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Castle of Latzounato

The castle of Latzounato or Saflaouro dominateson a strategic location, on top of a hill between the villages Paliokastro and Latzounato, on a naturally protected location that offers command of the Messenian plain and the mountains of Arcadia and Triphylia. The name, of Latin origin, reflects its relation with the Crusaders’ territories in Messenia. In medieval sources it is mentioned as Saflaouro vel S. Lauro or as Chateau S. Lauro. Its foundation date is rather problematic. It can perhaps be dated to the late 13th or the 14th century. In 1428 it was included in the domain of Constantine Palaiologos, in 1463 it was under venetian control and in 1467 it is referred to as ruined, after the hostilities between the Venetians and the Ottomans. It has an orthogonal shape, comprising a bailey, with retaining walls to the west and south forming multiple terraces. The entrance gate was opened at the south-west, flanked by two symmetrical towers. An imposing, two-storey, barrel-vaulted building has been preserved inside the bailey. It was divided into small symmetrical rooms; holes on the walls above the windows indicate the existence of an upper floor. Three openings on the western wall look towards the bailey and have holes for the attachment of bars, an indication that the castle was used as a prison at an unspecified period.

Το σχήμα του είναι ορθογώνιο και αποτελείται από έναν περίβολο, στα δυτικά και νότια του οποίου αναλημματικοί τοίχοι διαμορφώνουν πολλαπλά επίπεδα. Στα νοτιοδυτικά βρίσκεται η πύλη εισόδου, η οποία πλαισιώνεται από δύο συμμετρικούς πύργους. Στο εσωτερικό του περιβόλου σώζεται επιβλητικό διώροφο καμαροσκέπαστο κτίσμα, που διαιρείτο σε μικρές συμμετρικές αίθουσες, ενώ οι οπές που ανοίγονται στο ύψος των παραθύρων υποδηλώνουν την ύπαρξη ορόφου. Στο δυτικό τοίχο υπάρχουν τρία ανοίγματα που βλέπουν στον εσωτερικό περίβολο και φέρουν οπές προορισμένες να δεχθούν κάγκελα, γεγονός που υποδηλώνει τη χρήση του κάστρου ως φυλακή σε άγνωστη εποχή.

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