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Bourtzi Review

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Bourtzi

Address: In harbor, Nafplion

Category: Castles/Palaces
Location: Nafplion

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Fodor's Review:

The sight of the Bourtzi, Nafplion's pocket-size fortress in the middle of the harbor, is captivating. Built in 1471, the Bourtzi (or Castelli) was at first a single tower, on a speck of land generously called St. Theodore's Island. Francesco Morosini is said to have massacred the Turkish garrison when he recaptured it for Venice in 1686. A tower and bastion were then added, giving the building the shiplike appearance it has today. In 1822, after the Bourtzi was captured in the War of Independence, it was used to bombard the Turks defending the town. In the unsettled times following the revolution, the government retreated to the Bourtzi for a while; after 1865, it was the residence of the town executioners; and from 1930 until 1970 it was run as a hotel. During the day the Bourtzi is no longer menacing; a tree blooms bright red in its courtyard in spring. Extending from the extreme end of the quay is a large breakwater, the west mole, built by the Turks as the anchor point for a large chain that could be drawn up between it and the Bourtzi, blocking the harbor completely. Some tour boats now circle the island. Boats leave on no fixed schedule from the eastern end of Akti Miaouli; the trip costs about EUR 10.

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