The tall, square tower of Mamtzios at Tsaritsani stands in the central neighbourhood of Panagia, near the metropolitan church and the Oikonomios School. Is a characteristic specimen of the local Thessalian Tower House architecture, which were the residences of local lords and a place of protection for the village inhabitants from the frequent raids of bandits during Ottoman rule. It was built sometime around 1770 and is the only one preserved to this day. The other two that existed in this town have since collapsed. The tower is stone built, with three floors that connect through an internal staircase. The entrance, for security reasons, is elevated. Above the entrance, at a considerable height, there is an “oil port”, a hole from which hot oil could be poured at invaders approaching the tower. It has a total of 70 battlements – narrow openings for defence that were also used for the ventilation and illumination of the tower. Only the third floor, the tower owner’s residence, has windows. In the basement there existed a underground escape tunnel for the occupants that connected to other important buildings in the town. The preserved tower and 18th century churches are excellent examples of Tsaritsani’s financial and social prosperity during that century.
