A Byzantine tower-house beneath the castle of Karytaina, on the same hill but outside the walls, built separatley at least a century later.

History

The castle of Karytaina was built by the Franks in the mid 13th century. It was one of the main Frankish castles in Peloponnese but in 1320 was taken by the Byzantines of Mystras and remained in their possession until the Ottoman conquest around 1460.

We do not know much about the history of the town during that late Byzantine period, but it seems that some wealthy landowners, for security or other reasons, gathered around the hill and built their mansions there.

One of these mansions was this tower which, judging from its location and robust construction, it must have been one of the most imposing buildings of Karytaina. We do not know, however, who was Matzourogiannis neither when he lived.

Structure, Fortification & Buildings

The dimensions of the tower are 8.20✖8.80m. There have been 3 construction phases. The main one must have been after the middle of the 14th century.

Two storeys are observed today, but perhaps initially there were three.

The entrance was on the first floor under an artistically decorated arc. The opening we observe today at the basis of the tower was just a hole opened much later.

The ground floor has no openings and consists of two spaces. One functioned as cistern and the other as storage room.

Sources