Another fantastic Venetian structure of the 17th century in Naxos is the Tower of Kokkos family, built atop the small river located in Lierado, a quarter of Potamia settlement. The village stands at about 10km from Naxos Town, making the historic tower easily accessible to visitors. The concrete path leading to the tower is of moderate difficulty, while the verdant surroundings add a dreamy vibe to the experience.
The structure is closer to an estate, as it also includes a watermill, an olive mill and a bakery that ensured great autonomy back in the day. It expands in 3 levels, all of them interconnected with trap doors and stone stairways. It belonged to the orthodox family of Kokkos that used it as the epicenter of their feud.
Not long after, in the same period when Venetians were claiming vast areas of Naxos as their own feuds, there was a violent collision between the Barozzi and Kokkos families. Franciscan Barozzi murdered the head of the Kokkos family, leading to a bloodstained vendetta between the families and resulting in his own and his men’s revenge murders. A few years later, like a real life Romeus and Juliette story, the Barozzi heir and Kokkos heiress were secretly married, thus binding the two heritages and feuds together. Above the main arched entrance to the Kokkos estate is carved the quote “The memory of death serves during life”, dating back to 1686. The estate is abundant with such details, as well as with exceptionally colored interior decorations, fairly maintained to this day.
