Neratija Castle

Nerantzia Castle is the most important part of the knightly fortification, built by the Knights of St. John at the end of the 14th century. At the end of the 14th and beginning of the 15th century, the island of Kos was planted with orange and lemon trees, so it was named after the orange groves. It is noteworthy that in the area where the castle was built, traces of the Mycenaean period were discovered. During classical antiquity, the area was an island and was connected to the mainland by a bridge, which has survived to this day. The castle consists of two fortified enclosures and has a rectangular shape, where it is connected to 4 high towers at the corners. A wide moat separates the two buildings, and only on the eastern side they are connected by a sloping arched bridge. Nerantzia Castle together with Agios Petros Castle on the opposite shore of Ancient Alikarnasu (Petrumi - Bodrum) controlled the sea passage during the Crusades. Many architectural elements from the ancient city of Kos and Asklepion were used to build the castle, which have survived to this day, built into various parts of the castle. In the 19th century, the castle was used as the barracks of the Turkish Guard and the residence of the Turkish commander. On March 17, 1816, a powder keg exploded in an accident, destroying most of the castle. Its present form is owed to the Italian Archaeological Service, which demolished the Turkish buildings during the Italian occupation and began extensive restoration work on the castle in its original form.