The Tower of Kiti (now more commonly known as the Tower of Rigena or the Venetian Tower at Pervolia) is located approximately 7 kilometers south of Larnaca airport along coastal road E336, on Cyprus' southeastern coast. Built circa AD 1563 by the Venetians, it stands on a prominent hill overlooking Cape Kiti that provides commanding, unobstructed 360-degree views from the Mediterranean sea to the Troodos mountains.
Along with Larnaca Castle and similar towers at Pyla, Xylofagou, and Alaminos, the Tower of Kiti formed a chain of forts that allowed Cyprus' Venetian administration to control movement along the coast, particularly the area of the Larnaca Salt Lake, and importantly to defend the island from foreign attack (one could think of it as an early warning system like in the movie, 'Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King,' but perhaps without the fire). Unfortunately, these facilities did little to prevent the Ottoman conquest of the island in AD 1570.
The fortified stone structure has no windows or doors on the ground floor. Entrance was achieved through a single opening on the second floor, accessed by a ladder or other implement. Internal stairways provided access to the tower roof and a ground floor chamber, and the interior floor and ceiling of the upper floors were built of wood. A cistern constructed below the ground floor provided the occupants with a ready supply of water. According to a Venetian document, construction of the tower cost 400 ducats.
Three Coats of Arms mark the tower's entrance. They include: a representation of the winged lion of Saint Mark (a symbol of the Republic of Venice) in the center; the crest of Zuan Mattio Bembo, the General Proveditor of Cyprus, who ordered construction of the tower, on the left; and the crest of the Marino Gradenigo Luogotenente (Lieutenant) family of Cyprus on the right. The Republic of Cyprus registered the tower as an Ancient Monument in 1905, and it was first restored by the Cyprus Department of Antiquities in 1911 and again in 1977-78.
For more information, visit: http://www.cyprusisland.net or http://larnakaregion.com.
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