Castle of Apolichna

The Castle of Apolichna lies NW of the village of Armolia, in the Mastichochoria, on a height. Access is via a footpath that climbs through an olive grove and then a wooded area. It was built in 1440 by the Genoese Nikolaos Banca Giustiniani, as confirmed by the Latin inscription over the entrance lintel. The inscription is now embedded in the old village school in the square. Trapezoidal in plan, it is surrounded by double walls and contains 62 rooms. It has a large tower and small defensive turrets at the upper corners. In front of it is a cistern (cinstern), into which rainwater was collected by channels from the roofs of the rooms and tower to ensure drinking water. The castle is in visual contact with the coast’s watchtowers from Komi to the sea at Lithi.