Aikaterinh Balla Source: C.E.T.I. © Region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace

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On the north coast of Samothrace, 8 km southeast of Therma and at the eastern mouth of Phonias river, the medieval tower of “Phonia” survives, which was probably constructed after 1431. Although it belonged to the same defence programme of the Gattilusi for the fortification of Palaiopolis, it was not included in a wider fortification. The tower is a square, single architectural structure with a surviving height of almost 12 m. The walls are more than 2 m thick and made with half-carved river stones and lime mortar with joints of horizontally layers of tiles.
The construction of the tower resembles this of the southeastern tower of Palaiopolis. It was a three-storey wooden-floor tower with a blind ground floor. The entrance lies at the north side of the tower, just above the level of the first floor. In the interior, the staircase apparently leading to a rooftop room was carved into the wall, while the walls of the first and second floors bear arched niches. The second floor’s niches were fashioned in a way that formed embrasures in their centre.
Abundant building remains up to 1 m high were uncovered in the archaeological site, which extends alongside the eastern and western river shore up to the level of the first natural small lake, or Vathra. This preserved settlement dates from the Archaic to the Byzantine times.