The Venetian Harbor
The small harbor of Nafpaktos, in the shape of a horseshoe, is the most characteristic monument of the town.It preserves admirably the form of a fortified medievalharbor. The harbor had already been walled in theancient period, as attested byThucidides, however the deepfoundation of the medievalwalls destroyed the ancientones. The strategic need to fortify the commercial and militaryharbor was conceived by theVenetian sea-lords; the erectionof the harbor walls dates to the First Venetian period(1407-1499).
The sea walls face directly the water. Similar to the landwalls, they consist of a sloping base (scarpa) which isparticularly strong against long-distance firearms, anda perpendicular parapet. The entrance to the harbor isreinforced through two strong semi-cylindrical bastions.There is evidence that the distance between them wasclosed off with a chain attached to both bastions. Thewall is 2.5 to 3.5 m thick. It has been built with limestone,greyish-green sandstone and mortar, while larger, roughly hewn limestone blocks have been used in the exteriorsurface. The fill between the two wall faces consists ofsmaller stones and mortar. The wall is crownedwith a corridor and crenelation, approximately 1 m high; the Venetian battlements bear an M-shaped top. Cannonembrasures are placed instead of battlements at regular intervals. The vaultedSea Gate, protected with a rectangularmurder-hole, is similarly of Venetian date.
The harbor fortification was repeatedly restored duringboth Ottoman periods. The crenelation was repairedwith new battlements which are rectangular en faceand triangular in section. A guard house with a conicalroof was added over the Sea Gate. A further guard housewith a pyramide roof was attached to the eastern bastion of the harbor; this functioned as a lighthouse untilrecently.
Five cannon embrasures were opened in the base of thewall of the western harbor branch, while cannons wereplaced also on the corridor. The western tower-bastionhas been changed, since it was used as a toll-house inthe 19th century. On the flat surface which was createdthere, stands a statue of a leading warrior of the GreekRevolution, Yorgos Anemoyannis, who attempted to burnthe Turkish fleet at Nafpaktos. The bastion of the easternbranch bears crenelation and an entrance at its base; thewhole eastern branch, however, has undergone seriousdamages due to modern building activity.