The tower of Krouna

One of the most important sights in the region of Ierissos is the tower of Krouna, located approximately 1km northwest of the town. It was a dependency, surrounded by a wall, which has almost collapsed. It is estimated that it was built in the 15th century and it is named after the alteration of the word “Koroni”, since sources of 1320 mention the Skala of Koroni north of the area, near the port of Kleisouri. Furthermore, the property is mentioned as a dependency of Korouna in Ottoman documents of the 15th century and belonged to the Hilandariou monastery until 1542. Then, the monastery periodically lost ownership of the dependency until 1719, when it was purchased among other properties in the area. It was sold and repurchased at least twice.

In 1765, it was recorded as “destroyed dependency Korona of the Hilandariou monastery”. Some attempts of repairing it took place until 1821, when the tower was burnt and the dependency was abandoned. Other buildings such as a house, a barn and stables also existed outside the tower. During the 19th century, the dependency still belonged in the properties of the Hilandariou monastery. Nowadays, the tower is 12m in height. It is said that it had an additional floor that collapsed. Many sources refer to it with its full name, Tower of Krouna of Hilandariou monastery. The monument belongs to the jurisdiction of the 10th Ephorate of Byzantine Antiquities. You can only see the outside of it (there is signage on the main road outside Ierissos).