Watchtowers

Everywhere on the island you can find some rests of round stony buildings. Did you ever ask yourself: What is it?

From the early 11th up to the 19th century watchtowers played a very important role for Chios Island and the system of defence. Around the island of Chios you can find a lot of them. They are called Vigles. Most of them are cylindrical buildings of 12 to 20 m highness and their diameter is about 15m. The walls are consisting of local stones and strong lime mortar.

How the tasks of a Viglatoras looked like? When a Viglatoras had seen an enemy ship he started making contact with other Vigles by lighting up a fire during the night or sending smoke signals during the day. Also the inhabitants of the villages knew about these signals. They had so the possibility to win time for the preparation of their defence. In return the people transferred wood in the interior of the Vigla, so that they were able to send signals. The towers were filled up 2/3 of their height with soil and rough stones. Inside was also one room for the watcher.
The watcher was one or two men, chosen and sent from their village to guard and protect their region.

Also special: Vigles had no entering points or gates. The watcher had to throw a rope with a cramp or a barb to enter the tower or he used a rope-ladder. The reason for this was a simple one. It saved the life of the watcher and secured the sending of signals. It was not unusual for pirates or other enemies to kill the watcher first and enter afterwards unnoticed.

On Chios Island were about 50 watchtowers, most of them in the north are almost destroyed today. The ones in the southern part of the island are still very well preserved. They are placed in bays and all the places where it was easy for ships to enter. The distance between two Vigles was optically ranged (3-4miles). From the top of each watchtower it was possible to see the next Vigle clearly, on both sides. This made it possible to form a message transmission network.

Recently, the Pachi watchtower at Sidirounta beach, the Mesta watchtower and the Trachili watchtower close to Lithi village have been restored.
 

Even when there are just some small rests of this buildings left, with your new knowledge of the use they become now maybe more interesting for you.