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Modern Description: A long wooded valley leads inland from the fishing port of Skala Marión (31km). After 4km, shortly beyond the junction for Kalyva, the remains of a fortified Byzantine settlement can be found on the hill to the right (south) of the road, at a place known locally as ‘Palaiokastro'. This may have been abandoned after the 17th century in favour of a more hidden settlement further from the coast at Mariés. Continuing a further 2km towards Mariés, you come to a road branching northwards to the Monastery of the ‘Panaghoudiá', dedicated to the Dormition of the Virgin. Although the monastery structure is mostly modern, the catholicon is clearly much older, possibly dating from the late 15th century. The dark interior (lit by only one window) has a beautiful programme of wall-paintings of the 17th century, more complete than any other on the island. A fountain adorns the north wall, and appropriately forms the focus of the paintings of the Virgin as the ‘Fountain of Life'.
The road continues a further 5 km inland to the settlement of Mariés, which grew up here in the 18th century. The village has conserved many of its traditional stone houses, grouped around the early 19th century church, which has an unusual dedication to the Synaxis Taxiarchon (‘The Assembly of Archangels'): the church has a fine wooden ceiling.
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maries,_Thasos
Wikidata ID: Q21406560
DARE: 38171

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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