Methoni Castle

Methoni Castle stands at the south-western tip of the Peloponnese in Messenia, Greece. The Venetians built on ancient fortifications and enlarged the complex during both of their periods of occupation, until the Ottomans captured it in 1500. A deep moat separates the castle from the land; the present stone bridge with 14 arches was built by engineers of the French Morea expedition, and a wooden bridge crossed here before.

Inside you can see, among other things, the ruins of a Turkish bath, the remains of the Byzantine church of St Sophia and Venetian lion emblems in several places. From the large sea gate on the south side a paved path with a small bridge leads to the Bourtzi, a small fortified rock islet with a two-storey octagonal tower under a round dome; it dates from after 1500 and was also used as a prison.