{"id":39636,"date":"2021-06-17T09:52:32","date_gmt":"2021-06-17T06:52:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/eagleray.gr\/astros\/"},"modified":"2026-03-21T08:12:47","modified_gmt":"2026-03-21T06:12:47","slug":"astros","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/eagleray.gr\/en\/astros\/","title":{"rendered":"\u00c1stros"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Par\u00e1lio \u00c1stros harbour, from NW<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n
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Astros, located inland along the northern coast of the Argolic Gulf, and Paralio Astros, its coastal harbour settlement, are closely connected both geographically and historically. The name of the area is most likely derived from the medieval castle<\/strong> that dominates the hill above the town, known as the Castle of Astros, possibly linked to the form or earlier toponymy of the site.<\/p>\n\n

The area has been inhabited since antiquity<\/strong>, lying within the territory of ancient Thyrea, an important city of Kynouria known for its historical conflicts between Argos and Sparta. The coastal zone served as a natural anchorage, while the inland area maintained an agricultural character.<\/p>\n\n

During the Byzantine period<\/strong>, the settlement developed around fortified positions, with the castle playing a key role in controlling the coastline. It was later strengthened during the Frankish and Venetian periods<\/strong>, serving as a strategic observation and defence point.<\/p>\n\n

Under Ottoman rule, the area retained a largely rural and local character, without developing into a major administrative centre. Nevertheless, its geographical position continued to offer safe access for small vessels and local maritime activity.<\/p>\n\n

During the Greek War of Independence<\/strong>, Astros gained particular importance as the site of the Second National Assembly of Astros<\/strong> in AD 1823, a key political event in the struggle for independence. The assembly aimed to organise governance and unify the revolutionary forces during a period of internal divisions.<\/p>\n\n

In modern times, Paralio Astros developed as the natural harbour of the region, supporting local trade and fishing activity. Today it remains a quiet coastal settlement, serving as a safe haven within the Argolic Gulf.<\/p>\n\n

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Sights<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n

Castle of Astros<\/strong>The medieval fortress overlooking the town offers panoramic views of the Argolic Gulf and the Kynouria plain.<\/p>\n\n

Paralio Astros Harbour<\/strong>The natural bay serving as the harbour of Astros provides safe anchorage and remains central to the area\u2019s identity.<\/p>\n\n

Karitsiotis School (Archaeological Museum of Astros)<\/strong>The building of the Karitsiotis School, which today houses the Archaeological Museum, was the site of the Second National Assembly of Astros in AD 1823. Dimitrios Karitsiotis, a wealthy Greek from Astros who lived in Trieste, donated the land and established the school as a centre of Greek education, a structure that survives to this day.<\/p>\n\n

Ancient Thyrea<\/strong>Remains of the ancient city can be found in the wider area, associated with historic conflicts between Argos and Sparta.<\/p>\n\n

Loukou Monastery (nearby)<\/strong>An important monastic complex of Byzantine origin, built on the site of an ancient sanctuary.<\/p>\n\n

Seaside Settlement<\/strong>Paralio Astros maintains a low-key coastal character, with a focus on traditional architecture and maritime life.<\/p>\n\n

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Flavours<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n

Fresh Fish and Seafood<\/strong>Local fishing ensures a daily supply of fresh seafood forming the basis of the local cuisine.<\/p>\n\n

Kynouria Agricultural Produce<\/strong>Olive oil, vegetables, and fruits from the fertile plain accompany most dishes.<\/p>\n\n

Traditional Meze<\/strong>Simple recipes using local ingredients reflect the culinary identity of the region.<\/p>\n\n

Local Sweets<\/strong>Desserts based on citrus fruits and honey, typical of the Peloponnese.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Astros, located inland along the northern coast of the Argolic Gulf, and Paralio Astros, its coastal harbour settlement, are closely connected both geographically and historically. The name of the area is most likely derived from the medieval castle that dominates the hill above the town, known as the Castle of Astros, possibly linked to the…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":39634,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[552],"tags":[452,604,603],"class_list":["post-39636","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-argolic-gulf","tag-history","tag-paralio-astros","tag-stros","category-552","description-off"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/eagleray.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39636","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/eagleray.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/eagleray.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eagleray.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eagleray.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=39636"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/eagleray.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39636\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":42542,"href":"https:\/\/eagleray.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39636\/revisions\/42542"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eagleray.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/39634"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/eagleray.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=39636"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eagleray.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=39636"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eagleray.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=39636"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}