The Central Archaeological Council unanimously gave a positive opinion on the results of the research project for the fortification and restoration of the northern part of the Castle of Methoni, which includes the fortified Acropolis, the access route, the bastions, the ramparts and the gates of the Castle.

The Minister of Culture, Lina Mendoni, said: “The imposing castle of Methoni, an ancient Byzantine monument, is located at the crossroads of the Mediterranean sea routes. It has been continuously inhabited since antiquity because of its location. It is one of the most important fortresses of its time in Greece. The monument presents serious problems due to its location, as it is in the immediate vicinity of the sea and in a place where strong winds blow. The issue of protecting the Castle of Methoni was made an immediate priority after the collapse of part of the western side of the semicircular tower within the northern enclosure. An autopsy carried out by us immediately recorded the serious structural problems of the fortress, which needed immediate attention. The planned interventions aim at stopping the phenomenon of structural disorganization of the walls, improving the resistance of the monument to the wear and tear of time and the safety conditions for visitors, partial morphological restoration – improving the visibility of the monument. The principles of the proposed interventions are respect for authenticity, the preservation of all building phases, the limitation of interventions to the minimum necessary to fix the preserved parts and in some cases only for the safety of visitors or the morphological integration of individual points. Through the Programme Agreement with the Peloponnese Region, we have commissioned the preparation of a research project and have started the procedures so that the studies relating to the restoration of the fortification parts of the castle and the promotion of its monuments can be carried out as soon as possible.