Kastrologos

Castles of Greece
 

Vothonas (Kalentzi), Marathon, Eastern Attica,Attica

Tower of Gaï tana

or Paliopyrgos of Marathon Lake  
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Location:
Location Gaï tana at the northern shore of the artificial lake of Marathon
Region > Prefecture: Greek Map
Attica
Eastern Attica
Municipality > Town:
City of Marathon
• Vothonas (Kalentzi)
Altitude:
Elevation ≈ 235 m 
(Relative Height≈5 m)
Time of Construction   Origin
13th century  
FRANKISH
H 
Castle Type   Condition
Tower  
Rather Poor
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Remnants of a medieval tower at the location Gaitana at the northern coast of the artificial lake of Marathon.

The tower is visible from the Marathon dam.


History

This is a Frankish tower from the 13th or the 14th century. Most probably it was built in the second half of the 13th century, when the region was ruled by the De LaRoche family.

In the time that it was built, the lake did not exist. The tower was overlooking a small ravine where the river Charadros was running. It was very close to two other similar towers that are not saved today.


Structure, Fortification & Buildings

Two walls of the tower still stand today (NW and NE). Its size is 5.40m v 4.18m. The thickness of the walls was 80 to 85 cm. The maximum preserved height is around 3,10 m.

Initially, it must have been a 3-storey building similar to the neighboring tower of Oinoe .

No opening for the entrance is observed in the standing walls.


First entry in Kastrologos:    December 2015

Sources

  • M.K. Langdon, The Mortared Towers of Central Greece: An Attic Supplement (p.481), The Annual of the British School at Athens (1995)
  • Presented in cooperation with Mr. Ioannis Dedes who also took the pictures