Bazeos Tower

Bazeos Tower is a restored stone tower on the road between Naxos Town and Agiassos, near Sagri. Once the Monastery of the True Cross, it now works as a cultural centre, with contemporary art exhibitions and events alongside historic rooms and a chapel. Look for traces of its former monastic life, including the church and the room where monks ate. The tower also hosts events in the Naxos Summer Festival, so check its programme if you are planning a visit around a performance.

A monastery turned cultural centre

Bazeos Tower is on the main road linking Naxos Town with the inland route to Agiassos, near Sagri. It began as the Monastery of the True Cross, also known as Timios Stavros. The last monks left in the early decades of the 19th century, and the building became state property after Greece was founded. It was later bought by the Bassegio family, whose name gave the tower its present-day name.

During the Turkish occupation, the monastery served as an illegal school where children met to learn Greek language and culture. Today, the privately run site is a cultural centre. Its use for exhibitions and events brings contemporary art into the historic rooms without obscuring the building’s monastic past.

Rooms, chapel and festival events

Inside, restored rooms give a sense of how the monastery was organised. The former church and the room where monks sat to eat are among the parts visitors can see. A chapel remains in the tower, and contemporary art exhibitions are held there as well.

Bazeos Tower is a venue for the Naxos Summer Festival, which has been held there since 2001. The programme includes cultural events and contemporary art exhibitions. If you hope to attend a performance, check the programme and arrange tickets ahead of time. The tower can also be a short stop on a drive inland from Naxos Town, with Halki, Filoti and Apiranthos among the villages you can add to the day.