Pyrgi

Pyrgi is a very big village with lots of residents. The village has long history, interesting folklore stories and great architectural interest. It preserves in good condition its medieval form which dominated all south villages. Located in the heart of the largest plain of the island , it consists of houses built next to each other and narrow streets. The houses form the outer wall of the village and the roofs are flat. The village was built in the 14th-15th century to protect the inhabitants from the pirates who wanted to grab the valuable mastiha. What makes the village special is the "ksysta". Mainly decorative geometric patterns, carved and sharpened on the surfaces of the walls adorn every single construction of the village making Pyrgi a special destination. The Genoese tower constitutes an other interesting site of Pyrgi and so does the Byzantine church of the St Apostoli built in the 13th or 14th century. The village church is Virgin Mary which is all covered with ksysta and dates back to 1694. The haven of Pyrgi is the picturesque bay of Emporios. The ruins of the temple of the goddess Athena lie on the top of the archaeological site, the famous Mavra Volia beach and a few miles farther Vroulidia beach are a few impressive sites which shouldn't be missed. Other nearby beaches are Karida and Kato Fana which is an area of ​​archaeological interest where the ruins of the temple of Apollo were found. The village celebrates on August 15th and August 23rd.