Palokastër (definite Albanian form: Palokastra), is a village and center of the administrative unit of Cepo, Gjirokastër, southern Albania. The village is well known because in its vicinity is the Castle of Palokastra. The site was first discovered by British Major William Martin Leake, who said that locals called the site Drinopol. Albanian archaeologist Apollon Baçe worked on an expedition from 1974 to 1976, highlighting the size of the site. He dug into the Castle in the shape of a trapezoid with an area of about 1 hectare. During the excavations of 1974, mainly in the western part, in August of that year the foundations of the soldiers dormitories, a Paleo-Christian basilica and 8 tower premises were discovered.