Vainia Tower
Above the village Vainia, province Ierapetra, you will meet the peak of Stavros with the white washed chapel of the Holy Cross (Timios Stavros) in a panoramic point that controls the entire isthmus of Ierapetra. Just a few meters away from the chapel at position Pirgos (i.e. tower) there is an unknown and forgotten Venetian tower.
Its square shape surrounds a semicircular prominence, like as artistic edging. The tradition of the village says that this tower belonged to some notable feudal lords of the medieval era, whose properties went up to the plane of Ierapetra. Water was abundant in the area from the spring approximately one kilometer southeast of the Tower and is called Vainia (this spring gave its name to the current muslim village of Vainia that was named Giannitsi). Just off the great tower there are the ruins of a basilica which was dedicated to Santa Sophia.
This tower has a base of the rebels against the Turks of Ierapetra. Here, in mid-October 1866, the Turks attacked the rebels and forced them away.
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