Hi

From our holiday in Lesbos Greek Island in October 2009

Fortress of Sigri Lesbos, (AKA Levbos) a Greek Island Click Linky To Aerial View Google Map of the site

Sigri, a small harbour on the western side of the island of Lesvos Greek Island,

Sigri is located, 93 kms from Mytilini which is the capital of Lesvos. Sigri is a natural harbour which is safe because of the nearby island of Nissiopi.

The name of Sigri name comes from the Latin word 'securo' which means safe harbour. The village itself is built on a jutting peninsular of land with the sea on both sides.

Coming into the village, you will first see the little Church perched on the hilltop and harbour beyond with its bright colourful fishing boats. Sigri town has many small cobbled and paved streets and is a joy to wonder around through the narrow alleyways. It is a small haven that has been barely touched by tourism, definitely a place to enjoy peace, quiet tranquillity and marvel at its beauty and meet its friendly townsfolk.

The Turkish Castle is probably the towns most impressive man made Structure. It was built in 1746 by the Sultan Mehmet, this Castle protected the harbour, where the Turks kept their fleet of boats.
The fortress was then rebuilt by the Turks in 1757 in order to protect the port of Sigri (back then it was the most important port for the transportation trade on Lesbos) from piracy. Throughout the Turkish occupation the fortress constituted a central site of the country town, around which the settlement developed in the area protected by the fortress.

The eighteenth-century Ottoman fortress sports a tugra (the sultan’s monogram) over its main entrance. This is an ornamented sharpened pointed arch, a sample of typical of Arabic architectural construction with alternate red and white stones. In the inner part of the fortress, also has the arched lintels (built by stones or bricks) of the cells that were used for the accommodation of the permanent guard and storage area are of similar design.

The fortress is of small dimensions, square-like in its ground plan with square towers in its four corners. The central gate located in the east closed with a double door covered with iron plates, now propped up by freckles or buttresses. The castle is open all year and the entrance is free of charge.

Outside below the fortress, are the remains or a World War 11, tank, left over from the German occupation.

The monument is preserved in a good condition and functions as a free archaeological site.



















Hope you enjoyed my report and images

Dave N Julie

Wouah it looks marvellous ! Thank you for the pictures...

Thanks Kerny

we had a great time in Lesbos we hired a car, and toured the whole island, we have a few more reports to add to it, like a petrified forest, and other castles we visited

hello

Sigri you have a town that is everything a good tourist town should be,the restaurant of sigri got really high-praise for the pikilea, the mezedes they served with ouzo which included, marinated octopus, sardeles pastes, red peppers stuffed with cheese, hot peppers, olives, tomatoes.The town beach is fine, especially for families with children.also available by greece tours.

Thanks

hi thanks for sharing i really like this

Pleased you enjoyed seeing the images and story

Nicely described and i liked the photographs a lot and i really mean this. You have shared quite an amazing pictures and hope to see more.

Really nice pics.. ....I enjoyed watching them all... thanks for sharing.....

Nice pics. of World War Tanks.........