Byzantine tower Ouranopolis

The main landmark is the tower Ouranopolis Byzantine most impressive monumental structure in Halkidiki, built in the XIV century through the efforts of Vatopedi Monastery.

The tower was burned in 1821 and restored shortly after 1865, with the construction of annexes (a press for olive oil production, an oven, stables, a blacksmith shop and two buildings housing civilian workers), of which there are still only tower, blacksmith shop and house workers.

In 1922, as a solution to the problem of finding areas that refugees Caesar Propontis can be established definitively, the Greek government decided to confiscate monastic area around the tower Ouranopolis. Former carpet merchants and weavers lived in the abandoned monastery buildings to build the first house. Since 1922, the tower used before as housing for farm managers monks offered shelter for 10 years a family of writers, composed of an Australian and a Scotsman, arrived in the area shortly after the arrival of refugees from Caesar and Propontis .

Entry to the tower is through an outdoor courtyard and a massive wooden door reinforced with metal targets. A steep staircase leads to the upper floors, where two wooden balconies are hung in a precarious position of the outer walls. Here is a small chapel and Byzantine double-headed eagle carved in stone on the first floor of the building demonstrates age. The chapel was used by locals long before the church to be built.

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