Culture minister attends turnover ceremony for restored Venetian, Ottoman ramparts at Castle of Patras
Two restored ramparts of the Castle of Patras were turned over to the public on Friday, in the presence of Culture Minister Lina Mendoni.
They include the southwestern one built by the Venetians, and the southeastern polygonal one built by the Ottoman Turks.
Completed by the Ephorate of Antiquities of Achaia, the project cost 1.2 million euros and was funded by the Regional Operational Program of Western Greece/NSRF 2014-2020 and the Recovery and Resilience Fund, the ministry said in a statement.
At the turnover ceremony, Culture Minister Mendonia said that the Castle of Patras “is the imaging of history, memory, and cultural continuity of our homeland. Through the restoration of the two ramparts, we are turning over a highly symbolic and historically valuable monument that serves as a landmark for the city, as a cultural pole, and a development pole as well. A walk around the Castle is truly worth it. When an archaeological site it turned over to the urban network of a large city, then its value is multiplied.”
The project began piecemeal 25 years ago, the minister said, and she hailed the “close and sincere cooperation of the Ministry of Culture with the Region of Western Greece and Regional Governor Nektarios Farmakis, as well as with its managing authority.” She also thanked the Ephorate director and staff.
The two ramparts were built in the 15th century and are characteristic samples of the transitional period in fortress architecture. They preserve the construction identity of each era – the circular geometry of the Venetians and the strong polygonal defense of the Ottomans.
Works to stabilise, restore, and strengthen the foundations took place at the ramparts, while significant remains from older phases of the fortress were revealed. The surrounding area was landscaped to facilitate visitors touring the site. These projects are part of a greater strategic plan to highlight fortresses in Western Greece, creating cultural paths and boosting cultural tourism. The Patras Castle is part of the cultural path “Networks of Castles from Byzantium to the Ottoman occupation”.
Attending the event were political and religious leaders, including Metropolitan Athanassios of Ilia and Oleni, Deputy Culture Minister Iasonas Fotilas, and Turkiye’s General Consul to Athens Işıl Işık Civelik.
Source: AMNA
