AGIASOS, LESBOS

Agiasos (Greek: Αγιάσος/Ayasos) is a small town and a former municipality on the island of Lesbos, North Aegean, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform, it became a municipality unit that is part of Lesbos. It is located at the slopes of mount Olympos, at a height of 475 meters, 26 kilometers from Mytilene.

It is known for its special bright green landscape, its narrow cobbled streets lined by ranks of tiled-roof houses, the traditional architecture and its restless and religious inhabitants. Agiasos, the artistic and religious centre of the island, is a preserved settlement that has many to offer to visitors. The reading society of Anaptixi, a famous cultural institution, was established in 1894, when the village was still under Turkish rule. Today it has a great library, a theatre hall, a folklore museum and an active organisation which tries to continue the traditions that were passed by the old inhabitants.

There are many sights in the village, including several richly decorated historic churches, including that of the church of Panagia, a three-aisle basilica, surrounded by high walls since it was once a monastery. Inside, in front of the iconostasis, on an inclined support stands the miracle-working icon of Our Lady dating from the 4th century AD. It was brought to Agiasos from Jerusalem by the monk Aghathon the Ephesian.

Other sights include:

• The Market Square lined with neoclassical style coffee houses ("kafeneio").
• The "Kasteli", a magnificent hill covered in pine trees at an altitude of 600 meters, northwest of the town. Here stand two picturesque little churches among flower gardens and vegetable patches. Ruins of a medieval fortification can also be seen.
• Just before the ascent to Agiasos, there is the Reservoir of Karyni, surrounded by perennial plane trees dating from the Roman times. One of these plane trees is a tourist attraction because of the enormity of its hollow. 
• The Folk Art Museum located in the Church yard. One of the exhibits is the life-size model of a room in a traditional house of Agiasos. The museum collections include fine works of folk art (embroidery, textile works, traditional costumes, old copperware etc.), old jewellery, a coin collection etc.
• The Ecclesiastical Museum, with exhibits including: The Holy Rood made with wood from the True Cross, the sacred relics of the Saints, holy vessels, old hanging oil-lamps (18th century), a stole embroidered with gold (ecclesiastical vestment; 16th century), an embroidered epitaph of Panagia (Our Lady), embroidered testers (canopy over altar or pulpit) an old icon-stand, Venetian furniture, etc.

This post is part of the Travel Tuesday meme,
and also part of the Our World Tuesday meme,
and also part of the Ruby Tuesday meme,
and also part of the Trees & Bushes meme,
and also part of the Wordless Wednesday meme.