The architectural style is reminiscent of an ancient Greek palace, with motifs of the mythological hero Achilles, inspired by Elisabeth’s love of Greek culture.
Standing in a 10,000-acre wooded estate on the southeast-facing slope of Mount Parnitha, to the north of Athens, the palace was obtained by the royal family in the 1880s, when King George I purchased the site.
Designed for King Otto of Greece by the Bavarian architect Friedrich von Gartner, the palace stands at the very heart of the Greek capital, with its main façade facing onto Syntagma Square.
The current fortress was completed in 1580, intended to defend the area from the Ottomans who had taken Cyprus from the Venetians in 1571.
Methoni is a coastal town in southwestern Greece, which features a medieval castle. The castle itself encompasses a promontory that juts out into the sea to the south of the town, as well as a small islet.