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Modern Description: Returning again to the road-junction south of Megálo Chorió: the north branch of the road passes the conspicuous Hellenistic ‘White Tower' (‘Asprópyrgos'), surprising for its brilliant white stone in a landscape of dark rock. The marble was quarried from a natural vein on the ridge of the hill. In spite of destabilisation by earthquakes, the cylindrical tower survives to over 4.5m on the east side, and preserves part of its finely constructed door-frame on the south side. The masonry shows many refinements typical of late 5th century BC construction— the customary drafting of the blocks, but also an almost imperceptible, progressive enlargement of the diameter of the two lowest courses, more for optical effect than anything else. Some of the fallen blocks are incorporated in the outbuildings of the chapel of Aghios Charalambos beside the tower. Although the harbours are partially hidden from view, the greater extent of the interior of the southeast corner of the island is visible from the tower.
Trismegistos Geo: 58687

Info: McGilchrist's Greek Islands

(From McGilchrist’s Greek Islands, © Nigel McGilchrist 2010, excerpted with his gracious permission. Click for the books)

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