The Venetian Castle of Querini in Chora town is a wonderful sight to see placed royally on top of the hill and made with black stones that shows a strange contrast with the white-walled cluster of houses around it. The castle’s history is entwined with the power struggle among the Venetians, Byzantine and the Turk rulers. The castle was constructed by John Querini, a noble Venetian family who had taken over the rule of Astypalea Island after the siege of Constantinople by the Crusaders in 1204. It was built as a shelter against pirates and other enemies.The Venetians ruled from the castle for more than 300 years and each ruler had made some or other modifications to the imposing structure.This lovely Medieval Castle offers a fantastic panoramic view of Chora, winding up the mountain along with the age-old windmills on the ridges.
