THE CASTLE OF CHIOS

The Castle of Chios is located on the northern side of the port of Chios town and covers an area of approximately 180,000 sq. m.

The Castle encompasses a residential area enclosed by stone walls, which were designed to protect the population from naval attacks and sieges.

The castle walls are divided into land and sea sections, forming an irregular pentagon featuring strong bastions along their length. Eight of the total nine bastions are preserved, some in very good condition and others not. Part of the eastern section of the walls is not preserved today. The land walls were surrounded by a moat, creating an artificial island and thereby contributing to the better defense of the Castle.

Today, the moat has been drained and filled in. The Castle had three entrances: the main entrance-gate, known as "Porta Maggiore" (Porta Maggiore), the Western Gate ("Epano Portello"), and the Sea Gate (Porta di Marina), which is no longer extant.

Inside the Castle, alongside monuments from various eras, a vibrant settlement has survived with an unbroken continuity through the centuries, numbering approximately 650 residents today.