The Construction of the castle walls
The walls above foundation level and along the whole length of the fortification are divided to a lower part, which is often sloping on the exterior side(scarpa), and a parapet (parapetto). A corridor, protected by the parapet,runs along the interior surface of the wall. The wall thickness ranges between 2.5 and 3.5 m. The masonry consists of limestone and greyish-greensandstone, while large limestone blocks, possibly from ancient buildings, have been used sporadically. Fragments of tiles and bricks can also be seenscattered between the stones. Several kinds of mortar have been used onthe exterior surface.
The corridor of the parapet, ca. 2 m wide, is protected by battlementstowards the exterior. A preliminary examination of the preserved crenelation leads to the general conclusion that the Byzantine battlementshave a rectangular shape, the Venetian ones have an M-shape, and theOttoman battlements are rectangular en face and triangular in section(‘saddle-shaped’),
The walled town of Nafpaktos communicates with the extramural area andwith the main roads through five gates: four gates leading to roads and oneleading to the harbor. Smaller gates penetrate the internal walls, givingaccess across the four defense zones. The exterior West Gate, in the fifth(lowest) zone or Lower Town, was protected with a moat, as depicted indrawings of the 15th-17th centuries. The Sea Gate, facing south, was themain entrance from the seaside. Higher up, along the west wall there wasa smaller gate which led to the fourth zone (Upper Town); this was demolished during road construction, and only the small tower which protectedit has been preserved. The third zone (main Castle) was accessed from thewest through a monumental triple gate, which is currently the entranceto the archaeological site.
On the east side of the wall, the entrance to the fifth zone, known as SalonaGate, has not survived. The Northeast Gate, known as Φαλτσοπόρτι - Faltsoporti, leads tothe Upper Town. The cylindrical Venetian bastion which protected it hasbeen built with hewn grey limestone set in mortar meticulously to form adense masonry. The strategic location of this gate allowed the defendersto protect by cannons the whole of the southeast side of the walls.
Among the gates penetrating the internal walls, a particularly significantone in strategic terms was the gate which gave access from the fifth zoneto the fourth zone (between the Lower and the Upper Town). For securityreasons it was not visible from the sea; it was hidden behind a triangulartower. Known as Iron Gate (Σιδηρόπορτα - Seediroporta), it had a wooden door with ironrevetment and a frame decorated with marble reliefs. Above the gate there is a box machicolation (murder-hole), for hurling missiles, resting on three stone beams. Thebase of the murder-hole is decorated with a relief plaque following theform of Italian Renaissance Coats of Arms; this was possibly placed therein second use during the Ottoman period, along with the gate pilasters is a murder-hole, for hurling missiles, resting on three stone beams. Thebase of the murder-hole is decorated with a relief plaque following theform of Italian Renaissance Coats of Arms; this was possibly placed therein second use during the Ottoman period, along with the gate pilasters.
The imposing fortification of Nafpaktos is one of the best preserved examples of monumental defense architecture. It illustrates vividly the image ofa medieval castle-town, as the impressive walls mingle harmonically withthe modern city. The best preserved part of the walls may be seen in theVenetian harbor. Starting from there, the fortification follows the naturalterrain towards the Upper Town and the main Castle. The medieval walls areinterrupted only at the points where they were demolished to make roomfor modern roads. For the rest, they are preserved to their whole height,up to the crenelation. They offer a particularly impressive picture at thewestern branch, over the West Gate, and at the eastern branch, betweenthe Clock bastion and the Venetian gate and bastion ‘Faltsoporti’. In thislatter section, the wall is preserved to its maximum height, 15 m, as is visible from the foundation level up to the crenelation, and it is reinforcedwith strong rectangular bastions. A lower bulwark, bearing gun loopholesin its higher part, extends outside and parallel to the east wall. From theNortheast Gate (‘Faltsoporti’) the wall turns west, thus attaining an east-west direction over the craggy eastern slope of the castle, and safeguardsthe high-lying citadel.View of perpendicular wall between the second and the third zone, supported by buttresses.The fortified ‘Iron Gate’, leading towards thefourth zone of the Upper Town.