The trademark of the city is the castle, built by the House of Villehardouin, the family who founded the Principality of Achaia. It was built in 1210 by Geoffrey I of Villehardouin and was the house of princess Isabella.
During the centuries it was conquered by Byzantines, Franks, Venetians, and Ottomans while it was always the epicenter of attention in the city of Kalamata. The castle consists of two fortifications and an inner fortress. On the top of the arched central gate, is visible the lion of St Mark of Venice. Inside the castle, there is a theatre that hosts cultural events.
It is linked with the city and its history, while several authors were inspired by it and wrote novels with the castle to be at the background of the story. Today the area of the castle hosts several concerts, performances and other cultural events.