Nafpaktos Botsaris Tower

Location: Town
Don't miss: Museums guide (free admission dates and other useful info)

The Tower of Botsaris in Nafpaktos: The Tower of Botsaris lies close to the Venetian Castle and the port of Nafpaktos. It is an impressive construction, which actually consists of two towers. The first tower, the west one, was built in the 15th century by Venetian builders. The east tower was built in the 16th century by the Turks. This construction was first used as a residence for the Turkish governors of Nafpaktos.

After the liberation of the city (18th April 1829), this tower was bought by general Notis Botsaris, member of Botsaris family from Souli, Epirus, who contributed a lot to the Greek War of Independence. The tower belongs today to the Dimitrios and Egli Botsaris Institution and works as a museum. The ground of the tower hosts a permanent exhibition about the Battle of Lepanto (October 1571). The exhibition constitutes 80 replicas of paintings and gravures, made by the most famous artists of that era.

There are also special displays on western churches and portraits of western rulers of the medieval times. On the first floor, we also find paintings and gravures as well as wall textiles that represent the historical phases of Nafpaktos town. These wall textiles were weaved in Brussels by Jian-Andrea Doria, on the initial designs of Loukas Kabiazo. Botsaris Tower is today well-preserved and constitutes a favorite spot for the residents of Nafpaktos.