Agios Georgios Castle

St. George's Castle, known locally as Kastro Agiou Georgiou, is a historic Ottoman fortification situated in the city of Preveza in northwestern Greece. Constructed in 1807, the structure was commissioned by Ali Pasha of Ioannina, a semi-autonomous Ottoman ruler who governed the region of Epirus during the early nineteenth century. The castle was strategically built on the southern edge of Preveza to defend the narrow water channel connecting the Ionian Sea to the Gulf of Arta. Its design and execution were overseen by French military engineers, specifically Captain Ponceton and Colonel Frédéric François Guillaume de Vaudoncourt, who were recruited by Ali Pasha to modernize the area's defenses against Russian troops stationed on nearby Lefkada.

The architectural history of the site reflects a unique trans-imperial collaboration, utilizing stone materials and French military planning under Ottoman authority. Although initially named Yeni Kale, meaning New Castle, it was later renamed Hizir Kalesi, or Green Castle, around 1815 when a newer fortification assumed the original title. The construction process relied heavily on compulsory labor, with hundreds of Greek stonemasons and workers brought from across Ali Pasha's territory to complete the project in less than a year without pay. Despite the significant contribution of the French engineers, historical accounts suggest that Ali Pasha ultimately took full credit for the military works, possibly refusing to implement some of de Vaudoncourt's specific design proposals.

Today, St. George's Castle remains in good condition, standing as a testament to the strategic military importance of Preveza during the Ottoman era. It represents the first major architectural intervention by Ali Pasha in the city following his recapture of the region in late 1806. The fortress serves as a tangible link to a complex period of history involving French engineering expertise, Ottoman governance, and local Greek labor. As a well-preserved example of early nineteenth-century military architecture, the castle continues to mark the landscape of Preveza, offering insight into the defensive strategies employed along the Ionian coast during a time of regional conflict and political maneuvering.