The passing of the Venetians through Naxos left ineffaceably its mark on the cultural, religious and social life of the island.  Part of the cultural heritage is revealed today through its fabulous architecture that the Venetians applied to castles (“Kastros”) and towers found scattered throughout the island. 

Among them, the Kastro of the Hora stands out (otherwise known as Sanudo’s Castle, when Sanudo created the Duchy of the Aegean with Naxos as its seat.

 

The two types of Venetian castle-type groupings that are to be found are the tower-houses (that belonged to powerful families of landowners) and the tower-monasteries (that belonged to the Church).  Around the buildings, there were extensions of land that constituted  part of the tower owners’ wealth.

 

The landowners’ towers usually represented summer homes for the manors’ lords, who had their main residences in the Hora.  They provided storage space for agricultural production, as well as necessary installations such as bakeries, stables and wine presses.

 

The towers were usually built in natural strongholds and mainly in places where water was available (i.e, well-water). Built of stone, in a unique style, the tower-like compounds combine elements of Cycladic and western architecture.  Exceptional are the marble reliefs of warriors and battlements on its face. 

 

The usefulness of the towers has not been certified, but it is most probable that they protected outdoor farmhouses, while at the same time constituted havens and military bases during the period of pirate raids and war.