Kastrologos

Castles of Greece
 

Sianna, Rhodes, Dodecanese,South Aegean

Tower of Glyfada

  
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Location:
In the middle of the Glyfada beach, in Sianna area, at the western coast of Rhodes
Region > Prefecture: Greek Map
South Aegean
Dodecanese
Municipality > Town:
City of Rhodes
• Sianna
Altitude:
Zero Altitude
Time of Construction   Origin
end 15th cent.  
IOANNITE
H 
Castle Type   Condition
Watchtower  
Rather Poor
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Ruins of a rectangular late-medieval watchtower of the Knights Hospitallers, part of the “chain” of coastal watchtowers protecting the island of Rhodes.
The Glyfada Bay on the Rhodian west coast below the settlement of Lakki opens in the direction of the island of Alimia. A few meters from the coast stands the watchtower.



Tower Description

Text: Dr. Michael Losse – Singen (Hohentwiel), Germany (17.12.2020)


General description
A few meters from the coast stands the tower probably built during the term of the Knights Hospitallers‘ Grandmaster Pierre d'Aubusson (ruled 1476-1505). While its sea-facing side has almost completely collapsed – debris from the masonry, which is made of quarry stone and large pebbles, lies on the beach and in the water – the land side is still almost at its original height (approx. 9 m). The side facing the sea was about 2 m higher because of its location in the embankment.

The tower has an approximately square floor plan (side lengths approx. 6.7 m) with a wall thickness of about 1.5 m. Its access was in the southwestern wall of the 1st floor. The tower‘s platform was probably crowned with merlons (cf. reconstructions of Poutiers 1989, p. 273; Spiteri 1994). Existing consoles are remnants of box-machicoulations. Inside the tower there were three floors; the two lower ones with beamed ceilings – five beam holes of the supporting beams on the 1st floor and a wall rebound on the floor above are remains of the former construction – the upper one a barrel vault. The room on the first floor was equipped with a fireplace.

History of the castle/tower
The tower was built during the Knights of St. John‘s (Hospitaller Knights‘) rule in the 15th century.



Other Info

Sources
Gerola, Giuseppe: I monumenti medioevali delle 13 Sporadi. In: Annuario Scuola Arch. Atene I, 1914, pp. 319-356. Lock, Peter: Freestanding towers in the countryside of Rhodes. In: Elizabeth Jeffreys (Ed.): Byzantine Style, Religion and Civilization. In honour of Sir Steven Runciman. Cambridge 2006, pp. 374-393.
Losse, Michael: Wacht- und Wohntürme aus der Zeit des Johanniter-Ordens (1307-1522) auf der Ägäis-Insel Rhódos (Griechenland). In: Burgen und Schlösser 4, 2009, pp. 245-261.
Losse, Michael: Die Burgen und Festungen des Johanniter-Ritterordens auf Rhódos und in der Ägäis (Griechenland) 1307-1522. (Publisher: Nünnerich-Asmus Verlag) Mainz 2017.
Losse, Michael: Die (Küsten-)Wachttürme des Johanniter-Ritterordens auf der Insel Rhódos (Dodekanes, Griechenland) bis 1522 – Zum aktuellen Forschungsstand. In: fortifikation. Fachblatt des Studienkreises für Internationales Festungs-, Militär- und Schutzbauwesen e.V. (INTERFEST), Vol. 34, 2020, pp. 59-90.
Losse, Michael: Johanniter-Wachtturm in der Glyfáda-Bucht, www.burgenwelt.org/griechenland/glyfada/object.php (created: 31.12.2018).
Poutiers, Jean-Christian: Rhodes et ses Chevaliers (1306-1523). Approche historique et archéologique. Imprimerie Catholique sal Araya, Liban 1989.
Spiteri, Stephen C.: Fortresses of the Cross. Hospitaller Military Architecture (1136-1798). Valleta (Malta) 1994, p. 154.
Spiteri, Stephen C.: Fortresses of the Knights. Ħamrun (Malta) 2001, p. 152.



First entry in Kastrologos:    April 2015
Last update of info and text:   December 2020
Last addition of photo/video:  December 2020

Sources

  • Text and photographs 2, 5, 8 (2007) by Dr. Michael Losse
  • Information sent by Mr. Ioannis Dedes