The ruins of a tower-house at the edge of the village of Tempi, next to the old National Road.

No defensive features are visible on the structure today, yet it is undoubtedly a tower-house. This is also indicated by the name “Koula” (likely originally “Koulia”, which means “tower” in Turkish).

History

The history of the tower is unknown.
Generally, towers of this type were found on Ottoman estates (çiftliks) throughout Greece between the 17th and 19th centuries; they served to safeguard the harvest and provide accommodation —whether temporary or permanent— for the estate owner and his overseers.

The identity of Pampouras remains unknown. He was likely the tower’s owner at some point – and probably a Greek estate owner. However, if he was Greek, he would have acquired the tower after the liberation of Thessaly in 1881, whereas the tower itself must have been built in earlier centuries.

A short distance from the tower lies the Hasan Baba tekke (dervish lodge), which dates back to the late 14th or early 15th century and was a sacred site for the Bektashi order. During the period of Ottoman rule, the tekke was a large building complex and a major pilgrimage site for Muslims.
Given their proximity, it is possible that the Pampouras tower was linked to the tekke somehow during the Ottoman era.

Incidentally, the village of Tempi was known as “Baba” until 1927 – a name evidently derived from the tekke.

The tower has been officially designated as a protected historical monument since 2002 (Government Gazette 349/B/21-3-2002). However, it has been neglected and is falling into ruin. A few decades ago, it was in much better condition (photo 6).

Structure, Fortification & Buildings

According to the 2002 Government Gazette, the Pampouras Tower was designated a historic preserved monument —including a surrounding area of ​​50 meters— because it is a characteristic example of secular architecture from the 17th–18th centuries and part of the broader complex of archaeological monuments in the Hasan Baba area.
It is a square-plan tower constructed of rubble masonry, reinforced with eight bands of timber lacing. The wall openings —most of which were blocked off during a later phase of construction and use— indicate that the structure was organized into three stories.

Sources