Ancient Observatory

This pile of stones is a circular ruin, which was probably an observatory of the Hellenistic period, since fragments of ceramics of that period have been found in the area. It may be even older and played a role during the Peloponnesian War, when the Athenian general Nikias, in 424 BC, conquered Kythera, which was under Spartan rule. The capital of the island was then in Paliokastro, on a hill southwest of the Vigla but it did not have visual contact with the cape of Maleas. In order for the vigla not to notify Paliokastro for the landing that was planned at Diakofti, he crushed the “viglatores” (guard post). Suddenly a few ships appeared in Palaiopolis (then the port of Skandia) forcing the small guard post to withdraw from the fortress of Paliokastro and later, when the notification of the take over came out, a large army disembarked at Diakofti, which has no visual contact with Paliokastro. When the local army came down from Paliokastro to the harbor to fight the few ships seen in Skandia, he was taken by surprise by the great army of Athenians who arrived from land, and surrendered. Castellan's engraving of 1808 depicts both guard posts, near Agios Georgios on Vouno.