The Volissos castle is a big, beautiful in view and well preserved castle of northwest Chios, on the top of a hill just above the village of Volissos.

Volissos village, is built atop the location of the ancient city called Voliskos and according to the tradition, this is the place where the great ancient poet Homer had lived. It's castle though, didn't exist back then.

The castle had initially been built by the Byzantines, most probably around 11th century. Anna Komnini ( Byzantine princess ) refers the castle at her Aleksiada ( historical writing ). Tradition mentions that it was built by General Velissarios around the 6th century, with no proof backing up that claim.  It can not be excluded that  the early fortification works on the hill started during the Byzantine Emperor Ioustinianos's  reign (527-565).

During the 15th century the castle was reconstructed by the Genoese and thus took it's final shape.

The main purpose of the castle, was to protect the northwest parts of Chios island and for that reason it was built in a strategical position, at 230 meters altitude, from where it had visual contact with almost the whole northwest shoreline vincinity of the island alongside with the viglas ( watchtowers ) scattered around the shoreline too. It is obvious that the castle was the centre of the defensive fortification in those parts of the island.

The illumination of the castle during the evening hours, is quite a spectacle for the visitor to see.