Naxos Castle (Kastro)

Naxos Castle (Kastro) is the old Venetian Town of Naxos. It served as a protective shield to the impregnable fortress of Sanudo in Chora.

It was built under the supervision of Marco Sanudo (the Venetian conqueror after whom it was named), who came along with the establishment of Venetian sovereignty over the Aegean Sea in 1207.
Materials from a preexisting ancient acropolis were used for its construction as long as some marble columns and blocks from the Portara.

Note: There is an elevator that allows visitors to reach the highest point of the Castle. The elevator takes you to the Avaton Cafe, which offers some great views.

The fortification system adjoining the fortress is conspicuous thanks to its pentagonal shape. It has three gates, the biggest being Trani Porta (“Great Gate”).

The Glezos Tower stands like a sentinel in proximity to the northwestern gate. It used to belong to a complex of 12 towers, commonly referred to as the Crispi and is the only one that has survived. Certain parts of the tower extend to the western and northern sides of the fortress.

The Castle consists of four levels and is the only castle in Naxos with a round shape. The fortress circuit towers, particularly the Glezos tower, are impeccably preserved, even to this day. The tower’s entry stands out for its coat-of-arms that once belonged to the Crispi family.

As for its use, in addition to fortification purposes, it played a huge role in local politics, education, and religion during the Venetian period, housing several buildings still open to the public, such as the Catholic Cathedral, the Archaeological Museum, and the Ursulines School.
Moreover, many mansions still belong to renowned Venetian families, while others house shops and cafes.

Restoration Works: The tower was handed over to the Archaeological Service by Mr. Petros Glezos, who believed that the prestigious institution would undertake its preservation.
Restoration work is still in progress and the Archaeological Society intends to build a Museum there as well. Upon the successful completion of the work, it will become the biggest Byzantine Museum in the Cyclades. According to the Ephorate of Antiquities of Cyclades, objects from the Middle Ages and Byzantium and the most important collection of detached Byzantine frescoes in Greece will be on display in Glezos Tower.