Konitsa Castle #1128

Description

 Its strategic location allowed it to control the western entrance to the Aoos Gorge.

The castle is located near the chapel of Agia Varvara, which is why it is also known as the “Castle of Agia Varvara.”

The exact history of the Konitsa Castle is uncertain. The first known mention of the castle (and of Konitsa itself) appears in the Chronicle of Ioannina, written around 1380. According to the chronicle, the castle was built by the Despot of Epirus, Thomas Preloumbos—a Serb ruler based in Ioannina—as a defense against Albanian raids.

However, some scholars believe the castle may have been built or reconstructed around 1319, during the brief period (1318-1339) when the Byzantine Empire regained control over the territories of the Despotate of Epirus. Another possibility is that the original structure dates back to the 6th century, as one of the fortifications built during the reign of Emperor Justinian.

The Ottomans conquered the region in 1431 and initially made use of the castle, though it was later abandoned or destroyed. The details of how and when this occurred remain unknown.