A fortification in the olive groove south of the village Geraki of Laconia, about 500m from the last houses of the village, very close to the byzantine church of Agios Nikolaos. Not far is another remarkable byzantine church, Agios Sozon.

We name this unknown fortification “Tower of Geraki”, although it is actually a middle-sized fort, because the local name of its location is Pyrgos (meaning tower and deriving from this fortification), and also in order to avoid calling it “fortress” that could create a confusion with the important castle of Geraki which is on a hill just 1,5 km to the east.

The perimeter of the fortification is 210m enclosing an area of 2730 sq.m. The walls are preserved at a relatively good height along most of the perimeter. At the eastern side there are the remains of a tall tower. There are no traces of buildings in the interior.

We know nothing about this fortification. We do not have any info from historical or modern sources. One indication about its chronology is the fact that the wall construction resembles the construction of the castle of Geraki which was built by the Franks around the middle of the 13th century, with later minor modifications by the Byzantines of the Despotate of Mystras. Therefore an approach to its dating is the period from late 13th century to early 15th century. But we are not sure.

It is hard to guess the purpose of the tower so close to the big castle of Geraki. The fortification is too strong to have been the mansion of a local landlord or a monastic complex. And it doesn't seem to have had a role in the defensive system of the main castle. Perhaps it was just a military camp for the stationing of a military unit of the Despotate between campaigns. Again, we are not sure.

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