The acropolis of Stageira, on the South Hill of the Liotopi peninsula, is at the highest point on the headland. The colonists from Andros and Chalcis built their first settlement in the 7th century BC on the peninsula's North Hill (see gallery pages 30-38).

By the end of the 6th century, at the beginning of the Classical era, the increase in population forced the Stageirites to expand their city to cover the South Hill and the valley between the two hills. Around 500 BC, as Stageira entered the height of its prosperity, building began to expand and improve the massive fortifications around the city, which were to reach a length of 2 km. The long south wall stretches over the brow of the South Hill, right across the width of the peninsula. Three other sections of wall around the headland, above the steep slopes down to the sea, follow the shape of the coastline (see map on the previous page).

Restoration work on the fortifications began in 1995, as part of a programme which included a wider study of the archaeological site by a group of architects. Excavations have so far uncovered the remains of three circular towers and several square towers around the walls.

The classical walls and towers are built of several types of cut stone, including porous, limestone and marble, in a variety of colours, shapes and sizes.

The tower is constructed in layers made up of rows of larger stones interspersed with pairs of smaller stones on top each other to attain the same layer height.