Laskaras Fortress #1138

Description

The fortress is identical and “twin” to the castle of Koronisia.
This fortress is one of the defensive structures built during the time of Ali Pasha of Tepelena in 1807, based on designs by French army Colonel Guillaume de Vaudoncourt and under the supervision of Italian engineer Monteleone. The same architects also designed the Fortress of Pantokrator in Preveza, the Bastion at Pefkakia, and the Fortress of Anthousa in Parga.

At the top of the hill, there was a Krupp cannon, which was used at the onset of the unsuccessful Greco-Turkish War of 1897. This cannon fired the first shot of the war, hitting the passenger ship Macedonia, which was en route from Amfilochia and ran aground at Actium before catching fire at Akri. Shortly afterward, the cannon was put out of action following a successful shot from the Greek Artillery stationed at “Kefali tis Panagias” in Acarnania.