Korynos Castle #1260

Description

The castle is located to the east of Oinoe (formerly called Mazi) and south of the village Prasino in Boeotia. It is situated just south of the significant ancient Athenian fortress of Panakton. The hill offers a commanding view of the ancient road that connected the plains of Boeotia with the plains of Attica and Thriasion Pedion.

During antiquity, numerous fortresses were built on Mount Parnitha to protect the northern borders of Athenian territory. One of the most prominent of these was Panakton. However, the fortress of Korynos does not appear to have been part of this ancient defense network, as its construction is different, and it is located too close to Panakton. This proximity suggests that Korynos may not have been a permanent defensive structure but instead could have been used as a temporary military camp during an operation against Panakton.

The site is difficult to date due to the absence of significant archaeological findings or internal buildings. An administrative decision that officially classified Korynos as an ancient site (Φ.Ε.Κ. 26Β/1993) places its construction during the Proto-Geometric period (1000-900 BC), an unusually early dating. This designation might reflect the challenge of accurately placing the fortress in a specific historical period.

Structure, Fortifications & Buildings
The ruins of the fortress are enclosed within a partially preserved perimeter, with maximum dimensions of 90 by 50 meters.

The walls feature a double facade made of large stones without mortar. The remaining sections of the walls reach a maximum height of 2.1 meters, with a thickness of 1.60 to 1.80 meters.

The northern part of the castle was naturally protected and, therefore, had no fortifications. The best-preserved section of the wall is on the western side, while the southern wall has not survived, with stones from this section scattered across the southern slope of the hill.

No gate remains, but it is assumed that there was one on the eastern side, where access would have been the easiest.