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Kastro Village | The Old Isolated Fort of Thassos Island
Updated: 11 hours ago
Author
George Papadellis | SG Head
Kastro is a small village at 450 m. altitude, believed to be the oldest village of the island of Thassos. The name Kastro (means castle) comes from the ancient times, when there was an old castle to protect the inhabitants. The village can be reached by an asphalt road from Limenaria, and its population in 2011 was 9 people.
The Village from a Drone | Photo by: 152759627 © Porojnicu | Dreamstime.com
History of the Village
When the island was ruled by the family Gattilusio (as was also Lesbos), an acropolis was built there, whose ruins can still be seen and which was used for many years as a shelter from pirates. In 1453, after the Fall of Constantinople, many people arrived and settled in Kastro Greece and in Theologos. The village remained active until the end of the 19th century, protecting its inhabitants, due to its remoteness, from the Ottoman rule during the domination centuries.
Traditional House of Kastro Thassos | Photo by: 98159025 © Porojnicu | Dreamstime.com
It was then that the inhabitants of Kastro Greece saw a hope in moving to the coasts of the island, especially to the Kalyvia and Limenaria fishermen settlements, turning them into villages. The same thing happened with other villages of the mountains, such as Theologos (which formed Potos), Rachoni (which formed Skala Rachoniou) and Kazaviti (which formed Prinos).
Traditional Church in Kastro Thassos | Photo by: 16270679 © Cristiaciobanu | Dreamstime.com
Architecture
Most of the village's houses have been restored by the families, who love this traditional isolated place. The most important buildings of the village are the Church of Saint Athanasios, a historical monument built in 1804 with the help of the inhabitants, and the old acropolis, whose remains are still there, serving as the village's ossuary.