Platamon Castle

The Castle of Platamonas is a castle of Frankish rule, built in the fortified city of the Middle Byzantine period, southeast of Olympus, a short distance from the current town of Platamonas, in a strategic position that controls the road Macedonia – Thessaly – South Greece. It is the best preserved castle of northern-central Greece, with its imposing central tower, which dominates the National Road. The castle was occupied by the Turks for the first time around 1385, but soon it was in the possession of the Venetians. During the rebuilding of the castle by the Turks, in 1425, the Venetians prevailed and more than 100 Turks burned alive inside the castle. After 1427, the Venetians again lost control of Platamonas Castle, when the Turks established their sovereignty. The fact that the castle was not destroyed by the Turks seems to be due to its strategic importance, as it served as the basis of their operations against the rebels of neighboring Olympus. The castle is described in a diary of the Venetian Captain Azeroelio, who was captured by the Turks after a naval battle between the Venetians and the Turks in 1470. Atzologeo writes that on August 9, 1470, the Sultan stayed near a castle called Platimonia, from which you can see the bay and the city of Thessaloniki. At the end of the 18th century, Platamonas was Armatolikos, led by Tsaknakis, while Georgakis Olympios was also commander. In 1770 he was occupied for a short time by the Greeks, as in 1825 and 1878. It was bombarded by Captain Sachtouris in 1897 and then abandoned by the Turks. On April 15-16, 1941, a New Zealand battalion with German divisions clashed in the area of ​​Platamonas and the battle ended with a retreat by the New Zealanders. Today it is the responsibility of the 9th Ephorate of Byzantine Antiquities and it is open to the public.