and travelers report that, within its 6 acres, at least 400 buildings were housing between 500 and 1500 people. There were also around 20 chapels, cisterns, and bathhouses, while the years of Ottoman rule saw the addition of an administrative building and a mosque.

Eventually, in 1829, the people of Skiathos moved again to the shore, taking with them not only their household items but also as much construction material as they could carry, including door frames, windows, timber, and much more. Thus, it was not long before the castle town lay in ruins.

Today, visitors can still see four of the twenty chapels, parts of the walls, and the eerie remnants of the Ottoman mosque, which, in the words of Papadiamantis, look like a dead man’s skull. While hiking to the Castle can be demanding, the panoramic vistas of the island and the sea are highly rewarding. If you don’t feel up to the hike, you can also approach Skiathos Castle by boat.