Oria's Castle

The Castle of Kalavrita or Castle of Oria, is located on a hill east of the city of Kalavrita, at a distance of about 1.5 km from the center of the city. It was built during the Latin occupation, by the first baron of Kalavrita, Othon de Tournay, after 1208. Today there are only ruins of the Castle.

The hill on which the Medieval Castle of Kalavrita is located, is of course fortified at an altitude of about 1.170 meters, while the nearby town of Kalavrita is located at an altitude of about 750 meters from the sea. It dominates about 400 meters higher than the city, on the slope of Helmos. Around the castle of Oria, there were towers and peripheral fortifications, the purpose of which was to notify the castle in time, but also to control the passages.

On the hill where the castle is located, there is a plateau of about 30 or 20 acres, which was inside the castle. On the western slopes of the hill there are ruins of ancient and medieval times.

The name "Castle of Oria" or "Castle of Beauty", comes from the legend that states that in 1460 Catherine Paleologou, the daughter of the last Frank Prince of Achaia, Kentyrion II Zacharias and wife of Thomas Palaiologos, fell from the castle and was killed to avoid falling into the hands of the Turks.