Built in 1573 by the Ottoman Turks, this six-towered castle stands guard over the natural port of Pylos (also called Navarino). Its well-preserved fortifications tell the story of the region’s shifting political and cultural tides over the centuries. Among the castle’s architectural features, you’ll see structures added during Venetian rule, traces of the 1821 Greek Revolution and reminders of its use as a prison during World War II. The Church of the Transfiguration was constructed in the 16th century as a mosque but served as a church both during Venetian rule of the city (1685-1715) and then again since independence.
