Planos, Zakynthos, Ionian islands
Vardiola in Tsilivi
| Location: |
| On a little rocky peninsula overlooking the resort Tsilivi, north of the village Planos in Zakynthos |
| Region > Prefecture: |  |
| Ionian islands Zakynthos | |
| Municipality > Town: | |
| City of Zakynthos • Planos | |
| Altitude: | |
| Elevation ≈ 9 m |
| Time of Construction | Origin | |
| around 1770 | VENETIAN  |
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| Castle Type | Condition | |
| Watchtower |
Not Good
|
A small Venetian watchtower on the popular beach Tsilivi, 5 km north of the town of Zakynthos.
It is very close to another similar watchtower, the Vardiola of Kypseli .
History
About Vardiolas in generalThe word “vardiola” originates probably from the word guardiola (a common castle term meaning guard or observatory from the Italian word “guarda”). It is used for the various watchtowers that the Venetians built on the coasts of the Ionian islands. There are vardiolas in Kythira, Cephalonia and Zakynthos. Some of them are included in Kastrologos. Probably, there are many more. We do not know (in this site) if the name “Vardiola” is used for watchtowers in other areas outside the Ionian islands.
The Vardiolas of Zakynthos have a very particular design: small dimensions, strong stone walls with a square-pyramid-shaped roof.
Most of the vardiolas in Zakynthos were constructed during the administration of the Venetian Proveditore (Governor) Claudio Gherardini who held this position during the period 1768-1770.
| First entry in Kastrologos: | July 2014 |
Sources
- Μυλωνάς Βασίλειος, Κομίνης Αντώνιος, Δουλδούρης Βασίλειος , «ΒΙΓΛΕΣ ΣΤΟ ΝΗΣΙΩΤΙΚΟ ΕΛΛΑΔΙΚΟ ΧΩΡΟ (ΙΟΝΙΟ) , ΒΙΓΛΕΣ-ΒΑΡΔΙΟΛΕΣ ΖΑΚΥΝΘΟΥ», Πτυχιακή εργασία ΤΕΙ Πειραιά, Τμήμα Πολιτικών και Δομικών Έργων, available also online
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| Access |
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| Entrance: |
| Free access |
| Similar |
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| Vardiola of Atheras |
| Vardiola of Koutsoupia |
| Vardiola of Kypseli |
| Vardiola of Mikro Nisi |
| Vardiola at Piniatoros’ property |
