Castle of Agios Stefanos

The Castle of Agios Stefanos, also known as the Fortezza, crowns a high rock above the village of Agios Stefanos, or Gra, in the province of Sitia. This naturally fortified crag, with vertical cliffs on all sides but the south, was probably chosen in the 16th century by the Venetians, who raised their fortress on the ruins of an ancient acropolis. Little survives today: a narrow wall on the accessible southern side, some thirty metres long and two metres high, along with a fragment of a tower. Local legend ties the village's older name, Gra, meaning old woman, to a grim tale from the 9th century Arab occupation. One story holds that an old woman betrayed the defenders, revealing the only entrance to the besieging Saracens, who slaughtered everyone but her. A rival version insists she was killed at nearby Lougara for refusing to give the fortress away. Either way, the name endures.

Heritage data from Wikidata, compiled and verified in the Atika atlas.