Approximately,
between 11th and 9th century BC, the period that Aeolians,
Ionians and Dorians moved from place to place, the construction of the city of
Eressos took place by Aheus and Aeolian sailors. It is told that the name came
from Eresos, son of the legendary king, Makara.
Eressos
was a very popular trade center and her valuable products where
shipped even in Egypt. Beside trading and
fishing, Eresso’s
residents where also into agriculture. Some of their most famous products were
barley and sesame the first coins had the trademark of spike.
By
the time of 540BC Eressos was concurred by the Persians. They used her sea power
for their expeditions. Eressos became a part of the
2nd Athenian alliance. In the years to
come
political stability was lost and tyranny came to power. During the ‘roman
empire time’, Eressos comes to her golden age, but that was soon to be gone
during Byzantine’s empire were it suffered the consequences of piracy by
Venetians and Saracens.
In
the year 1462, Lesvos falls into the hands of Turks and Eressos is transferred
up north from it’s original place. By the year 1821 though, the name of the
city took it’s place in history in golden
letters due to a victory against slavery that came from Dimitrios Papanikolis,
when he blown up a extremely large Turkish ship. Revolution came to an end for
Eressos by the year of 1912 were the beautiful village became a
part of Greece’s territory.
Whoever come to Eressos village, gets the feeling of being in a place with a lot of cultural tradition. In ancient Eresso’s Acropolis, on Vigla hill, a part a prehellenic polygonal wall is still there along with the remaining of some small war towers who are what is left Turkish medieval castle, along with a small roman tank. Graves and sarcophagus where found there and remainings of harbor structures who where covered by sand trough time, are to be found by the sea.
Archeologists
discovered two very old churches, named after St.Andeas and Afentelis.
St.Andrea’s church was builded in the first half of the fifth Century (AC) and
it is placed right behind his new church. The most amazing thing about this
church is the tiny tiled decoration
of the floor of the main temple.
Geometric figures such as shapes, rounds and edges, inspired from nature compose an eye-catching masterpiece. A small construction, which has the sarcophagus of St.Andreas in within the same space.
In
a distance of 2 kilometers, west
of the coast, in the area of ‘Afenteli’, the remaining of the second
Christian monument are saved until today. It is told that, this very same spot
was the school of the ‘Father of Votanology’ named, Theofrastos. The
temple is of the same architecture and that the thing that is especially
interesting is a small sarcophagus made from marble and has the remaining and
the holly water of the Saint.
The archeological museum is exposing artifacts from prechristian age. History of Eresso’s life from ancient times until the time that Byzantium Empire ruled. One can find from statues of ancient Gods until coins and papyrus among many other ancient treasures.
The
anger of the Turkish ship named ‘moving mountain’ is in the museum.
This is the same ship, which was fired up by Papanikolis. The statue of
the ‘fire starter’ looking at the sea, is under the same roof. The
historical museum is not far away from the archeological museum. In there,
artifacts of our legacy are exposed. The people of the village gave those
artifacts as a noble gesture.
The
village of Eressos is preserving the traditional ways. The houses
are still composed from rock, snow
white walls , and gardens full of flowers.
Inside
the village, there are many traditional houses, which belonged to nobles, three
churches, Maria, St. Constantine, and St.Irene with the finest
wooden temple, as well as one of the most beautiful schools of Lesvos Island,
the ‘Theofrastion’ with
elements of classic architecture. Today, Theofrastion is used as an elementary,
junior high, and high school. The city hall is placed in the square garden of
the village.
The natural changes of the landscape, the mountains witch used to be volcanoes, the forest and the sea are more than enough to leave speechless every visitor. Old men are always more than happy to reveal the secret path, which Sappho followed to get to the sea. A few miles further, to the east, the Pithario church is placed between trees. In that same area, there is a very rare asylum of various birds. Anyone can go there to watch or study them.
Skala
of Eressos is just three kilometers away
from the village of
Eressos. Its beautiful beach has been awarded many times as the
cleanest and extremely looked after, by the European Environment Comity.
This beach is constantly awarded by the Blue Flag.
In
the summer, the village is a poll of attraction for many tourists, who enjoy the
sun, the sea and above all, the famous Lesvian hospitality.
At the beach, there are many reasturants, traditional taverns, bars and clubs,
on the
sand, right by the sea. Our visitors can always do some water sports, or explore
the
location
by taking sea trips into small boats with groups or on his own.
In
the area of Eressos County, there is one of the most important monuments of the
world. The Petrified
Forest is unique and famous all over Europe. It’s creation is based on
volcano activities
in the area, 20,000,000 years ago. Another petrified forest of smaller
size and criticalness is at Arizona,
Texas.
Various tree’s specimens, as well as parts of plants such as leaves and fruits are allover the area. Their colors are so bright and so alive that they actually confuse the guest’s believes for the world. Perfectly still but full of life at the same time. Tons of red, blue, orange, coral, green, and shiny blue are really dazzling.
The
forest is a unique and rare book by itself. It provides us with information, not
only for the plants and the trees, but for the weather, the biological
conditions,
and the movement of the earth that shaped this entire area. During the
excavations, the biggest lawn in the entire Europe was found. The lawns height
is 7,02 meters and it’s peripheral is 8,58 meters. It is an ancient form of
the tree
Sekoia. Today in the park as well as in the museum of natural history,
anyone can admire this wonderful world and even feel the natural history of this
place even just for a little while.