Ksisos, Symi, Dodecanese,South Aegean
Castle of Lappatonio
| Location: |
| On the mountain NW of the Roukouniotis monastery & west of the Ksisos village in Symi |
| Region > Prefecture: |  |
| South Aegean Dodecanese | |
| Municipality > Town: | |
| City of Symi • Ksisos | |
| Altitude: | |
|
Elevation ≈ 400 m (Relative Height≈100 m) |
| Time of Construction | Origin | |
| Mid-Byzantine period | BYZANTINE  |
|
| Castle Type | Condition | |
| Castle |
Rather Poor
|
Ruins of a Byzantine (most probably) castle on a mountain at the northwestern part of the island of Symi in Dodecanese.
Castle Description
Text: Dr. Michael Losse – Singen (Hohentwiel), Germany (28.12.2020)General description
“Kástro” is the name of a mountain north of the large bay of Agiou Vasileou (St. Vasilios) in the west part of the island of Sými. Located on its top is a medieval castle, called Lappatoniou or Lappantoniou castle by local farmers and shepherds. Following the contour of the summit, its enceinte was built as a dry stone wall in limestone, a certainly Byzantine, probably at least two-phase fortification.
Similar Kástra can be found on the neighbouring island of Tílos. The fortification could in essence go back to the “Dark Centuries” (7th-10th century); maybe it was reused or newly built in late-medieval times by the Hospitaller Knights as a refuge for the local farmers.
The Kástro mountain offers wide views to neighbouring islands, e.g. to the islands of Nísyros and Rhodes, and to fortifications on the island of Symi, including the fortified monastery of Stavros Polemou, which may stand in place of a Byzantine castle.
Access (route / entrance)
The Castle is accessible by a footpath from the village of Ksísos (Ξίσος), first follow the monopati towards the Chapel Ágios Nikítas Kótika (Saint Nikitas Kotika), from there 1 km more in a west-southwest direction. The castle hill is not immediately visible from the path due to dense coniferous wood.
Free access.
Attention: There are many scorpions ans snakes in the grounds of the castle and all around!
History of the castle/tower
Unknown.
Possibly suitable for dating (sparse) ceramic finds have not been analyzed so far, but Byzantine fragments are present.
Other Info
Sources• Losse, Michael: Die Burgen und Festungen des Johanniter-Ritterordens auf Rhódos und in der Ägäis (Griechenland) 1307-1522. (Publisher: Nünnerich-Asmus Verlag) Mainz 2017.
• Losse, Michael: Burg und Expansion in der Südost-Ägäis: Von den byzantinischen Befestigungen der „Dunklen Jahrhunderte“ (8.-10. Jahrhundert) bis zur Invasion der „Franken“ (13./14. Jahrhundert) und Osmanen (15./16. Jahrhundert). In: Europäisches Burgeninstitut (Ed.): Burg und Expansion (will be released in 2021).
| First entry in Kastrologos: | February 2021 |
Sources
- Text and photographs (2011) by Dr. Michael Losse
|
|
| Access |
|---|
| Entrance: |
| Free access |
| Other castles around |
|---|
| Kokkinokastro of Symi |
| Kastraki on Seskli |
| Castle of Symi |
| Castle of Tsangria |