The monastery of Skafidia is a nunnery near the west coast of Peloponnese, 18km from the city of Pyrgos.

Inside the monastery complex there is a fortress, the so called “Tower of Skafidia”, which is different from any other fortification in Greece.

It is certain that the monastery was built around 1100 AD. It is not known however when the tower was built. Its western features imply that it is from the Frankish period (13th-15th century) or even the last Venetian occupation (1685-1715). in any case, the building has been subjected to some serious renovation during the long history of the monastery and now it is difficult to trace its origin.

The tower is located at the center of the west wing of the monastery. It is a two-storey tall building with 4 cylindrical bastions. In the past, the building had very few openings and an entrance above the ground connected to the rest of the complex via a movable wooden bridge.

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