Zakynthos Archaeological Sights and Castles
Andronio’s wells: At the region of Andronio, you will find the very impressive twelve wells, dated from the Venetian era, which is still in use.
Aqueduct at Vrysakia: In the area around the village of Argassi, you will find an aqueduct, which sometime had been giving water throughout the area. You can reach the aqueduct by a dirt road through the green, starting from Argassi and lost in the countryside (there are no signs).
Artemis temple at Argassi: At the top of mount Skopos, in Argassi, where, according to the local legend, the goddess Artemis lived, a temple stood. Today, nothing survives, because the temple was destroyed in 1400 A.D. fundamentally, in order to build at the same place, the Monastery of Panaghia Skopiotissa.
Artemis temple at Melinado: In Melinado village, the remains of the temple of goddess Artemis are still visible below the church of Aghios Dimitrios that was built at the same place.
Argassi bridge: In Argassi just a few kilometers from Zante town, you can see a bridge, built in 1800. The half is resting on the sand and the other half is immersed in the sea.
Mycenaean tombs: All over the island are scattered carved tombs of the Mycenaean era, abandoned. The most important are those located at the areas of Vassilikos, Gerakas, Keri, Kampi and Maries.
Sarakinas mansion: Near Mouzaki village, you can visit the ruins of an English mansion that survived the 1953 earthquake. This villa belonged to Lountzas family and it is a classic sample of mansions built in neoclassical style, of which Zante was rich before the earthquake. Currently you can only notice the outside because the interior is not accessible.
Venetian castle: The Venetian fort is located above the Bohali and has wonderful panoramic view of Zante town and the Ionian Sea. The castle shows the important influence of the Venetians on the island. From the old building only the walls remain, but it is certainly worth going for a walk in these ruins, in the small green forest. Here was built the medieval city of Zante with many houses and twelve churches, but after so many earthquakes and wars has nothing left.
In 1970, the walls were strengthened, which might fall because of the earthquakes, and in 1984, after several excavations were brought to light many churches, built between the 11th and 18th century, and other ruins from the Byzantine era, and English rule.
Venetian castle at Exo Hora: The small Venetian tower, almost untouched by time, lies outside the village of Hora, in the north of the island. To get there, you should take a left road, at the centre of the village, which will go a few kilometres. The road at some point becomes a dirt road and should continue until the small cape above the sea, where the observatory is located. After the tower, the road continues, but you’d rather not to follow it, because it is deadlocked and in poor condition.
