Sigri: Petrified Forest and Village History

Sigri combines natural history with preserved features of the village. The headquarters of the Natural History Museum of the Lesvos Petrified Forest is located in Sigri, at the center of the protected Petrified Forest area. In Sigri Park, petrified plant remains take center stage; wells, the parish church, a windmill, and a hammam offer further insights into the history of the village. This allows you to focus on two distinct themes during your stay: the geological wonder and the village’s history.

Petrified Plants in Sigri Park

Sigri Park preserves evidence of the rarity of petrified trees, including trees that appear to still be rooted in their original locations. Petrified trunks of angiosperms and conifers emerge from the surrounding layers of volcanic ash. Numerous petrified branches, leaves, and cones are also on display. The preserved finds thus include different parts of the plant world, not just tree trunks. Large pieces of petrified tree trunks were brought to the park for storage and preservation. As you explore the park, you can consider the different plant remains and their encasement in volcanic ash as connected aspects of natural history.

Sigri Park also has a 350-meter-long walking trail. The stated length helps you factor the trail into your day as a short stretch. If you plan to walk it, check the current park arrangements before your trip.

Village History and Preserved Sites

Several of Sigri’s old public communal wells have been preserved. They recall a time when the houses—with only a few exceptions—were not yet connected to the water supply, and residents fetched their water from the wells. The wells thus represent a specific part of everyday life in the village in the past.

The Church of the Holy Trinity is Sigri’s parish church and the village’s main church. The Sigrian Hammam stands opposite it on the main square and was built on the initiative of Suleiman Pasha. The hammam is privately owned and has not been restored; it is not possible to visit inside. As access status may change, check whether visits are currently possible before going.

The village windmill stands at the top of the village, next to the Natural History Museum. In the past, local residents used it as a grain mill and bakery. Together with the wells and the religious and historic buildings, it shows that the village’s history is not limited to a single theme. Sigri can be explored on foot, allowing you to consider the village’s different preserved features as distinct aspects of its history.

Getting to Sigri

Sigri can be reached by ferry via the port, by private boat or yacht, or by car. No ferry frequency or fixed sailing times are specified. If you want to travel by ferry, check the schedule for your travel date and include the connection in your travel plans. The listed ways of getting there differ according to whether you reach Sigri by land or via the port; you can also take getting around on foot into account when exploring the village itself.

Discover more destinations: Mistegna, Kedro, Mytilene, Charamida, Evriaki, Vatera, Mithymna, Vafeios.

Return to the main travel overview: Lesbos.