6 – 9 July, Leonidio

Chateaus of Kastanitsa

Prastos is the historical capital city of Tsakonia but Kastanitsa is the oldest Tsakonian village. In 1293 the Byzantine emperor Andronicus confers privileges to the “Constanza”.
Filled with beautiful architecture buildings, traditional stone houses painted white (used to be famous for its production of lime), roofing with stone slabs from Malevou (Parnonas), with wooden balconies, with bright colors on the windows and flower gardens. Watermills and chapels. Tower houses more than 300 years old, scattered throughout the neighborhoods, but mainly in the neighborhood of the Tower. The battlements of buildings, witnessing Kastanitsa was the center of  “thieves” during the revolution of 1821.

Kapsabeli Tower

In the northern part of the village, stand the ruins of the Byzantine Tower Kapsampeli. The chieftain Kapsampeli, preserved it with his own expense around 1810. It was founded in the 14th century as an important fortification for controlling the road from Argolis to Laconia, plain and refuge for residents during the Ottoman period. Here, John Kapsampelis, fortified with his partners and repelled Ibrahim. The Tower demolished at 1948, the time of the Greek Civil War and today remain some ruins, reminds its existence…