The Koulentianos tower in the small cape southeastern from Platanistos was part of a network that was used to notify the residents for pirate attacks.
It is built in such a point to supervise the area from the strait of Elafonisos and the bay of Vatika until Mani. Today half ruined, stands to this wild landscape in and testify the attacks of pirates and privateers from the Aegean and the Mediterranean. For this the villages of that era were developed in the interior of the peninsula of Vatika. It's one of the towers, along with "Fonias" and the castle of Agia Paraskevi, which belonged to an ancient communication system. When the observer was in the tower and perceived the presence of pirates at sea, was light a fire to dry branches that were placed on the roof of the tower and then abandon him. The fire was noticed by local residents, who were taking appropriate measures, but also by the observer of the next tower who did the same procedure.
Access to the tower is of moderate difficulty and is done by dirt road and a footpath of 300 meters. If you move from the area of Neapolis you'll reach the tower from the road of the Agioi Anargiroi (option A), Agios Elissaios and its mines. Alternatively you can reach the tower via Platanistos, a dirt road but difficult uphill. To get to Platanistos you will get either from Marathias or Pantanassa (option C) or Avlos (option B). A final way in passable dirt road, but longer route is via the road leading from the Megali Spilia to the dump and continues north from the WWII German mines pier until the tower (option D).
Distances
- Neapoli 17.3 km (13.5 km
and 3.8 km
through option A)
- Neapoli 18.5 km (12.8 km
and 5.7 km
through option B)
- Marathias 6.8 km (4.4 km
and 2.4 km
through option C)
- Megali Spilia 7.5 km (3.2 km
and 4.3 km
through option D)