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The Bazeos Tower is a fortified former monastery on the island of Naxos, Greece. It lies in the central part of the island.

Bazeos Tower in Naxos, Greece
Bazeos Tower
Main entrance

 

History of the Bazeos Tower

The Bazeos Tower originally housed the Monastery of the True Cross (Timios Stavros) and dates back to the 17th century. Between the 13th and 18th centuries, several towers like it were built on Naxos because of frequent pirate raids that plagued the island.

Bazeos Tower in Naxos, Greece
Bazeos Tower

The tower remained a monastery until the first decades of the 19th century, when the last monks abandoned it. In 1834, it became property of the Greek State. For several years after, local potters and their families lived there and practiced their trade.

Inscription above the entrance to the chapel of the Bazeos Tower in Naxos, Greece
Inscription above the entrance to the chapel

Near the end of the 19th century, the Greek government sold the tower to the Bazeos (Basegio) family. They realized the historical significance of the structure and their descendants have kept it maintained to this day. The tower started to host cultural events, including the Naxos Festival, after its first major renovation in 2000.

Courtyard


 

Visiting the Bazeos Tower

Admission to the Bazeos Tower is 5€ (as of July 2023). It’s open daily except Mondays. During our visit, the exhibition The Wings of Icarus by German artist Klaus Pfeiffer (1938-2022) was on display. He bequeathed his work to the Naxos Festival “to be preserved as a cultural asset of the island”. Visit the official website for more info.

 

Ground Floor

First, on the ground floor is the entrance, a storage area, and chapel. Photos are allowed everywhere in the building except in the chapel.

Storage area
Stairs to the first floor

 

First Floor

The first floor includes a central hall surrounded by the refectory, kitchens, and monk’s cells. This is a good place to look up and see the wooden beams supporting the second floor.

Central hall on the first floor of the Bazeos Tower in Naxos, Greece
Central hall
Central hall
Looking down to the central hall from the stairs to the second floor
Wooden beams on the ceiling

The most interesting room on the first floor is the refectory. If you look closely at the table, you’ll notice a cross carved into it.

Refectory on the first floor of the Bazeos Tower in Naxos, Greece
Refectory
Refectory
Cross carved into the table

Above the door to one of the cells off the central hall, it’s possible to spot an inscription bearing the year 1679.

Cell with the inscription 1679 above the door
1679
Inside the cell with the inscription 1679 above the door
Inside the cell

The other cells are very similar. While they aren’t decorated with period furniture or personal items, they do give you the impression of the simple lifestyle the monks would have experienced.

Cell
Cell
Corner cell on the first floor of the Bazeos Tower in Naxos, Greece
Corner cell


 

Second Floor

Finally, on the second floor is a large reception area surrounded by a kitchen, open-air courtyard, and other rooms.

Reception area on the second floor of the Bazeos Tower in Naxos, Greece
Reception area
Chair in the reception area
Kitchen

The large room at the back of the reception area contains an inscription of a cross above the door.

Cross above a door
Room on the second floor of the Bazeos Tower in Naxos, Greece
Room

From the open-air courtyard, it’s possible to get great views of the island as well as the courtyard on the ground floor of the Bazeos Tower.

Open-air courtyard on the second floor of the Bazeos Tower in Naxos, Greece
Open-air courtyard
View of Naxos from the Bazeos Tower in Naxos, Greece
View of Naxos
Looking down to the courtyard

Attached to the courtyard is another large room. It has an inscription in Greek and the year 1786 carved above the door.

Room attached to the courtyard
Inscription above the door with the year 1786
Room attached to the courtyard
Room attached to the courtyard

 

Map with the Bazeos Tower

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Owner of Paisadventure. World traveler. Chicago sports lover. Living in Colombia.

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