Voila Tower

The Tower of Voila is located 1km away from the village of Chandras , in the beautiful plateau of Armenohandrades . Voila was a small medieval village, which is currently abandoned, like many villages in the area.

The fort, according to a Turkish inscription on its outside walls, was built in 1740-1741. It was presumably founded by an Islamized Venetian nobleman who belonged to the family of Zeni , and was named Tsin Ali or Tzinalis .

Tzinalis is a real historical person and was one of the toughest janissaries in Sitia province. The fort consists mainly of a high tower, called Tower of Genna , which is in relatively good condition and could be restored.

Beside the tower there is the small ruined church of Tzinalis and the two-aisled church of Saint George , a little further, built in the 15th century with the Salamon family coat of arms. Salamon family was the ancestors of the poet of the Greek national anthem, Dionysios Solomos .

In 1828, during the revolution in Sitia province the rebels burnt the tower of Lithines and then headed to the nearby medieval village of Etia and some of them (about 500 people) headed against Voila , but the Turks had already evacuated it. East of Voila, next to Handras village, on a hill there are the ruins of a small fortress, which the locals call Castelli.