Description
The Palamidi fortress towers above the town of Nafplio on the eastern side of the Peloponnese peninsula. It sits on a 216-metre-high hill and was built between 1711 and 1714 during the period of Venetian rule. It is a fortress in the Baroque style. Just one year after its completion, the fortress was captured by the Turks and remained in their possession until the Greeks took control in 1822. In the interim, the fortress was even used as a prison — the Greek revolutionary hero Theodoros Kolokotronis was held captive here.
What makes the complex particularly remarkable is that the fortress actually consists of seven smaller sections. These are designed so that each can still be defended even if a neighbouring section has been taken.
Visiting
To reach the upper part of the fortress, you need to tackle roughly 1,000 steps — opinions differ on the exact number, but the impressive views from the top more than make up for the effort.
During your visit, you can move around the fortress entirely freely and explore at your own pace, which is particularly great for children.
How to get there
You can reach the fortress from Nafplio either on foot via the roughly 1,000 steps or by driving up the road and parking in the car park directly at the fortress.
