Rio is situated at the north western edge of Peloponnese, and together with Andirrio in front, form the gate to the Corinthian Gulf.
The fortress of Rio was first constructed by the sultan of Ottoman Turkey, Bayazid II, in 1499. It is reported that it took only 3 months to complete the work.
It was the Venetians who shaped the castle in the present state. The Venetians took the fortress in 1687 and in the 18th century they further enlarged and strengthened.
In this plan, the brown part dates back to the Ottoman and the blue parts to the Venetian period.
This is the main gate opening toward South.
During the last phase of Greek War of Independence, in 1828, Ibrahim Pasha's army was sieged here by the Anglo-Franco force.
Bath house (hamam) of the Ottoman period.
Inside the hamam.
Rio-Andirrio Bridge and the fortress.
This bridge was opened in 2004 in conjunction with the Olympic Games in Athens. It is 2880 meters long and is the longest cable-sustained bridge in the world to the date.
Until the opening of this bridge, Rio and Andirrio could be crossed only by ferry.
References
- Information board in site
- Robin Barber, Greece (Blue Guide), London- N.Y. 2001 (Revised reprint of the 6th edition of 1995), p. 334.
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