Limnos Tourist Guide

Urban residences

19th century is a period of economic prosperity for Limnos’ society. The development of trade and particularly the cash inflows in the island by wealthy Lemnians emigrants, create new economical circumstances, which are reflected in the architectural physiognomy of the entire island.   

Lemnians who have migrated mainly in Egypt, but also in Australia and North America, wishing to maintain close ties with their island, build luxury residences and are financing the construction of schools and churches in their hometown.

Touring around the island today, numerous urban residences, are whispering stories of economic prosperity, boldness and creativity and delineate an entire era. A large group of houses, which lead the way (between the early 19th century and the third decade of the 20th century), belongs to the so-called "Macedonian type ' where the second floor creates an overhang, supported on wooden beams, the so-called sachnisi. This type of houses predominate the Balkans and the islands of the northeastern Aegean. In Limnos, you’ll find the most beautiful samples walking through the narrow alleys of Myrina.

A few years later, Lemnians owners and artisans, are daring to adopt the neoclassical style on residential buildings. The cosmopolitan lifestyle of the Lemnians immigrants which come in contact with a wide range of stimuli, over the world, leads them a step further and express themselves through the stream of the most radical "neoclassical eclecticism". A rhythm although based on the "noble simplicity and quiet grandeur" of the works of classical antiquity, embeds successfully a multiplicity of architectural elements.

The beautiful neoclassical houses of Myrina, especially those that were built along Romeikos Gialos, but also the numerous houses in the villages, such as Kondias, Kornos, Kaspakas, Moudros, Varos, Kontopouli etc, which were at their prime time during the 19th century, are exceptional expressions of this rhythm. A lot of them are maintained at very good condition and live a second period of heyday, housing private residences, Museums, public and social services.

The neoclassical rhythm dominates also the 23 school buildings that were built during this period on the island.

Churches

The strong faith and nostalgia of the Lemnians emigrants, motivates them to build or renovate with donations, magnificent Parish churches almost in every village on the island.

Since the mid-19th century thereafter, many churches follow the rhythm of the three-aisled basilica without a dome. Impressive buildings that dominate and characterize the look and life of many villages even today. Do not skip a visit to the interior to enjoy the exceptional wood carvings or the stone built temples with rich hagiography. Impressive bell towers in their backyards, complement the scenery.

You must definitely visit the churches Koimisi Tis Theotokou in Kornos, Eisodion of Theotokou in Portianou, Genisi of Christos in Romanou and Evangelistria in Moudros.

Traditional Houses

Although the neoclassical mansions and the magnificent churches impress with their ornate features, the island’s traditional residences charm with their simplicity. The Lemnians farmhouses that dominate in the rural settlements have usually got one space with one or two floors, with a low gabled or hipped roof. When the building is elevated or two-storey, is accessible by αν external staircase which is placed alongside the facade and ends up in “axata”,a built gallery, ι.e, in front of the entrance of the house. Nowadays, especially in the most isolated villages of the island, such as Sardes, Fisini or Agia Sophia, several traditional houses are preserved, in harmony with the backdrop of the simplicity that characterizes the island.

Paddocks

You’ll find them on the entire island, standing in the wilderness and "talk" about livestock, the products of the fertile land, the economic self-sufficiency of the island for centuries. Paddocks, predominant architectural element in Limno’s landscape, are one-room buildings, made of stone, wood and reeds, without adhesive materials or coating. Although they were used for the animal’s lairaging, often in Limnos evolved into small agro-pastoral complexes with the addition of housing spaces, barn, built oven and threshing floor.

You’ll find them on the entire hinterland of the island but those in the peninsula of Fakos are standing out. According to Limno’s oral tradition, the narrations and the folk songs, the paddock represents the "kingdom" of Kechagia. The Kehagiades initially were the administrators of the property of the Mount Athos monasteries or the wealthy landowners.

Subsequently they acquired their own property and the term was stating the breeder, owner of a significant number of sheep and goats who simultaneously cultivates the land. Do not miss the chance to get to know the culture of Kechagiades, still alive on the island, with the songs and dances being a key component in the feasts and celebrations on Limnos.

Chapels

About 350 chapels, scattered in the entire island, define the landscape of rural Limnos.

Shelters of beauty and tranquility they are located here and there on the island.

The most "exotic", is the chapel of Agia Eythimia hidden in the wilderness of Fakos. Perched on top of the hill, is located Prophitis Ilias, outside Kornos. Agios Phanourios, near Repanidi awaits the fanouropites to reveal “every hidden good” and the chapel of Agios Andreas outside Moudros, boasts of the three crosses on the roof and the huge oak trees at the entrance. In Fysini, on the southeastern tip of the island, the chapel of Agios Georgios, impresses with its marble columns instead of candelabra in the interior.

The chapels on the island are mostly small, single spaced, elongated, with gable roof and gables in the facade. Usually they have stone benches, right and left of the entrance, for the visitors to rest and a small courtyard. Often, there are planted trees next to the chapels in order to mark the spot and can be easily located. In the past chapels, were not only meeting place and spaces of worship, but also used as shelters, especially in case of intensive weather conditions.

Windmills

Cylindrical, two-storey, stone built buildings, constructed from local stone, , with a conical roof και and vertical wooden waterwheel with triangular sails, οι the windmills of Limnos, mark the landscape and reveal the agricultural and economic history of the island.

The use of windmills in Limnos was quite extensive, due to the strong winds that blow on the island. For eight centuries the windmills were grinding the abundant grain and sesame seeds cultivated on the island. The windmills are found mainly in eastern Limnos, due to the favorable winds blowing in the area.

Alone or in groups, restored or abandoned to the ravages of time, on the top of hills, usually at the entrance of the settlements, are among the most beautiful buildings that the visitor will see.

The most beautiful are the mills at the entrance of Kondias, those on Varo’s hills, of Romanou, on the way to Scandali and in Lychna of Moudros.

Several of the windmills on the island, have been restored and operate as hotels.

Stone carvings

The greyish and reddish stone of the island, because they were volcanic and easy to carve rocks, were excellent raw material for stone carving Limnos.

The works of the Lemnian stone carving are usually ornamental architectural elements, such as pilasters, corbels and capitals. Many of them are decorated with human figures, plant motifs or themes from the animal kingdom.

Nowadays, samples of the stone carving in Limnos, can be seen in the numerous stone built houses of Myrina and the villages, in churches, several of which have got stone carved iconostasis, the very few fountains that have been preserved, but also in the cemeteries on the island.

The Ottoman Limnos

Only a few architectural samples have been preserved from more than four centuries of the Ottoman occupation of the island. The fountains, which were formerly the center of the social life of each village, were elaborately decorated with gables, arches and embossed representations, are among others, a minimum remembrance of Ottoman Limnos.

The complex of the Baths in Therma, although reconstructed, maintains Ottoman elements with the dome of the Turkish hammam dominating.

In the port of Myrina, is preserved a house with an inscription, which refers to the great Turkish poet of the 17th century Niyazi Misri. Misri, poet of love and strong insurgent, was exiled and died in Limnos. After his death the Muslims of the island built in his honor near the mosque of Myrina, an Ottoman tomb monument.

Over the years, around this monument, was built the Muslim district of the island. In the second half of the 20th century, the buildings were gradually shattered and today, besides the house with the inscription, a fountain of 1771 is preserved, which was built in honor of Kapikiran Mehmed Pascha.

Finally, within the city's castle, are saved two ruined buildings, the first was the castle’s mosque and the second, a large long and narrow building with large arched windows, which probably was the guest house of the Turkish garrison.