Kos Byzantine Castle of Pyli

Location: Pyli

The Byzantine Castle of Old Pyli in Kos, Dodecanese: In close distance to the village of Pyli in Kos island, there is the half-ruined, abandoned settlement of Old Pyli (Paleo Pyli). Above this abandoned village, at a hilltop of Mount Dikeo, there is the Castle of Pyli. This castle was originally constructed in the Byzantine times and flourished from the 9th to the 11th century.

When the island of Kos was conquered by the Knights of Saint John in the Medieval times, the Castle of Pyli was restored and strengthened to protect the region from enemy and pirate attacks. Today, the walls of the castle and most buildings inside are almost entirely ruined.

However, the location of the castle offers a breathtaking view of the island of Kos, the Aegean Sea, the islands of Kalymnos and Pserimos and the neighboring coasts of Western Turkey.