Leontari Castle - Karnionas River Bridge, Leontari Arcadia Greece

At the northeastern end of mountain Taygetos with green valleys at an altitude of 540 meters and just 11 km from Megalopolis, is Leontari, picturesque village with a long history that goes back many centuries.

According to the tradition, the area took its name from an official during the reign of Byzantine emperor Alexios Komninos, named Leontaris (or Leontarios) at the beginning of the 12th century between 1081 A.D. and 1118 A.D. However, it is said that the Byzantine castle of Leontari from a distance looked like a seated lion, At that place, according to some sources there was a sculptural representation of a lion that was once decorated the area during late antiquity.