ONE of the beautiful islands of the north eastern Aegean, Limnos is rich in history, beautiful golden coasts and products such as honey, wine, cheese and lots of fish.

Limnos, a volcanic island, looks bald when one approaches by ferry. Once on the island however green trees and valleys mingle with the white of the houses.

Limnos is 13 nautical miles south west of Samothraki and is 476 square kilometers in area with a coastline of 259 kilometers.

HOW TO GET THERE

BY FERRYBOAT From Pireus all the year round, total time 18.5 hours (179 n. miles)

From Rafina 13.5 hours

From Salonica, Kavala, Alexandroupolis and all the other Eastern Aegean Islands.

HISTORY AND MYTHOLOGY

THE island's history dates as far back as pre-historic times. Poliochni is the most ancient neolithic city in the Aegean with four chronologically different settlements one on top of the other. The oldest, Blue Poliochni, was built around 4000BC. It is followed by Green Poliochni, covering 11,000 sq. meters . The third settlement is Red Poliochni which is followed by Yellow Poliochni, which seems to have been destroyed at the same time as Troy II about 2100BC. Despite this destruction, however, Poliochni seemed to continue its life until the destruction of Troy VII in 1184 BC. Some place its destruction however in the years 1600 BC which coincides with the big volcanic eruption of the Santorini volcano.

According to legend, the god Efaestos, son of Hera, had his scientific laboratory here where he manufactured all his magnificent inventions.This legend has its roots in the fact that Limnians were the first and best ironsmiths of the Aegean and Hellenic world. According to the myth Zeus was angered with Efaestus for he was spying on him at his mother's bidding and threw him off Olympus. Efaestus fell on Limnos and broke his leg, and was lame ever after. The inhabitants, a people called the Sintes, treated him well and he stayed with them.

Another legend connects the island with the Argonauts. The son of the god Dionysus and Ariadne, daughter of King Minos, was Thos, king of this island. On his way to Kolchis with the Argonauts, Jason married the king.s daughter Ypsipili and took her with them.

THIS legend seems to have its roots in a matriarchal period on the island as, according to myth, the women killed all their men and later took as husbands the Argonauts who stopped there on their way to Kolchis.

The island continued to flourish well after the prehistoric years and into the historic years, when the name of the island was Dipolis (two cities) because of the two powerful cities on the island, Myrina and Efaestia. In the year 510 BC the island was conquered by the Athenians and later it was conquered by the Persians during the Persian Wars. In 479 BC it was freed again and followed the history of Athens until the 2nd century AD. During the Byzantine Period, the importance of the island was recognised and its economy boomed, (11th and 12th century AD). In the the year 1204 the Venetians took over the island which was retaken by Byzantium and was given to the Genoese merchant Ioustiniani.

In 1458 Limnos was conquered by the Turks and held by them until 1912 when the island was freed and re-united with Hellas.

WHAT TO SEE

Myrina is the island's capital and main port with 5000 inhabitants.The city has two main bays, the port and the Romeiko Yialo. In the middle of the two bays is the huge rock with the castle on top. Myrina is built on the ruins of the ancient city and has been inhabited continuously since prehistoric times.The whole city looks like a princess with the old stone mansions and the finess of the aristocrat.

In Myrina you must visit:

The Castle built in Byzantine times by Andronikos A Komninos in 1183-1185 on the pre-existing Pelasgian Walls.The castle was reinforced by the Genoese Ioustiniani . In the Castle and the various caves that suround it today deers live and find shelter quite freely.

The Archaeological Museum, where there are important finds from Myrina, Efaestia, and Kavirio as well as from prehistoric Poliochni. Pots, sculpture and a very good coin collection and Limnos ceramics are also exhibited.

Visit the traditional mansions and the old water springs in Plati.

Although Kaminia today is only a small village, it is very near the prehistoric site of Poliochni, which is near the seaside. Here tablets with Limnian dialect were found. This dialect is very much related to the Etruscan dialect. In Poliochni a real treasure of gold coins was found very similar to Priam's Treasure found in Troy.

Efaestia. Situated in the Pournia Bay this ancient city which took her name from god Efaestos was one of the island's most important cities in classical times. Part of the theater, ruins of the acropolis and a graveyard of the 5th and 4th century BC are to be seen.

Three kilometers from Efaestia is Kavirio, a sanctuary in honour of Kaviri, the mysterious gods of the northern Aegean with the mystic ceremonies. The sanctuary is even older than the one in Samothraki. The Kaviri were also worshipped as in Samothraki.

Filoktitis Cave is a cave where according to tradition the Homeric hero lived and was actually the inner sanctuary of the Kaviri.

Moudros, the second big port in the island, is situated in the biggest and safest natural bay of the northern Aegean and was often used by the navy in all wars.

In Repanidi one may visit the ruins of a Byzantine castle. In the place "ayiochoma" the mineral limnia was taken which was used first by Hippocrates as being therapeutic to various deseases and it continued to be used until the beginning of this century.

WHERE TO STAY

There are many good hotels, apartments and rented rooms in Myrina and Moudros but also in most of the island's villages. Access is easy and good as there are good roads, a good bus service, taxis, rented cars, bicycles and motorbikes.

WHAT TO EXPECT

Sandy beaches and crystal clear seas, safe and pleasant for the young and the old.

A clean island with plenty of fresh cheap fish, wines, cheese, honey.

Water sports for the enthusiast and the sportive and ease and comfort for the lazy.

Night life and music for the younger, good company for the older.

IN SHORT AN ISLAND FOR ALL TASTES. HAVE A GOOD TIME !

By Lelia Mitsides
Copyright: Hellenic Electronic Center

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