Few remains of the walls of a late-Byzantine castle hidden under a thick vegetation on a conical hill 2km south of Kalpaki in Epirus.

History

Vella was an important Byzantine city mentioned for the first time in the 8th century. Its location was around the current Monastery of Panagia (and old ecclesiastic school). Kastri was at an air-distance 1km, a little outside the town; it must have been the refuge of the population in times of danger. The city itself must have had some extra fortifications. However nothing is preserved from Vella, neither fornications nor ruins of any other building. The only remaining traces of Vella today are the remnants of the walls on the hill of Kastri.

Vella flourished in the 13th century when it was part of the Despotate of Epirus. Most probably, the fortifications in Kastri were construed at that period. Or a little earlier.

It continued to be an important city until the Ottoman conquest in 1430. Its worst moment came in 1458 when the walls and part of the city were destroyed by the Turks during their campaign against SkenderBay of Albania.

The decline was accelerated after the failed revolution of Philosophos (1611). By the end of the 17th century it was described as a small village. It was abandoned by the end of the 18th century.