Fortresses and Towers

Die Akropolis von Panormos der Turm von Chimarrou Die byzantinische Festung von Apalirou Das venezianische Kastell Apano Kastro
Der Wehrturm und das Kloster von Agia

The Aegean Sea with its numerous islands is one of the first areas of the world where boats were used. It was only by boats that humans could reach the islands – as early as the middle Stone Age – and from the Bronze Age on, a noteworthy shipping and trade developed.

But also dangers came over the sea: already in the Early Bronze Age piracy became a problem for the inhabitants of the islands and starting from the 3rd millennium BC till the end of the Middle Ages the coastal regions were frequently suffering attacks by pirates. It is therefore not surprising that the inhabitants of the Aegean surrounded their settlements with fortifications and built fortified towers and fortresses to which they could retreat in the event of an attack. On Naxos several fortresses and numerous fortified towers have been preserved.

Die Akropolis von Panormos
The oldest fortress on Naxos and probably also the oldest building of the island is the small Bronze Age Acropolis near Pánormos.


The Tower of Chimárrou dating from the Hellenistic period served the defense against pirate attacks.


The fortress of Apalírou was the most important Byzantine fortress on the island.


The fortified tower of Agiá is one of the numerous Venetian residential towers of Naxos.

Here you find information about and many photos of the fortresses and towers of Naxos:

  1. The Bronze Age Acropolis of Panormos
  2. The Hellenistic Tower of Chimarrou
  3. The Byzantine Fortress of Apalirou
  4. The Venetian Fortress Apano Kastro
  5. The Tower and Monastery of Agia

Here you find the location of the fortresses and towers at Google Earth.

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