Frankish Castle of Parikia
Φράγκικο Κάστρο Παροικιάς
Remains of a 13th-century castle built by the Venetians from marble taken from ancient temples, with ancient columns and carved fragments visible in the walls.
This castle was built in the 13th century by the Venetian (Frankish) lords who ruled Paros. Its most distinctive feature is that the building materials came straight from ancient Greek temples on the island: in the surviving walls, lengths of marble column shafts, capitals, and lintels are laid horizontally, like a mosaic wall of antiquities. The castle sits on high ground at the western side of the old town, next to the blue-domed, white-walled Church of Saints Constantine and Helen, a classic spot for watching the sunset over Parikia. Admission is free. It is a short walk through the old town's lanes and can be visited together with the market street.
Opening hours
All day
Nearby sights
- Parikia Old Town
- Panagia Ekatontapiliani
- Archaeological Museum of Paros
- Ancient Cemetery of Parikia
- Petaloudes (Valley of the Butterflies)
- Longovarda Monastery
- Ancient Marble Quarries of Marathi
- Lefkes