Karababa Castle, Xirovrisi, Greece
The site of the fortress is identified by some scholars with ancient Kanethos as scanty remains of buildings and graves are preserved on its surface. The hill was probably fortified in the Roman period but it was certainly not fortified in the Byzantine, the Venetian and the early period of the Turkish occupation. The castle now seen was probably built by the Turks in 1684 in order to protect Chalkis from the Venetians. It was designed by the Venetian Gerolimo Galopo and its architectural form is more European than Turkish in character. The fortress was unsuccessfully sieged by the Venetians of Morozini in 1688 and the Turks managed to keep it until the Greek liberation when they gave it over to the Greek state.
The castle of Karababa lies on a hill of the boeotian coast, called Phourka. It occupies a strategic position, overlooking the straits of Euripos and the town of Chalkis. Since it was designed by a Venetian, it is almost purely Venetian in form. The enceinte is oblong in plan, oriented E-W, strengthened by a rampart along the north wall, three bastions and one large tower. The south part of the wall is preserved in a poor condition. Ancient spolia are built in several parts of the walls. The most complicate, hexagonal bastion is located on the east side of the wall, towards Chalkis. Two Russian canons of the 19th century are seen on the battlements.
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