Chalki Village Castle #1002

Description

Perched atop St. Nicholas Hill, overlooking the former Halki town, lies the castle. On top of the old Hellenistic fortress, it was constructed in the fifteenth century by the Knights of St. John. They were then in charge of the harbor, the sea lanes, and the Trachean peninsula. The remnants of the medieval St. Nicholas church are located inside the fortress. The Grand Master of the Knights Pierre d'Aubusson's (1476–1503) symbol is etched at the entrance.

It may be deduced from the proclamations made by Grand Masters Orsini (1474) and D'Aubusson (1479) on the precautions to be taken against enemy assaults that the castle was not deemed secure and that the occupants were advised to take refuge in the fortress of Rhodes. The castle's limited size and inability to hold large crowds must have been the primary cause. Moreover, there could not have been a large number of skilled fighters in Chalkis who could have defended the fortress.

This is a modest castle with a 260-meter circumference and an area of around 2,000 square meters. The form is extended along the east-west axis, following the ridge of the granite.