The ruins of the Gkyklos fortress are located on Mount Arachnaio (on the Skoudi-Arachnaio pass), on a rocky hill, far from villages, but very close to the route that connects the village of Arachneio (formerly, “Heli”) with Lygourio .

Location & Strategic Scope

Arachnaio was a strategic point since ancient times since it controlled the passage from Corinthia to Argolis. There are scattered ruins of many towers and forts in Arachnaio, from different eras: antiquity, the Byzantine period, the Frankish and the Venetian.

History

The castle is definitely medieval, but the time period of its construction is not known. Its style is similar to forts belonging the period of the hegemony of the Duke of Athens Otto De La Roche who, in the first years of the Frankish rule (1212-1225), had in his possession, among others, the region of Arachnaio mount.
Perhaps the fortress was then built to be used in his war against Leo Sgouros, to prevent communication with the two strongholds of Sgouros, Nafplion and Acrocorinth.

Structure, Fortification & Buildings

Gkyklos fortress is surrounded to the south and east by a rocks, while the part to the north and west is surrounded by a wall.
The perimeter wall of the fortress is 1.80 meters thick and has the style of De La Roche, i.e. it is dry stone construction where the two sides of the wall are built with large stones and in between the filling has been done with smaller stones.

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