Anavatos: A Castle town in Chios with its legends and the pirates

Chios, one of the Aegean’s most beautiful islands, is home to an awe-inspiring location with a rich history. This place, often referred to as the Mystras of the Aegean, is steeped in legends and traditions. Chios is not just an island with a great history, but it also offers many surprises in terms of landscapes and sights. One of these is the mountainous medieval abandoned castle town in Chios which is called Anavatos. Today, it stands deserted, but it’s full of stories and legends waiting to be discovered. It’s also one of the island’s most important monuments.

How to Get there

Anavatos, a unique medieval settlement in Chios, sits atop a hill at an altitude of about 450 meters. To reach it, you’ll need to travel approximately 20 kilometers from the city of Chios, which takes about half an hour. Its inaccessible location and rich history have earned it the name Anavatos, also known as the Mystras of the Aegean. Its hilltop location gives it an imposing and awe-inspiring presence.

The settlement is believed to have been established on a steep rock during the early Byzantine period, as suggested by the coins discovered there. Like many such settlements, it appears to have been constructed for military and defense purposes.

The acropolis was initially divided into four districts, but the settlement later expanded beyond the wall into Mesochori. If you visit today, you can see the structure of Anavatos and the two main roads that intersect it. It’s believed that the cemetery church of Agios Georgios was established outside the settlement during the 16th-century expansion.

Anavatos: The Castle Town’s Enduring Desertion

Anavatos, once a vibrant settlement, underwent a radical transformation. The massacres of 1822 and the devastating earthquake of 1881 led to its desertion. The few survivors fled the acropolis and built their homes at the foothills, in a place known as Neo Chorio, where the newer church of Taxiarchis stands prominently. From then on, Anavatos became a place of stories and legends, often associated with pirate raids and Ottoman atrocities. In 1822, the women chose to leap off the precipice while singing, rather than fall into enemy hands.

Today, the impressive Mystras of the Aegean captivates visitors. They come to admire its architecture and enjoy the unique view. Walking through the medieval alleys, they journey through history. They listen to the stories and legends, imagining what life might have been like in those times.