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Modern Description: At 5.8km the road splits, with the eastern branch following the low line of the shore towards Perama—the modern successor to Ancient Hiera, said by Pliny to have been destroyed by earthquake. Today the harbour is dominated by the empty buildings of several late 19th century tanneries and factories which produced soap as a by-product of olive oil. There is a small passenger ferry (no vehicles) which crosses the narrow entrance of the gulf of Géra to Koundouroudiá on its east side. The main western branch of the road now climbs inland towards Palaiókipos, the first of the group of thriving, almost contiguous villages which spread south along the lower eastern slopes of Olympos overlooking the gulf of Géra, and all of which contain a vibrant mixture of Ottoman and Greek neoclassical architectures. The villages of Mesagrós and Skópelos, higher up the mountain, have the greatest interest. Mesagrós is set 1km to the southeast of the mediaeval castle of Géra at Palaiokastro. Beside the village's main north/south street are the ruins of an early 19th century mosque with two minarets (one still well-preserved). In the roofless interior, the ornate plaster decoration of the mihrab is still visible; and inset into the chamfered exterior corners are small white marble plaques inscribed with phrases from the Koran. Along the same street are two Ottoman fountains and, 100m to the south of the mosque, the former Ottoman school-building with fine Koranic inscription in the lunette over the door. The street continues south to contiguous Skópelos, similarly rich in a variety of mansions dating from the period of prosperity between 1890 and 1920. At its centre is a steep shaded plateia with running springs of a soft, sweet water. Above the square is the rebuilt church of Aghios Giorgios (1908) which contains the relics of St Gregory, the 12th century bishop of Assos. Yet further uphill is the church of Aghia Magdalene: from inside the chapel immediately to the south of the main church, steps lead down into a small network of catacombs, carved by hand out of the soft volcanic tuff, and still an active focus of worship today. Catacombs are a phenomenon of the early centuries of Christianity, found as far afield as North Africa and Paris. As cemeteries they were inviolable under Roman law, and as a consequence were often used as places of secret worship in times of difficulty for the Early Christian community.
Wikidata ID: Q65121157
Trismegistos Geo: 41575

Info: McGilchrist's Greek Islands

(From McGilchrist’s Greek Islands, © Nigel McGilchrist 2010, excerpted with his gracious permission. Click for the books)

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