GREECE CENTRAL GREECE AETOLOACARNANIA NAVPAKTOS

The charming little town of Navpaktos (also: Nafpaktos, or Naupaktos) lies on the north coast of the entrance to the Corinthian Gulf. Founded by Dorians around 1000 BC, its strategic position predestined a fortification (first erected in the 5th century BC) to control this important shipping route of the "Little Dardanelles". Taken by the Athenians in 455 BC, it became a colony of Messenians, who had been driven away from their land by the Spartans. In the Peloponnesian War, it was successfully defended in 429 BC by Phormion and in 426 BC by Domesthenes against the Spartans.

Destroyed by an earthquake in AD 553, Navpaktos was rebuilt and was the capital of the 5th Theme of Byzantium since the 8th century. In 1204 it was given to the Venetians, 1294 conquered by Philip d'Anjou, 1360 by Ghino Buo Spata of Albania. Then it came under the control of the Venetians in 1407, of the Turks in 1444, again the Venetians in 1687, and the Turks 1699-1829.

Mainly from the Venetian period is the large fortress, from where ramparts run down to the medieval harbour. In this time, Navpaktos was known in the west as Lepanto and gave its name to the famous "Battle of Lepanto" in 1571.

Actually more to the West near Oxia island, the Turkish fleet, stationed at Navpaktos, was met by an allied fleet (Venice, Genoa, Papal State, Spain, Sicily, and Naples) under the command of Don John of Austria, son of emperor Charles V. The battle, in which Cervantes, creator of "Don Quixote" (monument at the harbour of Navpaktos), lost his left hand, ended with the overwhelming victory of the Christians, and Moslem sea-power never recovered from this blow.

Below right: a view from Navpaktos to the Rion-Antirion-bridge.