The island fortress of Bourtzi, a Venetian castle located in the middle of Nafplio’s harbor in the Peloponnese, will reopen to the public starting this Saturday, as announced on Thursday.
In a joint statement, the Culture Ministry and the Hellenic Public Properties Company (ETAD) revealed that the monument has undergone extensive restoration and maintenance. These efforts have made it accessible to persons with disabilities while preserving all the authentic parts of the fortress.
Visitors can explore the fortress every day from Monday to Sunday, between 9 a.m. and 8 p.m.
Until August 17, admission will be free of charge. Starting from August 18, visitors will need to purchase a ticket. However, the price for the tickets has not been disclosed yet.
The fortress of Bourtzi was initially designed by Antonio Gambello, an architect from Bergamo, in 1471. The construction was completed by the engineer Brancaleone.
Originally, it served as a small castle where an executioner lived, and prisoners were put to death.
Bourtzi is a highlight of Nafpio
“Bourtzi”, comes from the Turkish-Arabic language and means “island fortress” where it is the trademark along with the castle of Palamidi for Nafplio.
The fort was designed to fit the narrow shape of the island. The center is taken up by a tower, in the shape of a rough hexagon, with covered cannon positions on either side at a lower level.
The interior of the castle has three floors which were connected by moveable stairs for reasons of safety. Water was supplied from a large circular water tank that was located in the cellar, under the tower.
There were entrances to the north and south. A small harbor was created on the northeastern side to enable safer access to the fort.
Between the fort and the sea wall, there was a narrow passage, which could be closed with a chain to protect the port from enemy ships.
The fort bears the signs of many alterations and repairs from different times.
The Ottomans surrounded the fort with the so-called ‘porporella’, an undersea barricade of stones to make it impossible for large ships to approach.
In the 18th century, the Venetians proceeded with additions to the Bourtzi. They raised the height of the central tower and almost the entire island was covered with defensive positions.
During the time of the Greek revolution, the Bourtzi was known as Casteli or Thalassopyrgos (sea tower in Greek). It was here for a short while in 1826 that the Greek government sought shelter when the rebellious nation fell into civil strife.
In 1935 it was turned into a hotel after alterations by the German architect Wulf Schaeffer.
Related: Exploring Nafplion, the First Capital of Modern Greece
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