Kastrologos

Castles of Greece
 

Nea Triglia, Nea Propontida, Chalkidiki,Central Macedonia

Tower of Metochi of Nea Triglia

  
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Location:
At the northern side of the town Nea Triglia of Chalkidiki, on the road to Nea Tenedos
Region > Prefecture: Greek Map
Central Macedonia
Chalkidiki
Municipality > Town:
City of Nea Propontida
• Nea Triglia
Altitude:
Elevation ≈ 100 m 
(Relative Height≈0 m)
Time of Construction   Origin
around 16th cent.  
OTTOMAN
H 
Castle Type   Condition
Tower House  
Not Good
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post-Byzantine tower-mansion at the northern exit of the village Nea Triglia, in Chalkidiki.


The Name of the Castle

The tower took its current name -“Tower of Metochi”- from the building next to it which is called Metcohi (meaning monastic dependency) because it used to be a property of the Vatopedi Monastery of Athos. But the tower is a few centuries older than the “Metochi” building.


History

We do not know when exactly the tower was built, but judging from its resemblance to the tower of Vasilica (for which there is more info available) we can assume it was a construction of the 16th century (± one century) and most probably it was the seat of the tsiflik of an Ottoman landlord. (So, despite its name this building was not one of the numerous monastic towers of Chalkidiki that were protecting the properties of the monasteries of mount Athos since the 15th century.)

However, in 1907 the land was bought by the Vatopedi monastery and in 1909 the “Metochi” building was built. The tower was not demolished then, apparently because it was still usable.


Structure, Fortification & Buildings

The height of the tower today is around 5 meters and its dimensions 5.1m✖6.7m. A photo in Panoramio uploaded in 2008 (could be older) shows the tower and the Metochi in much better condition.

Nowadays, the roof and part of the south and east walls have collapsed. Most damage has be done by the fig tree that grows in the interior (an indication that nobody cares; very sad).


First entry in Kastrologos:    May 2017

Sources

  • Presentation by Ms. Despina Paraskeva-Krani in the website opa-neapropontida.blogspot.gr
  • P. Bellier, R.-C. Bondoux, J.-Cl. Cheynet, B. Geyer, J.-P. Grélois, V. Kravari, Paysages de Macédoine, leurs caractères, leur évolution à travers les documents et les récits des voyageurs, présentés par Jacques Lefort (Travaux et Mémoires, Monographies 3), Paris, 1986, 311 p.




Road map to Tower of Metochi of Nea Triglia

Access
Approach to the monument:
From the NR to Chalkidiki exit to Nea Triglia. From the town's square turn left (east) to Nea Tenedos. On this road, at the exit of Triglia, we see the tower.
Entrance:
Free access


Other castles around
Tower of Fokea
Tower of Galatista
Wall of Kassandreia
Tower of Mariana
Tower of Sani
Tower of Vasilika
Tower of Zografou