The Castle of Arta, an indisputable witness to the historical identity of the city, which was inhabited and flourished from ancient to medieval times, dominates the modern urban landscape of Arta, as it is built on a hill near the Arachthos River, visible almost entirely from all sides. Its large size and architectural form indicate the prestige of the capital of the Despotate of Epirus and its strategic role in the history of the wider region.

Its location on the northeast side of Arta was not chosen at random, as the north and east sides, built partly on the fortifications of ancient Ambracia, were naturally fortified by the Arachthos River.

The castle is trapezoidal in shape, covering an area of approximately 9 hectares and reaching a height of 10 m in some places. It is reinforced around its perimeter with 18 towers, rectangular, semicircular, polygonal, and triangular false towers. The northwestern section is additionally reinforced with a rampart, while inside, a corridor running the entire length of the castle ensured internal communication between the defenders. The main gate of the castle is located on the south side and is protected on the left by a square tower. A second small gate is located on the north side.

In the southeast corner of the castle, which faces the modern city of Arta, just before its end, there is a large triangular space with an entrance to the left of the main gate, which was protected by a machicolation. This is Its Kale, an inner citadel, the last refuge of the defenders in case of siege. Inside the citadel, there are two buildings from the Ottoman period, one of which has a marble slab with a lion engraved on it. Also, in a well inside the citadel, a coat of arms can be seen at its mouth, probably attributed to the Orsini family.

Inside the castle, there are fragments of a large Byzantine building, probably the palace of the rulers of the Despotate of Epirus, the "royal palace" mentioned by Evliya Celebi. During the Ottoman period, there were many other buildings inside the castle, which served the needs of the guard, but also of the inhabitants who took refuge there in case of emergencyIt is not possible to accurately date the castle, as the monument has undergone many alterations over time. It was probably built during the Middle Byzantine period and renovated in the Late Byzantine period by Michael II. Throughout the Byzantine period, it was besieged and attacked many times by Serbian, Albanian, and Western troops during the reign of Charles II of Anjou in Naples. In 1449, it was captured, along with the city of Arta, after capitulating to the Ottomans, while from 1796 to 1820 it came under the rule of Ali Pasha of Ioannina, who repaired and improved it.