Mytilini

The Castle of Mytilene, capital of Lesbos, ranks among the largest fortresses in Greece, covering some 80,000 square metres on a hill north of the town. Its history unfolds in three phases: a Byzantine origin on the site of the ancient acropolis, a Genoese transformation in the fourteenth century, and Ottoman reworking from the early sixteenth century onward. The Genoese Gatillusi family took the island in 1355, when Francisco Gatillusio married the sister of Emperor John V Palaiologos, and he began major works in 1373. An earthquake in 1384 killed nearly the entire ruling family, sparing only one child. The Ottomans seized the castle after a short, violent siege in 1462, adding their most significant fortifications in 1643 and 1644, including the Lower Castle, double curtain walls, bastions and a moat.

The fortress divides into Upper, Middle and Lower sections, with a citadel known as the Megas Perivolos at the highest point, where three towers bear Gatillusi features and their coat of arms. The West Gate complex layers Ottoman, Genoese and Byzantine gates, while the Meridian Gate offers a vaulted approach. Walls survive along most of the 1,400-metre perimeter, though condition varies. Turkish rule ended in 1912.