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MITILINI

MITILINI LESVOS PORT - MITILINI LESVOS CUSTOM

MITILINI LESVOS AIRPORT

MITILINI CASTLE - The Castle of Mytilene, also Fortress of Mytilene, is located in Mytilene on the Greek island of Lesbos, North Aegean. It is maintained in good condition and is one of the largest castles in the Mediterranean covering an area of 60 acres. The first castle on the site may have been erected during the time of Justinian I (ruled 527–565). The 6th-century castle may have been built on top of an already existent fortress. In the late Middle ages, the castle was the residence of Francesco I Gattilusio and his successors, especially the tower known today as the Queen's Tower. There is also strong evidence that the original acropolis on the site may have included a sanctuary to Demeter, Kore and Cybele.

MITILINI CASTL- The original nucleus of the fortress, designed in Byzantine times, is believed to have been built on top of the ancient acropolis. According to an old text found in the language Aeolic of Lesbos. Mytilene was spelled in many different styles two such examples were Mytileanaean and as referenced by Aristotle Maloeis, which was a harbor in Lesbos. According to the same text a Temple of Apollo existed in Maloeis as we learn from Thucydides. Temples usually were erected at the Acropolis. A Temple of Apollo may have existed within the Castle infrastructure.[1] Another Case was made by Susan-Marie Cronkite in her Doctoral thesis that a Sanctuary of Demeter may have rested at the Acropolis throughout Mytilene's history.

MITILINI CASTL- During the 19th century the function and character of the castle changed. The castle exhibited a more military character, as indicated by the barracks built near the madrasa and the neighboring gunpowder vault. Its walls, however, were not thick or strong enough to withstand attack by cannons, especially from the seaward side. The island was captured by Greece during the First Balkan War, on November 8, 1912. After 1912 the castle was used as a source of building material to construct refugee housing which gradually brought about its ruin. The intramural segment continued to be inhabited until shortly after the Second World War. The locals also established brothels (closed since the 1980s) in the Lower Castle.

MITILINI CASTL- The first significant alterations to the fortress were made by Francesco I Gattilusio in 1373. The castle was bombarded and captured by the Ottomans in 1462. In 1501, Sultan Bayezid II repaired the damage suffered by the Castle during the Ottoman–Venetian War (1499–1503), and built two large round towers with cannon and developed new walls.

MITILINI CASTL- New construction to modernize the castle was undertaken in 1643-1644 by Bekir Pasha, in the days of Sultan Ibrahim Khan, perhaps in view of the Cretan War (1645–69) or because of destruction by earthquake. They carried out repairs to the walls, erecting a new wall in front of the existing medieval wall. In front of these new structures a deep wide moat was created. Other changes and additions followed, the most important of which was made in 1677 by the Ottomans. The lower north sections of the fortifications were added. The Ancient Theatre of Mytilene was used for construction materials. In 1756 Admiral Kuramadji added a polygonal tower near the harbor of Epano Skala

MITILINI - Epano Skala Carnagio

MITILINI - Yeni Mosque

Valide Mosque, Mytilene

MITILINI - Metropolitan Church of St. Athanasios

MITILINI - SAINT THERAPON

MITILINI - Archaeological Museum of Mytilene

MITILINI - Municipal Stadium of Mytilene

MITILINI - The ancient theater of Mytilene -- Theater of Pompey in Rome it is a copy of The ancient theater of Mytilene - The Theater of Pompey (Latin: Theatrum Pompeii, Italian: Teatro di Pompeo) was a structure in Ancient Rome built during the last part of the Roman Republican era by Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus. Completed in 55 BC, it was the first permanent theater built in Rome. Pompey paid for this theater to gain political popularity during his second consulate. The theater was inspired by the visit of Pompey in 62 BC. in a Greek theater in Mytilene. Construction began around 61 BC. [3] Prior to its construction, permanent stone theaters had been banned, and to circumvent this issue, Pompey had the structure built on Campus Martius, outside the pomerium, or sanctuary, separating the city from the elderly Romanus (the area outside the city). [2] [4] Pompey also had a temple of Venus Victrix built near the top of the theater seat. Pompey then claimed that he had not "built] a theater, but rather a temple of Aphrodite to which I have added the steps of a theater."

MITILINI - The ancient theater of Mytilene --- The Ancient Theater of Mytilene, dates back to the Late Roman years and is a symbol of the culture of the island. The importance of it, is great, as it was the precursor and architectural standard for the construction of an identical theater in Rome.

MITILINI - The ancient theater of Mytilene --- This stunning Ancient Greek theater dates back to the Hellenistic age and is thought to be as important and beautiful as the Ancient Theater of Epidavros. Fits up to 15,000 people, it is an archaeological gem Lesvos is proud of. Admire the 24-m circular orchestra pit. Explore the theater and then hike through the surrounding pine forest.

MITILINI - The ancient theater of Mytilene

MITILINI - oinoforos the new concert area

MITILINI - Statue of Liberty

MITILINI

MITILINI - Mytilini Marina Yacht

MITILINI - Cinema

MITILINI - Rouselleio Municipal Theater

MITILINI - Hospital of Mytilene

MITILINI - VARIA

MITILINI - VARIA AGIOS GIANNIS MOTHONOS

MITILINI - VARIA University of the Aegean

MITILINI - VARIA Teriade Museum

MITILINI - VARIA Theophilos Museum of Folklore Art

MITILINI - VARIA Loriet

MITILINI - PLIGONI AREA

MITILINI AGIA MARINA - Taxiarches

MITILINI - Agrilia Kratigou

MITILINI - Agrilia Kratigou - agios giorgis kutsubara

Charamida / AGIOS ERMOGENIS

Charamida

Charamida 1

Charamida 2

AGIOS ARMOGENIS

AGIOS ARMOGENIS ( Better and true than Copenhagen Mermaid )

SKALA LOUTRON - PANAGIA APSILI - REFUGEES VIRGIN MARY

SKALA LOUTRON - FROM PANAGIA APSILI VIEW - REFUGEES VIRGIN MARY

SKALA LOUTRON - Museum of Greek Refugee Memory 1922 from Asia Minor

LESVOS GREECE - Greek Warrior Memory 1922 from Asia Minor

SKALA LOUTRON

LOUTRA - KOUNTOUROUDIA

LOUTRA

LOUTRA - AGIOS ISIDOROS ISLAND

LOUTRA - PARALIA GERAS

PIRGI - Paralia Christos

PIRGI

KEDRO

KEDRO - SILVER

KEDRO - MYTILANA

LARISOS - Thermes Gera Hot Springs - SPA

LARISOS - Prophet Elias

Prophet Elias 20th JULY

LESVOS 20th JULY - festival of the Prophet Elias

PANAGIA OUTZAS

MORIA - Roman Aqueduct

THERMI - AGIOS RAFAIL MONASTERY --- The history of the Monastery covers 3 periods: a. from the 10th century to 1235, b. from 1433 to 1463 – the year the Monastery was destroyed by the Turks; St. Raphael was the last Abbot of that period, and finally c. from 1962 up to now.During its first period it was a female monastery. In 1235, 30 nuns and the then Abbess Olympia (later St. Olympia) were serving the Monastery, all of whom tortured to death by Saracen pirates.

THERMI - AGIOS RAFAIL MONASTERY --- During its second period In 1463, it was a male monastic community where St Raphael served as the Abbot of the Monastery. After the Fall of Constantinople in 1453, St. Raphael and St. Nicholas settled and lived there peacefully, approximately for 9 years. The Monastery was at that time dedicated to The Nativity of Virgin Mary. In 1463 during an upheaval in Thermi the Christians ran for shelter to the Monastery. Among them there was Theodore the teacher of the small village of Thermi and a noble man called Vassilios – the father of the 12-year-old St. Irene – with his family.

THERMI - AGIOS RAFAIL MONASTERY --- The Turks arrived to the Monastery on Holy Friday and arrested them. They began to torture them in order to confess where the rest of the Christians were hiding and forced them to deny their faith. They cut off St. Irene’s little hand before her parents’ own eyes and then put her in a clay pot and burnt her alive. St. Raphael was tortured immensely. They hit Him with truncheons and dragged Him by the hair and beard. He was beaten severely. He was being pierced repeatedly with spears and finally they hung Him upside-down on a walnut tree and sawed off His lower jaw on Bright Tuesday. That is why their feast day has been ordained to be celebrated on Bright Tuesday. St. Nicholas was tied to a walnut tree and was also being pierced repeatedly with spears. He suffered a heart attack while watching his beloved Abbot’s jaw being sawed off. It was April 9, 1463. After those horrible acts the Turks set the Monastery on fire and left. The unknown story of the Holy Monastery was unveiled by St. Raphael himself to many people. The excavations and archaeological research confirmed everything He said

THERMI - AGIOS RAFAIL MONASTERY

THERMI - AGIOS RAFAIL MONASTERY --- During its third period in 1964, Abbess Eugenia Klidara built the Monastery from scratch.Abbess Eugenia (secular name Irene, daughter of Philipos Klidaras) came from Plomari, Lesvos. She studied Theology and Literature. She was tonsured a nun by Metropolitan Panteleimon Fostinis of Chios and Hieromonk Kornilios Marmarinos who assigned her to be the Abbess of the New Monastery and the Holy Protection Monastery in Chios. After a while, she obtained permission from the Metropolitan of Chios to go to Vrilissia, Athens to build a church dedicated to St. Magdalene who was her patron saint.

CAVE - AGIOU FILLIPOU

CAVE - AGIOU IOANNI KATAFYGIS

LESVOS - OLIVE OIL

LESVOS - OLIVES

LESVOS - OLIVE TREES

Paralia Xampelia

Paralia Xampelia Art Restaurant

PARALIA - Skala Neon Kidonion

PARALIA - Skala Mistegnon

Paralia Petalidi

THERMI - Paralia Agios Georgios

Paralia Thermis

Paralia Thermis - Sarlitza Palace The Sarlitza Pallas Hotel and Spa was built in 1909 while the island of Lesvos was still under Ottoman control. In its heyday it was not only the most beautiful hotel on Lesvos, it was one of the most beautiful hotels in Greece. The name means 'The Palace of the Yellow Spring' after the ancient healing hot springs that bubble from the ground in one of the buildings next to the hotel. For most of the first half of the 20th century it was visited by kings, queens, heads of state and other famous people. Even as late as the early seventies there were orchestras playing in the gardens on Sunday and the hotel was the center of activity for the town of Pirgi Thermi.

Paralia Thermis - Sarlitza Palace ....Almost half a century later the hotel is still closed. The Archaeologists have dug up the gardens looking for antiquities and left their trenches to be filled with garbage and the water from the hot springs which are also now closed. Apparently the last person to leave the building forgot to turn off the faucet and the land in front of the hotel has become a therapuetic bog that nobody in their right mind would want to put their feet in. The building is collapsing and efforts to restore it have come to nothing, perhaps because it is just too big a job. It is a tragedy really. We were left something beautiful that should have lasted for centuries, but it was beyond our ability or perhaps we just didn't care and so instead of a hotel that should still be famous all over the world, we have a derelict building that people will visit because even in ruins it is impressive. Until one day it collapses and that will be the end of that.

Paralia Thermis - Sarlitza Palace ....But hot mineral baths that have healing properties don't grow on trees so maybe someone with lots of money will take pity on the building and the people who live in Thermi and restore it to its former glory. In the meantime it is a tourist attraction, like a half sunken ship on a beach, or the empty skyscrapers of Detroit, or Chernoble. And the restaurants on the waterfront in Thermi are among the best, and the Monastery of Agios Raphael is known for its miracles. So come around sunset for a visit, walk around the building, and maybe say a prayer to the local Saints, Raphael, Nicholas and Irini, for the Salitza Pallas Hotel and then have dinner. If enough people do it who knows? Note the ancient columns at the entrance to the baths. Inside is the column that is featured in the iconic photo of an ancient column in the baths which used to be on the old tourist posters for Lesvos. Of course with all the crap in the water who wants to even go down there to see it? Such respect for antiquities. Waste not want not. Hot therapuetic spring water is gushing from these pipes and flowing into the ruins. If the water has such healing properties why don't they bottle it? Or at least turn it off until they find enough bottles.