The ancient city in Galaxidi

The perimetric wall of ancient Chaleion

Around 300 B.C. Galaxidi moves for the first time to today’s position. On the initiative probably of the Aitolean Confederacy, which in that period occupied Western Lokris, the fortification wall of Chaleion was built on the rocky peninsula between the two harbours. Because of its impregnable, more than 8 m high wall, Chaleion became the safest harbour in the Corinthian Gulf and thus controlled the sea route through the gulf and an important land route from the Peloponnese to Central Greece.

Excavations of the Archaeological Service along the ridge of the rocky peninsula, a little higher from today’s coastline, have identified the course of the fortification wall , which encircled an area of 7-9 hectares. In 1830 the section in front of the south harbour was demolished in order to build the quay and a part of it is still visible today . Stones from the wall have been incorporated in many modern buildings and probably in the Museum where during recent re-enforcement of the foundations, an unused block of stone was found.

The ruins of the ancient houses within the fort have disappeared, but information about the lives of the people has been drawn from the findings in the cemetery which was excavated in the Heroon Square (Manousakia) and from isolated tombs as well.

How Chaleion would have looked from the sea