The functional integration of Akronaflia into the city of Nafplio is on track
The Path of Arvanitia and the Sagredo Gate in Akronaflia they are protected and reused functionally integrated into his city Nafplio.
THE Akronaflia is the rocky end of the Nafplio peninsula at the mouth of the Argolic gulf and on it rises the Castle, which was the walled settlement of the city from antiquity until the end of the 17th century. The peninsula of Akronaflia is characterized by a strong relief with steep rocky slopes mainly in its southern and western parts.
The whole of Akronaflia Castle, from west to east, is divided into individual areas, and includes the following monuments: a) The Roman castle, b) the Sagredo Gate – the Clock Tower c) the Gambello Wall Area, d) the Eastern Wall Area, e)- The Toron Castle, f) the Grimani Bastion.
The research project, which was prepared through a Cultural Development Program Agreement of the Ministry of Culture, the Municipality of Nafplion, the Municipal Port Fund of Nafplion and the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, and concerned the dealing with the landslide risk on the Arvanitia Trail and the preparation of an architectural study for the restoration, enhancement and reuse of the Sagredo Gate. was completed and received the unanimous positive opinion of the Central Archaeological Council.
The Minister of Culture Lina Mendoni stated: “Akronafplia is a major archaeological site of Nafplio. On the walking route of Arvanitia, which is a unique coastal route, large landslides have occurred, with the most recent ones in August 2019. But also the Gate of Sagredo, a historical Gate of the Second Venetian period that was built to unite the hill of Akronaflia with the lower city, has remained closed for more than twenty years, despite the binding condition of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the hotelier to allow access to the archaeological site. The Gate marks the beginning of a march towards the height of Akronaflia. Its reopening is linked to the overall promotion of the archaeological site and its connection with the city. With the interventions foreseen in the study, our goal is – after Bourtzi – for Akronafplia to functionally and safely join the other visitable places and monuments of the city of Nafplio, while satisfying, at the same time, a permanent request of the local community”.
Arvanitia trail
The path of Arvanitia surrounds the peninsula of Akronaflia. It’s about pedestrian street (3m-5m wide, 1,000m long) that connects the western end of the city of Nafplio (Five Adelfias bastion area) with the beach of the same name.
In the context of the research project to address it landslide risk on the Arvanitia Trail – headed by the scientific team Professor of Dynamic Tectonics Applied Geology and Natural Disaster Management of the Department of Geology and Geoenvironment Efthimios Lekkas – numerous locations of possible detachments of rock blocks were identified, with the mechanisms of the potential slides. Based on the geological, tectonic and geotechnical mapping, a total of rock anchoring is proposed at 43 points along the entire length of the intervention, rock removal at 42 positions, placement of 3,344 sq.m. metal grids, 223 sq.m. of reinforced metal nets, 6 retaining fences with a height ranging from 5 to 7 meters, construction of an 18 meter long fence.
Sagredo Gate
The Sagredo Gate is located at north side tof the walls of Akronaflia, which was a strategically important project of the Venetians during the second short period of occupation of the city of Nafplion (1686-1715). It owes its name to the forecaster Augustino Sagredos, who built it, in 1713, as commander of the Venetian Navy. The Gate was accompanied by a large comfortable staircase to shorten the communication between the city of Nafplio and the military area of ​​Akronaflia.
Today the Sagredo Gate and by extension the access to the castle of Akronaflia from this side, remains closed. Apart from the risk problems observed on the scales and analyzed in the prepared study, access remains closed at the responsibility of the tenants of the hotel facility within the castle. Since 2002, there has been a binding condition from the Ministry of the Interior for the opening and reuse of the Gate, which has not been respected.
Today, the existing possibilities for going up from the city to the castle are either through the elevators, which lead from Psaromahala square to the courtyard area of ​​the “Nafplia Pallas” hotel, or from the escalator of Potamianou street to the Gate of the Bulls.
But the Sagredo Gate marks the entrance to the castle in an excellent way as it can be seen from the Old Town.
Based on the prepared study, the works concern the Gate, the walls and the stairs. The study also includes the restoration of the ruined building and the semi-cylindrical arch, in order to be a place of information and information about the Gate complex and its role in the operation of the castle, but also more generally about the history of the archaeological site.
Source :Skai
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