Byzantine Castle of Ypati: Traversing time, from antiquity to the 1821 Revolution

It continued to exert significant influence during the Byzantine period, particularly under the rule of John I Angelos Doukas Komnenos (late 13th century).

The preserved castle (acropolis) stands atop a steep rock to the south of the contemporary settlement. The site was first fortified during the Hellenistic period, whose restoration is believed to have been the work of Emperor Justinian. The surviving sections of the acropolis formed part of a larger defensive system extending along the northern slope of the hill, which served as the final refuge for the defenders of the fortified town in times of war.

The main phase of the fortification’s construction dates to the 13th century. The Catalans are thought to have built the circular tower that survives today and may have also undertaken maintenance of the existing defensive structures. The Castle of Ypati played an important part in the events of the Greek War of Independence (1821) and throughout modern Greek history.