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Plaka, Lemnos

Plaka (Greek: Πλάκα) is a village in the northeasternmost part of the island of Lemnos, Greece. It is part of the municipal unit of Moudros. The island of Imbros in Turkey is just 24 km northeast. It is situated somewhere in the middle of the straight line between Troy and Mount Athos. Some believe that it is the Ermaion lepas of the ancient, through which was transmitted with fire the news of the sack of Troy to Argos and Mycenae. Although the edge has an elevation of just 70 m, the cape comes deep into the sea and it is easily seen from those two areas. Therefore, in 1912 a 30 m high rotating lighthouse was built with a luminous range of 20 nautical miles (37 km).

Plaka
Πλάκα
Plaka
Coordinates: 40°00′17″N 25°25′39″E / 40.00472°N 25.42750°E / 40.00472; 25.42750
CountryGreece
Administrative regionNorth Aegean
Regional unitLemnos
MunicipalityLemnos
Municipal unitMoudros
Population
 (2021)[1]
 • Community309
Time zoneUTC+2 (EET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+3 (EEST)

Plaka takes its name from the nearby cape Plaka, the northeasternmost point of Lemnos. The cape was mentioned by older travellers under different names: Palaqa burnu (Piri Reis 1521), Blava (Belon 1548, Dapper 1688, Choiseul-Gouffier 1788, Lacroix 1858) and Plaka (Conze 1858, Tozer 1859, De Launay 1894, Hauttecoeur 1903, Fredrich 1904).

Archaeological sites edit

Axia edit

The currently deserted medieval settlement of Axia (Αξιά) or Naxa (Νάξα) is situated between the villages of Panagia and Plaka. It was mentioned in 1321 as "Agioi Anargyroi eis tin Nakissan". According to Argyrios Moschidis its name is derived from the ancient area of Akesa (Άκεσα), named after the verb akeomai: regain my health, recover by Philoctetes who was said to be cured there from a snake bite.

A monastery was later built at the site dedicated to the "Agioi Anargyroi" (Holy Unmercenaries). In the area coins and pottery were found and thereby was characterized as an archeological site. Angelis Michelis mentions an old pier. Further north in the locality Rousounia (Ρουσούνια) springs with radioactive water for bathing and mud baths are located. There was a chapel known as Agios Charalambos nearby. Sick people from all over Lemnos used to come here. Several decades ago expatriates from the USA built a new chapel of Agios Charalambos and a block of cells for the visitors.

Kastrin edit

A 1355 paper under the census of the Great Lavra Monastery in Athos mentioned that there was a fortified settlement known as Kastrin (Καστρίν) in the area around Plaka. Probably it is the same as the Kastrioti Castle where in 1459 Kritovoulos from Imbros landed and expelled the Venetians from the island.

In 1521, the Turkish admiral Piri Reis named it "Burun Hisãr", (literally the Castle of the Cape). He found it deserted because the inhabitants had resettled in Palaiokastro Myrina during the reign of Bayezid II (1481–1512).

This fortress was located at a tiny peninsula east of the village next to an old port. The ruins are now known as Palaiokastro or Vriokastro (Βριόκαστρο). As Vriokastro it is found in the maps of Conze (1858) and Fredrich (1904). Conze found it ruined. There were many cisterns in the internal, one of these still strong and in a wall he found an ancient inscription.

Chryse edit

In the southern part of the Vriokastro peninsula at a distance of 800 m from the coast and east of the shoal Vina, ruins of a sunken ancient city were found, examined by professor Moutsopoulos in 1969. He spotted a block of buildings with walls up to 2 meters, monolith lintels and stone paved roads. The complex is similar to the prehistoric settlement Poliochne. The ruins were first described in 1785 by Choiseul-Gouffier, who identified with the homeric island of Chryse.

Obviously in the past there was land to the east of the Plaka peninsula, which was either united with the mainland by a narrow panhandle or was a separate island. On this stretch of land was probably located the city of Chryse of the Homeric period—sunk in 197 BC—, its ruins now visible in the depths of the sea.

History edit

The area around Plaka was at first a seasonal dwelling for inhabitants of Agios Ypatios and Palaiopoli (Hephaestia) who had farm land in the area. After 1823 several farmers began to live there permanently and established a settlement. Conze who visited the area in 1858 found only a few isolated huts, therefore he did not mark the village in his map. He found though a few people who led and guided him to Vriokastro. It was first mentioned as a village at the 1863 census: it had 60 families and the settlement was referred to as Plaka or Neochorion. In 1874 there were 70 families and 87 houses in the village, known then as "Symferoupoli". This name was given by the bishop Joachim III, referring to the interest (συμφέρον) of its residents who fled from Agios Ypatios. The name "Symferoupoli" was not used anymore after 1888 when bishop Joachim died. Since that time the name "Plaka" was used, and it was mentioned as such by the travellers De Launay (1894) and Fredrich (1904).

In 1870, the residents opened an informal school. In 1886, a school building was built together with the residents from Panagia. It became a community school in 1887. It had two classes, for further education the students had to go to Kontopouli. A new school building was built in 1928-1929. In 1938, the school had 107 students.

The church of Agios Dimitrios was built in 1896 at the location of an older church. The elaborately carved baroque reredos is older (late 18th century), and comes from the monastery of Lesbos.

The settlement grew steadily until the 1960s. In 1928 it had 518 inhabitants, in 1961 578. In the 1970s a gradual decline began. In 2021, the village had 309 inhabitants. Today, Plaka is still one of the most lively villages in the island. It has an active cultural association, that maintains the old customs. Together with the youth of Panagia a soccer club was founded, Aetos.

Population edit

Year Population
1928 518
1961 578
1981 384
1991 365
2001 365
2011 310
2021 309

Economy edit

Although isolated in an extremity of Lemnos, the village saw good economical development, mainly based on agriculture (cereals, cotton, livestock, honey), fishing and sponge diving. Until 1922, there was additional income from seasonal migration to and from the coast of Asia Minor.

Events edit

The feast of Saint Charalampus and carnaval are celebrated every year. There is an annual meeting of former residents of Imbros at the chapel of Agia Anna. Plaka is only 12 nautical miles (20 km) from Imbros. Since the 1970s many former residents of Imbros came here to perceive the island from far. This gradually turned into an annual festival in Plaka with a revival of traditional Imbrian customs. For this purpose, the Saint Anne chapel was built in 2003.

People edit

  • Komninos Piromaglou, politician, writer and historian (1899–1980), founder of EDES (ΕΔΕΣ) and member of the Parliament with EDA (ΕΔΑ) in 1958.
  • Spyridon P. Pilitsis, one of the first Greek air pilot during the interwar period.
  • Michael S. Pilitsis, General of the Greek Army, nephew of Piromaglou and Spyridon Pilitsis.

Sites of interests edit

  • Agios Dimitrios Church
  • Agios Charalambos
  • The lighthouse
  • Vriokastro

Bibliography edit

  • Tourtsopoulou-Stefanidou Vasilili, Ταξιδιωτικά και γεωγραφικά κείμενα για τη νήσο Λήμνο (15ος-20ος αιώνας) = Travelling and Geographic Sources of Lemnos Island (15th–20th Centuries), Thessaloniki, 1986.
  • Lemnos CD: Λήμνος αγαπημένη = Loveable Lemnos
  • Theodoros Belitsos, Η Λήμνος και τα χωριά της = Lemnos and its Villages, 1994

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Αποτελέσματα Απογραφής Πληθυσμού - Κατοικιών 2021, Μόνιμος Πληθυσμός κατά οικισμό" [Results of the 2021 Population - Housing Census, Permanent population by settlement] (in Greek). Hellenic Statistical Authority. 29 March 2024.

plaka, lemnos, plaka, greek, Πλάκα, village, northeasternmost, part, island, lemnos, greece, part, municipal, unit, moudros, island, imbros, turkey, just, northeast, situated, somewhere, middle, straight, line, between, troy, mount, athos, some, believe, that,. Plaka Greek Plaka is a village in the northeasternmost part of the island of Lemnos Greece It is part of the municipal unit of Moudros The island of Imbros in Turkey is just 24 km northeast It is situated somewhere in the middle of the straight line between Troy and Mount Athos Some believe that it is the Ermaion lepas of the ancient through which was transmitted with fire the news of the sack of Troy to Argos and Mycenae Although the edge has an elevation of just 70 m the cape comes deep into the sea and it is easily seen from those two areas Therefore in 1912 a 30 m high rotating lighthouse was built with a luminous range of 20 nautical miles 37 km Plaka PlakaCommunityPlakaCoordinates 40 00 17 N 25 25 39 E 40 00472 N 25 42750 E 40 00472 25 42750CountryGreeceAdministrative regionNorth AegeanRegional unitLemnosMunicipalityLemnosMunicipal unitMoudrosPopulation 2021 1 Community309Time zoneUTC 2 EET Summer DST UTC 3 EEST Plaka takes its name from the nearby cape Plaka the northeasternmost point of Lemnos The cape was mentioned by older travellers under different names Palaqa burnu Piri Reis 1521 Blava Belon 1548 Dapper 1688 Choiseul Gouffier 1788 Lacroix 1858 and Plaka Conze 1858 Tozer 1859 De Launay 1894 Hauttecoeur 1903 Fredrich 1904 Contents 1 Archaeological sites 1 1 Axia 1 2 Kastrin 1 3 Chryse 2 History 2 1 Population 3 Economy 4 Events 5 People 6 Sites of interests 7 Bibliography 8 See also 9 ReferencesArchaeological sites editAxia edit The currently deserted medieval settlement of Axia A3ia or Naxa Na3a is situated between the villages of Panagia and Plaka It was mentioned in 1321 as Agioi Anargyroi eis tin Nakissan According to Argyrios Moschidis its name is derived from the ancient area of Akesa Akesa named after the verb akeomai regain my health recover by Philoctetes who was said to be cured there from a snake bite A monastery was later built at the site dedicated to the Agioi Anargyroi Holy Unmercenaries In the area coins and pottery were found and thereby was characterized as an archeological site Angelis Michelis mentions an old pier Further north in the locality Rousounia Roysoynia springs with radioactive water for bathing and mud baths are located There was a chapel known as Agios Charalambos nearby Sick people from all over Lemnos used to come here Several decades ago expatriates from the USA built a new chapel of Agios Charalambos and a block of cells for the visitors Kastrin edit A 1355 paper under the census of the Great Lavra Monastery in Athos mentioned that there was a fortified settlement known as Kastrin Kastrin in the area around Plaka Probably it is the same as the Kastrioti Castle where in 1459 Kritovoulos from Imbros landed and expelled the Venetians from the island In 1521 the Turkish admiral Piri Reis named it Burun Hisar literally the Castle of the Cape He found it deserted because the inhabitants had resettled in Palaiokastro Myrina during the reign of Bayezid II 1481 1512 This fortress was located at a tiny peninsula east of the village next to an old port The ruins are now known as Palaiokastro or Vriokastro Briokastro As Vriokastro it is found in the maps of Conze 1858 and Fredrich 1904 Conze found it ruined There were many cisterns in the internal one of these still strong and in a wall he found an ancient inscription Chryse edit In the southern part of the Vriokastro peninsula at a distance of 800 m from the coast and east of the shoal Vina ruins of a sunken ancient city were found examined by professor Moutsopoulos in 1969 He spotted a block of buildings with walls up to 2 meters monolith lintels and stone paved roads The complex is similar to the prehistoric settlement Poliochne The ruins were first described in 1785 by Choiseul Gouffier who identified with the homeric island of Chryse Obviously in the past there was land to the east of the Plaka peninsula which was either united with the mainland by a narrow panhandle or was a separate island On this stretch of land was probably located the city of Chryse of the Homeric period sunk in 197 BC its ruins now visible in the depths of the sea History editThe area around Plaka was at first a seasonal dwelling for inhabitants of Agios Ypatios and Palaiopoli Hephaestia who had farm land in the area After 1823 several farmers began to live there permanently and established a settlement Conze who visited the area in 1858 found only a few isolated huts therefore he did not mark the village in his map He found though a few people who led and guided him to Vriokastro It was first mentioned as a village at the 1863 census it had 60 families and the settlement was referred to as Plaka or Neochorion In 1874 there were 70 families and 87 houses in the village known then as Symferoupoli This name was given by the bishop Joachim III referring to the interest symferon of its residents who fled from Agios Ypatios The name Symferoupoli was not used anymore after 1888 when bishop Joachim died Since that time the name Plaka was used and it was mentioned as such by the travellers De Launay 1894 and Fredrich 1904 In 1870 the residents opened an informal school In 1886 a school building was built together with the residents from Panagia It became a community school in 1887 It had two classes for further education the students had to go to Kontopouli A new school building was built in 1928 1929 In 1938 the school had 107 students The church of Agios Dimitrios was built in 1896 at the location of an older church The elaborately carved baroque reredos is older late 18th century and comes from the monastery of Lesbos The settlement grew steadily until the 1960s In 1928 it had 518 inhabitants in 1961 578 In the 1970s a gradual decline began In 2021 the village had 309 inhabitants Today Plaka is still one of the most lively villages in the island It has an active cultural association that maintains the old customs Together with the youth of Panagia a soccer club was founded Aetos Population edit Year Population 1928 518 1961 578 1981 384 1991 365 2001 365 2011 310 2021 309Economy editAlthough isolated in an extremity of Lemnos the village saw good economical development mainly based on agriculture cereals cotton livestock honey fishing and sponge diving Until 1922 there was additional income from seasonal migration to and from the coast of Asia Minor Events editThe feast of Saint Charalampus and carnaval are celebrated every year There is an annual meeting of former residents of Imbros at the chapel of Agia Anna Plaka is only 12 nautical miles 20 km from Imbros Since the 1970s many former residents of Imbros came here to perceive the island from far This gradually turned into an annual festival in Plaka with a revival of traditional Imbrian customs For this purpose the Saint Anne chapel was built in 2003 People editKomninos Piromaglou politician writer and historian 1899 1980 founder of EDES EDES and member of the Parliament with EDA EDA in 1958 Spyridon P Pilitsis one of the first Greek air pilot during the interwar period Michael S Pilitsis General of the Greek Army nephew of Piromaglou and Spyridon Pilitsis Sites of interests editAgios Dimitrios Church Agios Charalambos The lighthouse VriokastroBibliography editTourtsopoulou Stefanidou Vasilili Ta3idiwtika kai gewgrafika keimena gia th nhso Lhmno 15os 20os aiwnas Travelling and Geographic Sources of Lemnos Island 15th 20th Centuries Thessaloniki 1986 Lemnos CD Lhmnos agaphmenh Loveable Lemnos Theodoros Belitsos H Lhmnos kai ta xwria ths Lemnos and its Villages 1994See also editList of settlements in the Lemnos regional unitReferences edit Apotelesmata Apografhs Plh8ysmoy Katoikiwn 2021 Monimos Plh8ysmos kata oikismo Results of the 2021 Population Housing Census Permanent population by settlement in Greek Hellenic Statistical Authority 29 March 2024 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Plaka Lemnos amp oldid 1220691931, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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