Tour Destination
Venetian Castle of Zakynthos Island
The Venetian castle of Zakynthos is above Zakynthos town in the region of Bochali. It is built on ancient ruins of the ancient acropolis of the island, named Psofida. The area is a beautiful park today.
History
The exact date of the first construction of the Venetian Castle is not certain, but it is believed it was in 1480 right after they occupied the island. During the Venetian rule, the Castle was the capital of Zakynthos island.
Soon after been built, the castle was destroyed by invading Turks. In 1514, was repaired, again by the Venetians.
The strong earthquakes that have frequently struck the island, have destroyed the fortifications so often that they had constantly to be rebuilt. The construction of the walls and the Fortress defensive system, which are still preserved today, was completed in 1646 when the proveditor general damar was Iohannem Battista Grimani.
An important program of conservation of the Castle was carried out by the English in 1812 while they were in control of the island. The sewage and water supply systems were created in that period.
Recent excavations at the Venetian Castle have found monuments from the Byzantine period, including a church dated back to the 12th century.
