The castle of Lefktro occupies the top of a hill near the coast, between the villages of Stoupa and Lefktro, at the site of an ancient acropolis. It used to command the entire coastal zone of Messenian Mani and the mountain passes to Mt. Taygetus. The castle, mentioned in the versed “Chronicle of the Morea” as Beaufort (Oraiokastro), was built in 1248-1249 after the efforts of the Frankish prince of Achaea William II Villehardouin (1245-1278) to subdue the Tsakones and the Slavs of the Taygetus. Although now in ruins, elements of the castle are preserved: the general layout of the entrance, walls and foundations of a building identified as the tower/residence of the castellan (garrison commander), as well as an underground orthogonal cistern. Despite its modest size, it must have only housed a garrison responsible for the control of the coastal approaches. Building remains around the enclosure, synchronous to the castle, were probably part of the settlement that had developed around it.