In the presence of the President of the Republic Mrs. Katerina Sakellaropoulou, the Byzantine Castle of Nea Epidaurus was officially handed over to the public today, after the completion of the restoration work of this historical monument.

It is built on top of a rock, with a total area of ​​three acres at an altitude of 80 meters above sea level, which from the north-east side borders the gorge of Vothyla, while on the south and west sides a wall with a total length of 170 meters of hewn stone, thick about a meter at its base.

The castle of Piada, from the word plain, as Nea Epidauros was originally called, was the Acropolis of the wider area, as it had a panoramic view of the entire Saronic Sea, controlling the appearance of pirates who acted uncontrollably on the Greek coasts. Its construction began in the second half of the 13th century and received many additions and improvements until the middle of the 15th century.

In 1951 it was declared a historical monument and in 2018 the restoration process began, with funds from the antiquities tax office with a total budget of 780,000 euros.

Speaking during an event held at the cultural center of Nea Epidavros, the President of the Republic, after congratulating those who contributed to the restoration of the castle, emphasized that works like the one attributed today connect us more closely to our history, to our roots and to the spirit of places. Mrs. Sakellaropoulou, who then visited the monument crossing the narrow cobbled streets of the village, did not fail to mention the historical importance of the area, noting that in the once small village of Argolis one of the most important moments of the 1821 revolution took place, as the first National Assembly was convened, the declaration of independence of Greece was written and the first Constitution was voted. Here, he emphasized, the foundations of our right-wing political tradition were laid and the values ​​of our constitutional democracy were imprinted.

For her part, the Minister of Culture, Mrs. Lina Mendoni, emphasized that the Castle of Nea Epidaurus is a place of historical memory, but also in the future a place for walks and events. She referred to her ministry’s program for culture projects across the country, with a total budget of over 1 billion euros.