Emporio or "Niborios" is the largest village of Santorini with 1938 inhabitants (2011). It is located on the south side of the island, 12 kilometers from Fira, at the foot of Mount Prophet Ilias.

In the center of Emporio there is a traditional settlement, Kastelli. Near and to the NE of Casteli is this Goulas or Pyrgos (meaning Tower).

Goulas dates back to the 15th or 16th century.

Goulas probably served to store agricultural products and protect the villagers. It belonged to the Darzendas family. When the era of piracy passed, after the 17th century, the Goulas was sold and became a dependency of the monastery of Agios Ioannis Theologos of Patmos and monks moved there.

Structure, Fortification & Buildings

The roof of the Goulas was crowned by crenellations, like in the towers of Naxos. In the ground floor there were two underground cisterns. Τhe ceilings of the storeys were covered by cylindrical domes and communicated with each other by internal stone stairs.

The complex included auxiliary spaces (kitchen, warehouses, etc.) and a small church on the upper floor.

Generally, the towers of Santorini were multi-storied defensive towers, with a rectangular layout, without openings on the ground floor. In their construction, in addition to the thick, high walls, we observe additional characteristic defensive elements, such as an iron gate, battlements and machicolations.

This Gulas was built in at least 6 phases. In the final (probably) phase, the external sloping mantle walls (scarpas) were added cladding the original vertical walls for support. The scarpas create the impression of a pyramidal structure.

The reinforcement with the external mantle walls must have been done in the middle of the 17th century. It is interesting that these characteristic sloping scarpas (disproportionately large that surround the older construction at a considerable height) are found in constructions related to the Monastery of Patmos (remember that Goulas also belonged to the monastery): In Vigla at Lefkes Patmos, at Fotodoti Monastery of Naxos (which was also a dependency of Patmos) and finally the Monastery of Saint John the Theologian in Patmos (on a much larger scale, of course).

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