Sivas, Faistos, Herakleion,Crete
Xopateras Tower
| Location: |
| Part of the monastery of Odigitria south of the village Sivas at the south Heraclion county in Crete |
| Region > Prefecture: |  |
| Crete Herakleion | |
| Municipality > Town: | |
| City of Faistos • Sivas | |
| Altitude: | |
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Elevation ≈ 240 m (Relative Height≈0 m) |
| Time of Construction | Origin | |
| 1568 | Post-BYZANTINE  |
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| Castle Type | Condition | |
| Castle-Monastery |
Relatively Good
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The monastery of Odigitria is in a remote area at the western side of mount Asterousia. The complex was protected by a strong fortification, from which today some parts of the walls, the tower and the main gate (with the inscription 1568) remain.
History
The monastery was constructed around 1568. Its tower is related to the legend of the Cretan fighter named Xopateras.
Xopateras was a monk in the monastery who was excommunicated after the killing of a Janissary, hence the name Xopateras or Xopapas (meaning something like “ex-priest”).
After that, Xopateras joined the rebellion against the Turks in Crete, using the monastery as a base. In 1828, a large Turkish force moved against him and besieged the monastery. Xopateras fought for 3 days but at the end he was killed after a heroic sortie from the tower that now bears his name.
| First entry in Kastrologos: | March 2015 |
Sources
- Website Ιερά Μονή Οδηγήτριας - Ο Θρυλικός "Ξωπατέρας".... (Greek only)
- Wikipedia article - Μονή Οδηγητρίας Ηρακλείου (Greek only)
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| Access |
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| Entrance: |
| ? |
| Other castles around |
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| Church Of St. George of Falandra |
| Acropolis of Gortyna |
| Koules of Grammeni |
| Koules of Ano Moulia |
| Castel Nuovo |
| Koules of Vathiako |
