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Amfissa from the town
History/Description: It is not clear when the Frankish county of Salona was formally established and the medieval castle built; one source suggests Frankish troops were defeated, and their leader Thomas d'Autremoncourt killed by Greek forces in 1210, so they must have been in possession soon after the conquest. The Greeks held Amfissa until at least 1218 (Lock, 47, 81). Following the battle of Halmyros in 1311 and the death of another Thomas d'Autremoncourt, it was awarded to Roger Deslaur of the Catalan Company. It submitted to Bayezid I 1394, though the Hospitallers held it briefly from 1404. It was one of the first castles occupied in the War of Independence.
There's plenty to see at Amfissa, from the main gate with its jumbled masonry styles, through the pine filled enclosure to the keep. It is surrounded on all sides by steep drops, apart from the N where the keep is located. The road north to the castles at Lamia and Neopatras passes through some wild mountains and must have been a dangerous journey in unsettled times. A few miles away on the Gulf of Corinth at Itea are the foundations of a medieval tower by the sea which was the port for the Catalans, a simple roadstead with ships being unloaded by boats.
Directions: Though it looks close to the town, it's a fair walk from the town centre to the castle gates. On the same road, but before reaching the castle, up a turning on the left, and in the country, is the 12th century church of Ayios Sotiris which is worth seeing, featuring some re-used classical stonework and two sundials on the S. side.
Sources:
Polygonal, monolithic and medieval masonry, topped by a 1940's 'pill-box'.
View to the SW.
View to the SW.
The remains of the circular central tower in the keep.
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Unless otherwise stated, the text, images and design of this site are (c) the author. This page last updated 7 Jan 2007