Chlemoutsi Castle

About the museum

Chlemoutsi Castle, known as Clermont by its Frankish founders or as Castel Tornese by the Venetians, dominates the Chelonata hill at an altitude of 220 metres, on the westernmost headland of the Peloponnese. It was built between 1220 and 1223 by Geoffrey I of Villehardouin, Prince of Achaea, to protect Andravida, the unfortified capital of the principality, and its harbour, Glarentza. The construction led to a conflict with the Catholic clergy, since the prince confiscated church property, and to his excommunication by the Pope.

The castle flourished in the era of the Villehardouins and later passed to Angevin, Catalan and Frankish rulers, until in 1427 the principality was granted to Constantine Palaiologos. After the Ottoman conquest of the Peloponnese in 1460, control alternated between Turks and Venetians, until in 1825 Ibrahim Pasha demolished part of the walls.

Chlemoutsi is the largest Frankish building project in the Balkans and one of the few that were not based on pre-existing Byzantine fortifications. In the centre rises the hexagonal princely palace with the great reception hall, the vaulted halls and huge fireplaces, modelled on the great medieval castles of France. The castle houses the first and only thematic museum devoted exclusively to Frankish rule in Greece, with the exhibition “The Age of Knights – The Crusaders in the Morea”.

Highlights

• Hexagonal princely palace at the centre of the castle
• Great reception hall, vaulted halls and huge fireplaces
• Museum “The Age of Knights – The Crusaders in the Morea”
• View over the Ionian Sea and the plain of Ilia

Permanent exhibition

• Η εποχή των Ιπποτών – Οι σταυροφόροι στο Μοριά – Thematic exhibition on Frankish rule in Greece, inside the castle that was the largest Frankish building in the Balkans.

Operated by

Υπουργείο Πολιτισμού – Εφορεία Αρχαιοτήτων Ηλείας

Admission & discounts

Free admission: 6 March, 18 April, 18 May, the last weekend of September, 28 October, and the first and third Sunday of each month from 1 November to 31 March.

The ticket is valid for the castle and the museum.

Accessibility

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Kids & families

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Getting there & parking

From the village of Kastro, the castle is about 15 minutes on foot. By car, the journey takes 50 minutes from Pyrgos and 1 hour and 15 minutes from Patras.

Amenities & dining

On site there are toilets and a car park.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.