Mixed Era · CastleLefkada

Castle of Santa Maura

Κάστρο Αγίας Μαύρας (Λευκάδα)

The Castle of Santa Maura, a coastal fortress in relatively good condition, is one of Greece's most striking medieval survivals. Its story begins around 1300, when the Lombard lord Ioanni Orsini received the island of Lefkas as a wedding gift upon marrying the daughter of Nikiphoros I, ruler of the Despotate of Epirus. Orsini first raised a small fortress in 1302, but the site changed hands with bewildering frequency. It was taken by G. de Brienne for the Kingdom of Naples in 1331, annexed by Leonardo Tocco of Kefalonia in 1362, and improved by Carlo I Tocco between 1410 and 1420. The Ottomans captured it in 1479, lost it to the Venetians in 1502, then regained it in 1503 in exchange for Kefalonia. Between 1566 and 1571 they undertook extensive reconstruction and built an Ottoman town within. Later came the Venetian admiral Morosini in 1684, the French in 1797, a Russo-Turkish alliance in 1798, Napoleon's forces again in 1807, and the British in 1810. The Ionian islands finally united with Greece in 1864.

Open in Atika → Get directions

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

Atika: Greece Guides

Castle of Santa Maura is one of 18,024 places. All on one offline map.

Atika pings you when you walk or drive past heritage like this. Works offline, no account needed to explore.

Open in App Store →

Castle of Santa Maura

More Greek heritage.

Castle of Santa Maura is one of 18,024 places. All on one offline map.

One remarkable place, in your inbox each week.