Castle of Karytaina is built on a steep cliff at an altitude of 700m., in the south of the village Karytaina. It is a medieval Frankish castle with a significant history. Important natural stronghold due to its strategic location and strangulated around the Arcadian mountains was one of the most important fortresses of the Peloponnese, both during the period of the Franks and during the Turkish occupation and the Revolution of 1821.
It was built in the 13th century (1245) by the French ruler Hugo (Geoffrey) de Vigier. In the years of Frankish Karytaina experienced its heyday and the castle thanks to its strategic position regarded as one of the most important in the Peloponnese even called “Toledo of Greece”.
In 1320 the castle acquired by Frank commandant Andronikos Paleologos when were added to it some Byzantine churches and monasteries. In the mid-15th century, it passed on to the Turks, to fall in 1685 and passed on to the Venetians and finally again to the Turks (1715) who kept it until the revolution of 1821, when, like all Arcadia, it was the revolutionary base to the Peloponnesians.
The outer part of the castle remains today in good condition, as opposed to the interior that is ruined. Recently it has begun a good afford to repair it. Inside are preserved some uncovered walls of a spacious room with many windows showing that maybe there were taking place the gathering of the knights.
Access to the castle is easy as the entrance leads to a well-maintained path starting at a point near the square of Karytaina village. At the right the path leads to the gate of the castle, there is the bust of Th. Kolokotronis and the monument below is dedicated to Liakos Liakopoulos from Paloumpa who fell heroically during the siege of the castle on 27.03.1821 (battle of St. Athanasius).
