The awe-inspiring Kastro is the old capital of Sifnos. It has been populated since the prehistoric times (the first houses were built during the 3rd millennium BC) and maintains the original characteristics of a Venetian fortification. It was established by the Da Corogna Dynasty around 1635, its name comes from the Greek word for “castle”, while its form is ellipsoid –following the morphology of the ground. The houses are built adjacent to one another, forming defensive circles. The inner circles were reserved for the rich people and the external ones for the poor. Atop the hill, the ruins of the ancient citadel prevail (6th century BC). The wall was built with fine Sifnian marble and is still preserved. The entire settlement includes the ancient citadel, columns embodied in the more recent buildings, roman sarcophagi, six “loggias” (gallery-shaped entrances), and churches of the 16th and the 17th century.
