A Venetian feudal mansion–tower on a plateau with olive trees and other vegetation between the villages Kato Malaki, Ano Malaki and Kalonyktis, 15 km south of Rethymnon in Crete.

It was built in the 17th century, perhaps a few years before the prevalence of the Ottomans in the island. It appears that the construction was started by the (unknown) Venetian landowner and finished by the Turks.

In 1900, the tower was bought by Manolis Papadonikolakis , an emigrant who came back from USA, nicknamed “Syggelos”, hence the name of the building.

The tower is a good sample of the Venetian rural architecture in Crete. It consists of a rectangular 3-storey tower and, next to it, a 2-storey building, in the ground floor of which there was an olive oil press facility.

Sources