A small coastal fortress of uncertain chronology in Agia Marina, Leros.

Castle Description

General Description
From the fort Bourtsi (with its irregular floor plan) a larger part of the enceinte facing the sea with four segmentally arched shooting chambers, the approach of the curvature of a fifth such chamber as well as remains of the overlying wallwalk is preserved, but in bad condition. Partly submerged by the sea and damaged by wind, water and earthquakes, this section of the wall will certainly soon be lost without renovation. The enceinte’s part on the harbour side is also heavily destroyed.
Little of the interior development is still recognizable. Noteworthy is a cistern. About the reinforcement of the fort nothing is known.

On an engraving in the book of Vincentino Coronelli/Parisotti (III, Venice 1688, 337) an isolated square fort on the peninsula is recognizable at the port entrance. A second similar one can be found a little further away on the shore. Details, in contrast to the representation of the fort itself, are not recognizable on the picture. Also other historical representations of Bourtsi are, since consistently very schematic, largely unsuitable for a description of the fortification (see G. A. Olivier: Voyage dans l'Empire Othoman, l'Egypte et la Perse. Vol. III. Paris 1801, plate 20). A photograph of the fort in Gerola (1916) shows it much better preserved at the beginning of the 20th century.

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History of the castle
The origin and history of the small coastal fortification on Cape Kástrou at the southeast corner of the harbour bay of Ágia Marina, at the foot of the mountain that bears the Kástro tis Panajías, are unclear. Benson (1963, p. 6) refers to the fort as a "ruined medieval fortress" with the name “Brouzi”. Correct is the spelling Μπούρτσι (in English and German paraphrase “Bourtsi” [cf. D. Oikonomopoulos: ΛΕΡΙΑΚΑ, ήτοι χωρογραφία της νήσου Λέρου. Kairo and Athens 1888, p. 38] or Burtzi [Bürchner 1898, p. 17, note 1; on etymology cf. ibid.]).
Bürchner (1898, pp. 17 and 39) suspects a reinforcement of the small fortification, which he describes as a "bulwark" or "castle" in contrast to the “Schloß” (meaning “palace” or “castle”) – the Kástro – at the beginning of the 14th century. Gerola (1916, p. 66) considered Bourtsi to be a Turkish fortification. It was certainly related to the Kástro and served as a port fort or battery at the entrance to the port of Ájia Marína.

In my opinion, Bourtsi could have been built as a detached fort in the late phase of the reign of the Knights of St. John (late 15th century). It resembles in structure the large “barbacane” of the city fortifications of Rhodes at Mandraki Port and the harbour fort St. Nicholas in Rhodes Town.

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