Nafpaktos is an urban formation that develops along the beach for over 5 kilometers. The walled in part of the city, “historic centre” is traditionally built; in combination with the superposition battlements of the Venetian fort make up a historic setting. The area is densely built and the only free space is around the port. The road network is dense with narrow cobbled streets (alleys) and stone stairs.
In the area to the right and left of the historic centre there is a urbanization with two straight motorway axis where up until 1930 luxurious homes with western European architectural elements were built. The types of housing we find in Nafpaktos are: a) traditional two floor houses b) neoclassical houses, individual examples are seen in the western part of the city (Psani) c) contemporary urban houses of the post war period mainly in the eastern part of the city.
To maintain the traditional style of the city today some morphological building limitations are enforced. In the historic centre no intervention that alters the urban total is allowed. Within the surrounding area an altitude of only 3 floors is allowed. A four-sided roof with byzantine roof tiles is also mandatory for all buildings.
Mountainous Nafpaktia
Virtually all houses in mountainous Nafpaktia exhibit forms of folk (traditional) architecture. The material used for all the old houses in Nafpaktia is usually slate, a tough rock that is abundant in the area. Slate plaques were also used often for roofs as well.
Nafpaktos’ traditional architecture has been influenced from Epirus traditional architecture. Good examples of this influence are some of the houses in Platanos. Local builders have later emulated their colleagues from Epirus and created a tradition of craftsmen in Kravara and especially in the villages of Simo, Paleopyrgos and Dorvitsa. Epirus and Kravara craftsmen worked along and built great utility works such as churches, schools and rock bridges.
The stone bridges of the Mornos, Evinos and their tributaries Rivers are a unique legacy that bridges yesterday with today. Most of these bridges are single arched and built on selected spots where the bank of the rivers is narrow. They are built by experienced craftsmen and have been standing proud for many years almost abandoned in the deep shade of the new motorway axis.
The most important ones are: the Kefalogiofyro, an exceptional monument of bridge work at the neck of the woods of the Mornos River under the Katafygio district that is preserved very well since the time of Turkish ruling. This bridge was the path of communication between Dorida and Nafpaktia especially during the seasons that Mornos River was impassable. Survivors of the heroic exodus of Mesologgi (April 10, 1826) passed this bridge in order to find refuge in the nearby monastery of Varnakova. The bridge, according to tradition, is doubly haunted, by Arapis on Nafpaktios side and Belesitsa on the Dorian helping each other for centuries to protect the bridge from the rage of the Morno River.
The bridge of Artotiva was built or rebuilt during the first Venetian Reign 1407-1499. It has the shape of a bow and is stonemason with plaster. It is located in a unique position at the narrowest point of the Evinos River shortly before it meets the tributary Kotsalos. The bow is 22.35 meters long and 2.4 meters wide. The road surface of the bridge is bestowed with sloping landings. The final coating is done with cobblestone diligently made. It connected west Etolia with mountainous Nafpaktia and Evritania until the 1950s, when the new road Thermou-Platanos was built.
The bridge of Ambelakiotissa at Kakavo connected Ambelokiotissa with Ano Chora. It forms a large bow arch that stands on two opposite curved bases. It is built with rocks of the area by crafsmen from Epirus.
Another forgotten but great stone bridge is near Klepa. The Bridge of Evinos Straits is 10 meters long, 2 meters wide and it is approximately 20 meters above Evinos River riverbed. The bridge was visited and described in 1890 by the novelist Andreas Karkavitsas.
The bridge of Gria on Granitsioti River connects the roads of Nafpaktos-Hani Loi- Kefalogiofyro towards Trikorfo. It was built in 1904, has an opening arch of 11 meters, width of 2.30 meters and 5.5 meters height from the riverbed.
Dorvitsas Bridge was built in the years of Turkish ruling to connect Dorvitsa with Platanos.
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