The Castle of Platamonas

The Castle of Platamonas is built on the south-eastern feet of Mt Olympus, at a strategically important place controlling the Macedonia-Thessaly-Southern Greece route. It is an imposing castle-city of the Mid-Byzantine period, most probably on the same site as the ancient city of Herakleion, ‘first Macedonian city to meet…’ past the valley of Tembi, according to a 350BC source. This hypothesis was confirmed by the finds of the excavations which took place in 1995, during which remnants of a Hellenistic fortification (4th century BC) were unearthed.

The Byzantine walls were renovated after 1204 by the Francs and by the Byzantines in the 14th century. Later it came in the control of the Ottomans; during the 2nd World War the castle was bombarded by the Nazis.

Important finds are the 10th-11th centuries Byzantine temple, the 10th century houses, the 18th century temple, the remains of the Hellenistic fortification and the gate in the outer tower.

(Photos: Michael Tziotis)

The Castle of Platamonas	The Castle of Platamonas
The Castle of Platamonas	The Castle of Platamonas
The Castle of Platamonas	The Castle of Platamonas
The Castle of Platamonas	The Castle of Platamonas
New Pandeleimonas Village seen from the Castle of Platamonas It is across the National Road (visible). New Pandeleimonas is a new settlement, as Old Pandeleimonas was thought that it should be abandoned because of landslides. Later the situation was revaluated and Old Pandeleimonas, with its houses made of stone, is rapidly becoming a center of winter tourism.	New Pandeleimonas Village seen from the Castle of Platamonas
Telephoto of New Pandeleimonas Village seen from the Castle of Platamonas