Forts of Mandraki in Hydra

The two small forts at Mandraki once guarded the naval station of Hydra during the Venetian occupation, a role they held from the late 16th century into the 18th. Built around the end of the 1500s, they flanked the entrance to the bay, their modest scale reflecting a defensive purpose rather than any grand statement. Their condition today is not good, though they saw reinforcement during the Greek revolution and were renovated as recently as 2008-2009. What survives is a pair of coastal fortresses, weathered but still recognisable, standing as quiet witnesses to the island's strategic importance under Venetian rule. The site offers little in the way of comfort or restoration, but its rough state carries an authenticity that polished monuments often lose. For the curious visitor, they are a tangible link to a period when Hydra's anchorage needed guarding, and two small forts were deemed enough to do it.

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