Leonidio, Ag. Athanasios

The fortified hill is situated 4 km from Leonidio, and west of the port of Plaka. From the castle,  the islands of Spetses and Spetsopoula and the coasts of the Argolid are visible to the east; and to the north-west Oriontas. The castle controlled the road that passed through Ag. Andreas, Leonidio and Kosmas, and continued west of the peak of Mazaraki on Parnon to Geraki, as well as the road through Ag. Andreas, Leonidio Koumaria (Poulithra), Peleta Kounoupia, Mari, an unnamed pass and Ag. Dimitrios Zarakas.

           In the broader area of where the castle was built the ruins of the citadel of an important city in antiquity are situated, which stretched to Plaka Leonidio. Many of the expressed views concerning the name of this city equate it either with the ancient Prasies or Brasies, or with Polichne. On the north hill-side of Ag. Athanasios, we can locate the remnants of six towers and retaining walls from the ancient phase of occupation.

In medieval times, a settlement was created to the top of the hill. Here the castle that probably corresponds to the so-called castle of ‘Ales Linidi’ was erected, which is mentioned at the time of Turkish-Venetian war in 1467 as being destroyed. During the period of Frankish rule, the area of ​​Leonidio, Astros and other places in Tsakonia passed into the control of Antonio Acciaioli, Duke of Athens in 1402-1435, through his second marriage to Maria Melisseni.

Χρονολόγηση: Frankish/Late Byzantine period (13th-15th centuries).

           The fortification is to be found mainly on the south and north sides of the hill; the west is quite rugged and the east is effectively naturally fortified by vertical cliffs, and so no walls were built. Traces of a gate are nowhere seen.

In the castle the remains of a cistern are identified . A second, smaller one is located further south in a natural cavity in the rock. To the north of the larger cistern fortification traces and buildings can be made out .

The south end of the castle has a semicircular tower. Traces of walls and tower foundations are located on the north side. On the hill  the cruciform chapel of Ag. Athanasios and the ruined church of Ag. Dimitrios are also identified, as well as scattered bits of dry-stone structures.

The monument is legally protected by N 3028/2002

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