Looming over the town is the 13th-century kastro (fort). Remarkably, it survived the powerful 1986 earthquake that levelled the city. The entry gate is its most impressive feature. Inside, the kastro is a lush haven of tranquillity and there are excellent views over Kalamata and beyond from the battlements.
The fort has an interesting history, having been Byzantine, Frankish, Venetian and Ottoman at various periods. The Venetians burned it in 1540 before yielding it to the Turks, who did the same in turn in 1685.