The fortress of Mytilini is
situated on a small hill between the north and the south port of the city
and it was the biggest as well as one of the strongest castles in the East
Mediterranean.
Its initial nucleus, which was formed during
Byzantine years, is thought to have been built on the grounds of the
ancient Acropolis. The first significant alterations to the castle took
place during the period of
Lesvos dominion of Gateluzzi and more
specifically of the ruler Francesco Gateluzzo in the year 1373. A number
of other alterations and additions followed, the most important being that
of the Ottomans in 1677, to whom we attribute the lower northern part of
the fortification. After the liberation from the Turks, in 1912, the fort
was used as military barracks.
The irrational use of building materials taken from
the castle after 1912 in order to build newer refugee dwellings had as a
result its gradual damage.
Les
