Ruins of another monastic tower in Chalkidiki.

History

This was one of the more than 70 towers which protected the dependencies of the Monasteries of Mount Athos in Chalkidiki. The tower of Perigardikeia was part of a dependancy (metochi) named Perigardikeia that belonged to the Docheiarion monastery. According to Athos documents, the area belonged to the monastery since 1037.

Perigardikeia means “around Gardikeia”. “Gardikeia” was a common name for remote places. Later “Perigardikeia” was transformed to “Pyrgadikia” which was given to the nearby village.

The tower is on a low hill in the middle of the Kampos beach, around 100m away from the sea, 2km northeast of modern Pyrgadikia. A tower in this place was first mentioned in a document of 1409, therefore it is reasonable to assume that it was built around the beginning of the 15th century.

Structure, Fortification & Buildings

The tower is not in good condition. Its maximum height today is around 6.5m and the best preserved side is the northeastern façade, where part of the opening of the main entrance is still visible. The interior is full of rubble.

The dimensions at the base were 10✖8 m. The hill and the tower were protected by an exterior wall, 85m of which are still preserved, though not in full height. The name of this exterior wall in monasteries and dependencies was “barbakas”. The initial perimeter of the barbakas in Perigardikeia was around 300 m and the enclosed area around 0.5 ha.