Avlemon-Vardiola

The Vardiola of Avlemon is a compact Venetian watchtower, known locally as a vardiola, standing at the small port of Avlemonas on the island of Kythira. The name likely derives from the Italian guardiola, a term for a guard post or observatory, and such towers were raised across the Ionian islands between the late 16th and 18th centuries. They served a similar purpose to the older cylindrical viglas found elsewhere in Greece, though they were far smaller, with square or polygonal plans and thick, plastered walls built to resist firearms.

This particular example is notable for being one of only two such towers on Kythira, the other having been converted into a chapel. The two were in visual contact, and both are larger than most Ionian vardiolas. Its exact role is unclear, as the stronger castle of Avlemonas guarded the bay from 1725, suggesting the tower predates it. Rectangular with a vaulted roof and a south-facing door, it remains in good condition, likely thanks to recent restoration.