We find the picturesque Agiasos village in the south eastern part of Lesbos about thirtykilometers from the capital Mytilene.
A small city built inthe shape of an amphitheater on the eastern slopes of Mount Olympusat a height of 475 meters above sea level surrounded by anexceptionally luxuriant vegetation of olive trees, fairy woods andsteep paths where you can get lost with beautiful walks.
From the traditionalarchitecture with its houses where the protruding upper floors arecalled "sachnosinia" from the wooden balconies decoratedwith colorful pots of begonias, geraniums and carnations, it unravelsbetween stone streets and alleys with an ancient flavor where youjust need to turn a corner to discover a glimpse that immediatelytakes you back in time. Small bars where you can meet the locals andbe told fantastic stories, souvenir shops, typical taverns where youcan rediscover flavors far from recipes handed down over thegenerations based on local products and typical of a mountain islandvillage. The village has two entrances, the main one which can bereached from the road leading to the village, the other which islocated in the upper part through the ring road called "Kampoudi".
Curious is the characteristicdialect which at times is not understood even by the inhabitants ofthe other areas of Lesvos, but which underlines the desire tomaintain one's own identity.
The name Agiasosderives from the inscription on the Virgin Mary sacred icon(literally it would be Mother of God Holy Zion) that the monk Agathonbrought from Jerusalem in 803 BC. The devotees who came on pilgrimagesaid "Let's go to AgiaSion" thus transforming the name intoAgiasos In 1700 it was a small settlement with no more than 40 housesthat developed around the Panagia of the Virgin Mary where the iconis kept. A year later the Turkish governor fell ill but managed torecover when some village elders went to visit him bringing somehealers from the church and according to the high Ottoman official itwas really a miracle wanted by the Virgin. To thank the Panagia Church he wanted to make a great gift, but the Koran could not allowit. He then went to Constantinople and asked the Sultan to exempt theinhabitants and elders of Mytilene from paying the taxes that had tobe paid. When the news came that Agiasos was not subject to taxes,many craftsmen moved with their families thus making the village afamous commercial center so much so that in 1729 it grew to fivehundred families. In 1783 the concession was abolished but by now thedevelopment of Agiasos was known throughout Greece. Unfortunately, in1877 a great fire destroyed a large part of the town but theinhabitants rebuilt everything trying to maintain its typicalappearance.
The Anagnostirio complex “IAnapitixi” is in the town hall square at the entrance to the town.It is considered one of the oldest and most historic cultural centersof Greece. Its foundation dates back to 1894 and houses a librarywith over 25.000 books, a popular museum, a cinema and a theater.
The Agiasos flagshipis the Byzantine church of Panagia Agiasos Santa Maria di Sion, builtin 1170 right in the heart of the village under the main square ofthe Agora which attracts many pilgrims from all over Greece. 32meters long and 27 wide, it is made up of a basilica with threemarble niches and three Sacred Tablets, the one on the rightdedicated to Agios Charalambos and the one on the left dedicated toAgios Nikolaos as well as the icon of the Holy Mother of God Sionwhich, according to the tradition would be a work of the evangelist Luke. In 1453 the faithful noticed that the icon was damaged so theycommissioned an artist to reproduce a replica hiding the original. Todate, both are exhibited, the authentic one in a double-glazed woodendisplay case inside a marble case in front of the replica which isinstead found on the altar. Every year on the 15th of August one isorganized
As Agiasos is a mountain village with amazing nature, it is surely a perfect destination forhiking lovers. There are many well preserved and marked paths thatwill allow you to enter the area in total safety and enjoy the Mother Nature wonders. If you are curious, go up to the top ofMount Olympus where you will enjoy a panorama that will leave youspeechless. And after a hard work what could be better than a tastymeal! Delight your palate with local products such as chestnuts, wildmountain vegetables, stuffed courgette flowers, the typical Ladotirisheep cheese sprinkled with small native flowers or with trachanas, atraditional pasta made with flour and yogurt or milk, perfect forsoups or with vegetables, obviously all accompanied by an excellentouzo.
We are of the opinionthat a whole life would not be enough to get to know Greece and itsislands well, it is certain that wherever you go, surprises, historyand traditions are always part of the territory and can only enrichour lives, so spend a day in Agiasos, you will learn something heretoo.