to Niokastro / New Navarino Castle
The Neokastro (New castle) is a fort, built by the Turkish ottomans in 1573, after the defeat in Nafpakto, in order to protect the entrance to Navarino bay and to protect the commercial waterways between the East & West.
Entrance to the castle is from the southeastern side, where the imposing gate, the "Zamatistra" stands. Inside the castle you can see only the ruins of the houses, the public buildings, as well as the imposing mosque, which upon its liberation turned into the orthodox church of the Transfiguration of the Savior.
The entire site covers an area of 1566 meters, and offers a magnificent panorama over the Bay of Navarino
The fortification has six towers (ramparts): the northern tower, the southern tower and the towers of St. Patrick, St. Agnes and St. Anthony. The tower known as Castello da Mare was built by the Turks for the protection of the area and was later embodied in the rest of the fortification
The building of Pasha in Niokastro (opposite the church of the Transfiguration of the Saviour) hosts the thematic exhibition “Shipwrecks” since August 2012. The exhibition is a lively narration of the stories of the most well-known shipwrecks that occurred around the Peloponnese. The exhibition was organized under the supervision of the Ephorate of Underwater Antiquities which used to be based at the Castle of Pylos
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Opening Days:: Tuesday - Sundays
Opening Times / Opening Hours :: 08:00-15:00 during winter 08:00-15:00 during summer (with some exceptions)
Visit Duration (approximate) :: allow between 2 to 3 hrs
we always recommend contacting directly to confirm opening days & times to avoid disappointment
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Pilos 240 01 (parking on site) (Πυλος 240 01), in Pylos-Nestoras, Messenia, Peloponnese
Distances: 1hr 5 mins from Kalamata, approx 3hr 25mins from Athens
Special Notes:
Pilos has both an old castle and a new castle (Neokastro). Walking around the Neokastro is fairly easy for the most part
