The castle-fortress of Kavala is a symbol of the city with a really long history. The fortress, visible from all sides, dominates the area next to the port and is approximately 70 meters tall. It is a fortified area and a typical acropolis that is basically influenced by the Byzantine architecture. A wall separates it into two parts, the interior and the exterior. In the interior is located the central tower. Next to it you will see the Gate that allowed the communication between the interior and the exterior and at first served as an entrance to the castle.
The fortress includes several sections each having its own distinct function. The prison-warehouse and the guardhouse are two typical examples. The prison-warehouse must have been built during the decade 1520-1530 and not in 1425, when the first buildings of the castle were constructed. At first, this particular place served as a place of storage and preservation of food and weapons.
In the beginning the aim of the castle was the surveillance of Via Egnatia in order to avoid pirate attacks. The construction of the external enclosure marked the extension of the castle, which served as the most potent means of defense and protection for the residents of the city. After the late 17^th century officers used to gather in the castle which was also used as a place of exile and detention of the sultan’s vassals. Nowadays many cultural events are organized in the castle which is of course an important monument of Kavala.