Venetian Castle of Naxos #1024

Description

The Castle of Chora in Naxos is situated in the northwest part of the island on a low hill near the sea, strategically overseeing the harbor and the northern entrance to the Paronaxia Strait.

The Castle occupies the summit of the hill, where an ancient citadel may have once stood. From the 14th century onward, a walled settlement known as the Borgo developed in the northwest part of the hill, directly connected to the Castle.

The castle was established by the Venetian nobleman Marco Sanudo shortly after 1207. Sanudo took part in the Fourth Crusade and the Latin conquest of Constantinople in 1204. He was the nephew of Enrico Dandolo, the Doge of Venice and one of the leaders of the Fourth Crusade.