Zarakova

At the south-east edge of the plain of Davia (Mainalo) and west of Trikorfa fortifications, which rise behind the Mainalo mountain, west-southwest of Tripoli, north-east of Sylimna and south-southeast of Mainalo. Along with the castle at Sylimna, it controlled the south-east area of the Elisson river valley.

In the Byzantine and Frankish sources no mention is made of this fort. The Byzantine records refer only to the great stronghold of Tavia, which the Frankish ones ignore. In later years, travellers even of the early 19th century sought it in some ancient city and equated it with Lykoa, although there are no remains here of classical antiquity. Further there is confusion as to the identity of the remains: sometimes referred to as "small churches" and sometimes as towers.

Be that as it may, judging from the hasty building using any available materials to hand and the surface pottery, it believed that the place was already in use by the Early Byzantine era, while the extant buildings were constructed in the Late Byzantine period (14th-15th centuries).

Χρονολόγηση: 14th-15th centuries.

The rectangular hilltop called Ekklisoules or Palaiokastro is at an altitude of 932 m. Only the west-side approach is smooth enough and accessible, the remaining sides are sheer, making it a natural hill-fort. On the two prominences of the fortifications (some 400 sqm) is built a rectangular tower apiece. The tower on the west has dimensions of 7.8 x 4.6 m; its maximum preserved height is 2.75 m. The thickness of the walls is 0.75 m. On the south side an opening at some height above the ground-level corresponds to its entrance. To its west and outside is an opening that should be a cistern.

A few meters (22 m) to the east is the second tower, measuring some 7.3 x 4 m. It is best preserved on its north side, to a height of 2.7 m, while the thickness of the walls reaches in places 1.15 m. The entrance is located on the north side of the tower, some 2 m from the ground. Of interest are the preserved remains of the roof that testify to the existence of a vault, while the rectangular beam-holes would argue its wooden construction.

Both towers are built of local small grey field-stones, held together by a hard and coarse lime plaster/mortar intermixed with pieces of tiles and small stones. The cornerstones are worked and the building here is more careful. Use has been made too of ancient bricks, coming probably from the nearby location of Agia Kyriaki Karteroliou.

The wall runs round the hill-top; a few traces of it remain all the way round.

On the south-west slopes of the fort lie extensive ruins, called Chalasmata, which probably constitutes the Byzantine settlement that went with the fortification on the hill-top.

Δεν υπάρχουν λογοτεχνικές αναφορές για το κάστρο της Ζαράκοβας

Ο επισκέπτης μπορεί να φτάσει στο ύψωμα από την Δ πλευρά που είναι η μόνη ομαλή. Ξεκινώντας την περιήγηση από τον Δ πύργο μπορεί να συνεχίσει στο στενό αυχένα της κορυφής και να φτάσει στον Α πύργο. Την μακρόστενη βουνοκορφή περιβάλλουν ίχνη τειχών από ξερολιθιά.

Δεν έχουν πραγματοποιηθεί εργασίες αποκατάστασης και ανάδειξης του χώρου.

E.P. Eleftheriou, «Συμβολή στην άμυνα της βυζαντινής Αρκαδίας: το Παλιόκαστρο της Ζαράκοβας», Proceedings of the 6th International Congress of Peloponnesian STudies, (Tripolis 24-29 September 2000), Athens 2001-2002, 559-569.