It replaced (while incorporating some parts) an earlier Byzantine castle, that was in turn built on the site of the acropolis of ancient Pharae.

Attested since the 10th century, Kalamata occupies the site of the ancient city of Pharae, on whose acropolis the medieval castle was built.

[1] The original castle was built by the Byzantine Empire, but by the time of the arrival of the Frankish Crusaders in 1205, it was in poor condition and had been transformed into a monastery, which was able to offer only brief resistance to the conquerors.

The repaired castle became the centre of the barony and a favourite residence;[4] Prince William II of Villehardouin was born and died there.

[1] After his death, the castellany of Kalamata passed to his widow, Anna Komnene Doukaina, but its strategic importance meant that it was recovered by the princely domain in 1282.

[2] In 1659, in an attempt to divert Ottoman attention away from the ongoing Siege of Candia, the Venetians under Francesco Morosini raided Kalamata and sacked the castle, but did not occupy it.

[14] According to the historian Kevin Andrews, the lack of space and its "eminent, but not pre-eminent position", contributed to the castle never being modernized as an artillery fortress.

The donjon at the northernmost corner and a small square tower on the eastern side, and a bastion in the southeast, protecting the only gate (with some Byzantine-era stonework), survive.