Verroia – Forts

Forts and Towers or Castles. An important role during the time of the Turkish occupation was played by the towers and forts of the area. The tower of Verroia toward the south faces the tower of Vassara and toward the north faces the castle at the peak of Neraidospelia (Fairy Cave). Through these two tower were given signals from Mistra and through the others to the rest of Greece and reached to Constantinople and from there back again to Mistra. Climbing up from Vassaras toward Verroia and as soon as we pass from Souditsa we see up high and to the left, lower than the church of Propher Elias, a stronghold and to the right and across, at Stamatera, under the church of the Ascension, the other one known as the castle of Kokkinovrachos (Red Rock). To the right of that there is a smaller one than the other two and it still preserves the whole of its façade, since here no human hand has intervened, but only time. These forts, together with the one of Vassaras next to the church of the Panaghia at the rock, constituted safe havens for the residents of Vassaras and Verroia from the various conquerors, and especially the Turks.