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Likithos Fortress (Toroni Fortress)

Likithos Fortress (Toroni Fortress)

Remains of a medieval fortification from the early Bronze Age (3000 BC) and remains of houses from the early Iron Age (11th – 8th century BC) were excavated on the peninsula. In ancient times, one of the two citadels of Toroni, that had a strong wall, was located there. Thucydides mentions the Spartan fortification at Likithos and that there was a temple of Athena at the location.

The ancient city was founded by the Chalcidians in the 8th century BC, and developed into one of the most important ancient Greek cities of Northern Greece and a bone of contention between the Lacedaemonians and the Athenians.

Later, throughout the Byzantine period, a strong castle was standing on the peninsula, built in a polygonal style, mostly with material from the ancient acropolis. The side of the peninsula, that’s next to the sea, had its own fortification and was connected to the castle through an internal gate. A settlement had developed outside the peninsula.

The settlement and the castle were destroyed sometime between the 15th or 16th century. The area must have suffered from pirate attacks and was in decline for a long time. In the 14th century, the area belonged to Mount Athos.

Large parts of the fortification and the ruins of a temple are preserved, in the basement of which were a pair of twin tanks. It was in much better condition until the end of the 19th century, when the Turkish state allowed an Italian contractor to use the building materials of the fortification to pave with cobblestones the streets of Thessaloniki and Constantinople.