Larisi castle

On the hill of Profitis Elias, above the Larisi area of ancient Solygeia, southeast of Sofiko in the Corinth region, stand the ruins of a dry-stone fortification. No historical source mentions it, and it has never been excavated, so its date rests on inference. The walls, which run roughly 350 metres around the perimeter, survive to an average height of only 1.5 metres, built from semi-processed stones set without mortar. The resemblance to the nearby castle of Tzalika, four kilometres north and firmly dated to the late-Byzantine period between the 13th and 15th centuries, suggests a similar origin. Supporting this are two notable Byzantine churches in the immediate area, including Agia Triada of the 13th century, 300 metres from the hill; these imply settlements that were probably contemporary. The Pelasgian name Larisi, meaning fort, and the lack of mortar might hint at antiquity, but ancient forts were better built, and cruder ones would not have survived so well. A modern chapel of Profitis Elias occupies the interior, likely on the foundations of an older church or keep.

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