A fortification that extends for several meters in a niche of the rock of the steep southern slope of Mount Klapa, north of the village of Lykouria in the municipality of Kalavryta.
At the highest point (the one shown in photos 1 and 2), the fortification is formed into what looks like a tower covering a hollow in the rock.

We know nothing of the history of the fortification. The masonry consisting of small stones with lime mortar does not particularly enlighten us, as it could belong to any era, from the Middle Byzantine period to the Turkish occupation.

In ancient times there was in the area the town of Lykouria, which is mentioned by Pausanias as one of the settlements of Arcadian Azania. The location of the ancient settlement is not exactly known, but it must have been close to the present village. However, the castle of this page does not seem to have anything to do with the ancient town.

The designation “castle” for this fortification is somewhat exaggerated. Its position and form show that it was not a real castle. It was neither the residence of a feudal lord nor a military fortress.
Fortifications of this type, in rock niches and rock shelters, exist in several places in the Peloponnese, and as a rule there were hermitages and fortified monasteries of the late Byzantine period (such as the hermitage in Mariorema or the neighboring monastery of Osios Leontios). In some cases, these types of constructions were later used as shelters for the population or as lairs for outlaws during the Tourkokratia.

So, based on the history of similar cave-castles, we assume that the castle of Lykouria is probably a castle-monastery of the Late Byzantine period.
However, there is no tangible evidence to support this assumption. An on-site investigation could give us more information on the dating of the fortification and on the use of the site.

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