In the presence of the Minister of Culture Lina Mendoni, the restored bastions of the Castle of Patras, the southwestern Venetian circular bastion and the southeastern Ottoman polygonal bastion were presented.

At the ceremony of the presentation of the monument, Minister of Culture Lina Mendoni said: “The Castle of Patras is an archaeological palimpsest.Through the restoration of the two bastions, we are attributing a monument of high symbolic and historical value, which functions as a landmark for the city, as a cultural pole, but also as a development resource. It is truly worth a tour of the castle. When an archaeological site is incorporated into the urban fabric of a large city, its value is multiplied. It is not only a memory, it is a daily breath of fresh air, it is goodwill for the city, an attraction for tourism, a tool for education and self-awareness.

The close and sincere cooperation of the Ministry of Culture with the Region of Western Greece and the Regional Governor Nektarios Farmakis, as well as with the Managing Authority, has been a catalyst for the completion of the restoration of the Castle, a project that began systematically and piecemeal, 25 years ago, and is now being restored to the city and its citizens. My warmest thanks go to the Head of the Ephorate of Antiquities of Achaia, Anita Koumousi, as well as to the entire staff of the Ephorate, who with scientific competence, consistency and methodicalness have demonstrated in practice the value of public archaeological work. The State invests in culture. Every euro spent on the restoration of monuments returns to society many times over. Because without respect for the past there is no solid future.”

The two bastions, built in the 15th century, are characteristic examples of the transitional period of fortification architecture and preserve the construction identity of each era: the circular geometry of the Venetians and the polygonal strong fortification of the Ottomans.

During the work of fixing, restoration and strengthening of the foundation, the risk of collapse was removed and important archaeological remains from earlier phases of the fortification were revealed, while the surrounding area was designed to be accessible to the public.

The projects are part of a wider strategic plan for the promotion of the fortress monuments of Western Greece, aiming at the creation of cultural routes and the enhancement of cultural tourism. The Castle of Patras is already included in the cultural route “Network of Castles from Byzantium to the Ottoman Empire”, as part of the wider project “Cultural Routes”, implemented by the Directorates of Prehistoric and Classical Antiquities and Byzantine and Post-Byzantine Monuments of the Ministry of Culture.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by the Bishop of Ilia and Oleni, Mr. Athanasios, the Bishop of Kernitsa, Mr. Chrysanthos, the Deputy Minister of Culture Iasonas Fotilas, the Members of Parliament of Achaia, Katsaniotis Giannis and Christina Alexopoulou, the Regional Governor of Western Greece, Nektarios Farmakis, the Consul General of Turkey in Athens Işıl Işık Civelik, the Director General of Antiquities and Cultural Heritage Olympia Vikatou, local officials, officials of the Ministry of Culture and a large number of people.