Fortress
of Rion
In
1499 the first fortification of the pass was made by Bayazid II, smaller
in area and with a double circuit and moat. In 1532 it was taken by the
Spaniards and Andrea Doria, and retaken by the Turks. In 1603 the Knights
of Malta wrought significant destruction. In 1687 it was taken by Morosini.
Drastic repairs were made and it received the form it has today: new towers
- bastions, strengthened ramparts. The fortress was siezed by the Turks
in 1715, and in 1828, after a siege, the Turks surrendered it to General
Maison.
It
was repaired and handed over to the Greeks. The Fortress (castro) was used
as a prison for a considerable time. During World War II the Germans established
themselves there.
No
excavations have been carried out in the area of the Fortress.
Cleaning
and removal of earth was done in 1980-81 and in 1984 the wall of the eastern
side of the Fortress was restored.
Free
admission
Telephone:
+30-61-990691
Ancient
Odeion of Patras
It
was built shortly before the Odeion of Herodes Atticus in Athens (161 A.D.)
and is smaller than the Athenian monument.
The
cavea has four rows of seats in the lower section, and seven in the upper
part, over the diazoma. The outer, tall wall of the stage (skene) has five
entrances to the skene and the lateral buildings (paraskenia). Access to
the proskenion is gained through two built stairways, one on the left and
one on the right side. The orchestra is paved and separated from the cavea
by a semicircular parapet.
The
Odeion was revealed in 1889 and until then it was completely covered with
earth. Only restricted excavation has been carried out on the site.
The
monument was repaired and again dressed with marble slabs after World War
II. Every summer the Odeion is employed for music concerts and theatrical
performances
Free
admission
Telephone
+30-61-276207
Aghios
Andreas at Patras
Basilica
built in 1835 on the site of the Early Christian basilica of Aghios Andreas.
The architect was A. Kaftanzoglou. To the northwest there are remains of
an ancient construction: "well or font" of Aghios Andreas. To the northeast
is the larger church of the apostle Andreas.
Monastery
of Aghia Lavra
Preserved
from the first monastery is the Byzantine church with double pitched cross
formed roof. In 1689 the monastery was moved lower down: a katholikon of
Aghion Oros (Mt. Athos) type, where the standard of the Revolution was
raised in 1821. Ibrahim destroyed the monastery which was rebuilt on the
same spot. In the sacristy is kept the Standard (labaron), ikons, archives
and sacred vessels.
Aghios
Nikolaos at Platani
The
church of Aghios Nikolaos lies in the northern foothills of the Panachaikos,
on the right bank of the mountain torrent Xylokera. In a Venetian record
of church property of the end of the 17th century, it is referred to as
an old monastery. The church has undergone a considerable number of repairs.
The
monument comprises the main church and a slightly wider narthex. The wall
construction, which is similar and unites the two, shows that church and
narthex are contemporary. The main church consists of a rectangular core
measuring 5,50 X 3 m. on the interior, with two spacious apses measuring
3 m. on the chord projecting from the north and south sides. All three
apses are semi-circular on the interior and three-sided on the exterior.
This is usual in the Greek school to which this monument belongs. Each
of the three apses of the main church has a double window.
Except
for the lower sections and the eastern wall of the northern part of the
narthex, the monument is constructed with reticulate tiling, and tile patterns
enliven the appearance of the outer side. Aghios Nikolaos is a characteristic
example of church construction of the Greek school, and it dates to the
beginning of the 12th century. Today it is a parish church of the Community
of Platani. |
