Város: Stone Houses, History and Landscape

Város can be explored through its traditional architecture and a settlement history closely connected to the landscape. If you are looking for a hotel for a trip to Város, it helps to distinguish the village from the sights in the surrounding area: some features are in the village, while others are above or outside it.

Settlement history and surroundings

The former Város was about 500 metres southwest of the present-day village, on the slope of St’vanos Hill, opposite the Gulf of Moudros and near the present-day settlement of Anemoessa. Because of the threat of pirates, residents moved their settlement to a valley between the hills of Plagia and Langada. This relocation is a distinctive part of Város’ history and gives the surrounding hills a specific historical connection.

Despotis Hill lies above Város. From there, the island administrator oversaw the mining of valuable “Lemnian Earth.” Just outside the village is also the remnant of a volcanic crater, identified with the volcano Mosychlos. According to mythology, Hephaestus fell into this crater after Zeus threw him down from Olympus. When planning your visit, it is worth considering these places as part of the area around Város, rather than as features in the heart of the village.

Stone houses, geology and a route through Város

The well-preserved stone houses of Város are considered outstanding examples of the island’s traditional architecture. At the entrance to the village, there is also a well-preserved trunk of a petrified tree, which bears witness to the island’s geological history. Together, the architecture and tree trunk offer two different insights into the history and character of the place: one is a built tradition, the other a testament to the history of the Earth.

A route through the wider area also passes through Város: “Με κρίνα και με γιασεμιά” (With Lilies and Jasmine) begins and ends in Moudros, passes through Város and continues to Kotsinas, and takes about two hours. Both the approximate duration and the route are important for your planning. The route does not begin in Város; the village is one section of the way between the named destinations.

More about Limnos

The wider destination of Limnos also offers a variety of landscapes and natural features. The Ammothines near Katalakkos form a 70-stremmata area of sand dunes inland, away from the coast. In Falakra, volcanic formations are attributed to the meeting of lava and sea. Every spring and autumn, thousands of migratory birds use Limnos as a stopover on their long journeys between Europe, Asia and Africa.

Historical points of interest are also found in different places across Limnos. Today’s Castle of Myrina was built in 1186 by Andronikos I Komnenos and covers an area of 144 stremmata. The Treaty of Moudros between Turkey and the Allies was signed in Moudros in 1918. Poliochni, meanwhile, is an Early Bronze Age settlement with early forms of social and urban organisation. The Museum of Maritime Tradition and Sponge Fishing is located in Nea Koutali and opened on 1 July 2006.

Regional traditions and products also distinguish the places and themes of Limnos: traditional horse races are held in Kalliopi every year for the Feast of Saint George. The island is also known for the cheeses Kalathaki and Melichloro, made from sheep’s and goat’s milk, and the red wine varieties Limnio, also known as Kalambaki, and Muscat of Alexandria. This allows you to place Város’ local history and architecture in the broader cultural and landscape context of Limnos without attributing features of other places to Város.

Discover more destinations: Angariones, Myrina, Kontias, Kalliopi, Kaminia, Thanos, Kaspakas, Moudros.

To the broader travel overview: Limnos.