Aspros Pirgos

Distance from Chora: 8,0 km
Distance from Livadi: 12,5 km

On the route from Chora to the villages of Megalo Livadi and Koutalas, shortly before the central junction, there is a special monument of Serifos: Aspros Pirgos (meaning White Tower).

Its construction date is placed at the 4th century Β.C. It consists of big white marble boulders, rising cyclically for about 12 meters (39 feet), surrounding the ground floor and the two floors above. Today only a small part of the tower is preserved, with a maximum height of 5 meters (16 feet).

Its characteristics and the panoramic view of the spot where Aspros Pirgos is placed, prove that it was used as an observatory – probably for the protection of the area’s ancient mines. Its only entrance was at the ground floor and narrow, spiral stairs led to the higher floors, from the inside of the tower, where just a few openings served as windows and battlements.

The building was destroyed a few centuries later, under unknown circumstances. A big part of it collapsed towards the inside, sealing it, while other stones scattered around it. At the end of the 19th century a small cemetery was created close by, as well as a small church dedicated to St Charalampos and a building that serves as storage.

The assessment and restoration processes of Aspros Pirgos (2010-2014) revealed that parts of its ruins had been used in the construction of the later buildings and were hidden behind plastered stone walls. If you notice the small church carefully, you will see marble stones integrated in the building, which have not been removed since they constitute a structural part of it.