Vourlia Castle #1242

Description

At the edge of the peninsula, on a steep rock along the road from Agios Isidoros to Koutro Beach, lie the barely visible ruins of an ancient fortification.

During the Catalan period, the area around Agios Isidoros and the Castle of Vourlia was known as "Port de Aragó" (Port of Aragon) and likely belonged to Frederick de Aragó, Count of Salona (Amfissa). For this reason, the castle can be considered "Catalan." However, there is some uncertainty, as the castle remains are minimal and appear quite old. Additionally, the site had been fortified long before the Catalan period, with evidence of Neolithic finds.

The most plausible scenario is that the castle dates to the early Byzantine period when the city of Antikyra expanded beyond its original Hellenistic walls. At that time, fortifications were likely built to protect the city, both at the Castle of Vourlia and on the nearby islets in the Antikyra Gulf, Daskaleio, and Tsarouhi.