Ruins of a Byzantine tower on the path between the monasteries Zografou and Chilandar in Mount Athos. The tower stands on a small promontory about 35 minutes’ walk from the Monastery of Zographou.

History

The tower cannot be identified with any of the buildings mentioned in Greek or Slavic sources. So we know nothing about its history. It seems that it has been a defensive tower. Judging by its structure, it should be dated to 11th-12th centuries. Either it belonged to an 11th century unknown middle-byzantine monastery or to the late 12th century defensive structures of Hilandar built in the time of St Sava tower. It appears that in the Late Byzantine era the tower was renovated and used as a watchtower for the monastery of Hilandar.

Structure, Fortification & Buildings

The dimensions of the basis of the tower are .9.35✖6.15 m. (without considering the structure attached to the south wall, which was probably an external staircase providing access to the upper floors).
The better preserved part is the SE corner which stands at 5.80m height. The maximum wall thickness is 0.90m. There are two visible construction phases, the last starting at 3.89m.

Its walls are constructed of medium-size stones (as well as smaller brick-like stones) and reddish limestone-based concrete. As for the internal structure of the building, a wooden framework was used, the holes for which are still visible.
The building was reinforced on all sides with buttresses no more than 30cm thick. This design of shallow buttresses resembles the towers of other old Byzantine monasteries on Mount Athos dating from 11th centuries.

Sources