A large Venetian tower house on an elevated point in the settlement of Chionata on the southeastern side of Kefalonia.

This is a large building that has survived to some height, although it is abandoned and in not very good condition. Fortification elements such as rifle slots (?) etc. have also survived.

History

The building has been classified as a Historical Monument since 1982, (Government Gazette 320 B/1982), because “it is one of the few examples of Venetian architecture on the island”.
The Government Gazette also informs us that the tower is “owned by P. Lefkaditis”.

The 1980 Archaeological Bulletin contains information from the owner, according to which there was an engraved inscription on the tower gate stating that the tower was built in 1580. The gate was destroyed in the 1953 earthquake.
In its current form, the tower only survives the first floor and the auxiliary spaces (warehouses, linos, etc.). In its original form, there was another floor.

The tower house shows that it was in use until relatively recently, perhaps until the 20th century and likely until 1953.

The date 1580 confirms that it is a building of the Venetian era. The Venetians were rulers of Kefalonia from 1500 to 1797.

Sources