Tower of Zavarnikia #1312

Description

This area was once the site of a Byzantine settlement, identified as the village of Avarnikia or Zavarnikia, known to have existed since at least the 11th century. The tower itself was likely built in the 14th century.

South of the hill, there are streams and spring-fed waters that flow into the nearby Gyalorrema stream, which then merges with the Aggitis River just before it joins the Strymonas River.

The Name of the Castle
The settlement is first mentioned in 1080, recorded as proasteion Avarnikia. In the following centuries, it appears with similar names, often with a 'Z' added at the beginning: Zavarnikia, Zavernikia, and Zavarnikia. The origin and meaning of the name remain unknown.

Topographic surveys and excavation data suggest that the hill at Zavarnikia was continuously inhabited from the classical period up until the late 19th century. The area is rich in Byzantine and post-Byzantine pottery, wall remnants, and includes a well-preserved post-Byzantine bathhouse located near the ravine south of the hill. These findings indicate that the settlement extended between the hill and the ravine.