One of the best preserved castles of Greece is that of the New Navarino or Niokastro built during the Turkish occupation in 1573, to control the western coast of the Peloponnese.The name of the bay Navarino probably comes from the Avars who settled the region in 585-587 during the reign of Emperor Maurikius.In 1573 after the Naval Battle of Lepanto (1571) to secure more the natural port of pylos the Turks built a castle in the south entrance of the bay and through rocks and boulders the north entry (passage of the Fig) to make its water shallow. The new castle was named Niokastro opposed to older (Paliokastro) that rises to the north entrance of the bay.The Turks also built a stone aqueduct for the castle, length of about 1km originating from the source of Koumpe at Handrinos Village.