On the outskirts of Alexandroupoli, close to the village of Avantas, lie the medieval castles of Avantas and Potamos. Three different historic eras coexist on those walls, namely the Mycenaean, Classical and the Byzantine era. Both these castles supervised the field and controlled the passages towards the plains of Komotini and inland of the Rodopi mountain range.
Both constructions date to the second half of the 13th century or the first half of the 14th and they are both erected next to streams and on top of steep hills. The Avantas castle is shaped with a simple transverse wall that severs any access to the slope and the peak of the hill. In Potamos the castle has 3 towers that form an internal enclosure and a further external one.
Avantas castle consists of a wall of approximately 140 meters, parallel to the contours and a second, about 40 meters, almost perpendicular to it. The fortified area is of a generally oblique rectangular shape and is slightly less than 1 hectare. The fortification is developed on the slope from which it is possible to rise on the hill, while the rest is not protected by walls because the rough terrain is enough.The fortification was reinforced by four rectangular towers. There were two gates: one at the end of the wall protected by a tower and one in the middle of the wall, between two towers. There are no architectural remains, which might testify residential occupation. The oldest construction elements are some massive domes that have been used in various parts of the fortification which might indicate an older fortification.
References:The Beckov castle stands on a steep 50 m tall rock in the village Beckov. The dominance of the rock and impression of invincibility it gaves, challenged our ancestors to make use of these assets. The result is a remarkable harmony between the natural setting and architecture.
The castle first mentioned in 1200 was originally owned by the King and later, at the end of the 13th century it fell in hands of Matúš Èák. Its owners alternated - at the end of the 14th century the family of Stibor of Stiborice bought it.
The next owners, the Bánffys who adapted the Gothic castle to the Renaissance residence, improved its fortifications preventing the Turks from conquering it at the end of the 16th century. When Bánffys died out, the castle was owned by several noble families. It fell in decay after fire in 1729.
The history of the castle is the subject of different legends.