Byzantine Castle of Skiathos

Greece, Greece

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The Byzantine Castle of Skiathos, known as Kastro, is a medieval fortified settlement on the northern tip of Skiathos Island, Greece.

It was founded around 1360 when the island’s inhabitants moved there to escape frequent pirate attacks, taking advantage of its naturally protected location on a steep rocky cliff surrounded by the sea on three sides. For centuries, Kastro served as the island’s main settlement and was home to hundreds of residents, churches, houses, cisterns, and later Ottoman buildings, including a mosque.

The fortress passed through Byzantine, Venetian, and Ottoman rule before being abandoned in 1829 after Greek independence, when residents returned to the site of modern Skiathos Town. Today, the castle survives as an important archaeological site with preserved walls, gates, churches, and ruins that overlook the Aegean Sea. Visitors come to explore its fascinating history, dramatic setting, and panoramic coastal views.