Chios is possibly one of the Aegean’s most underrated islands and possesses a certain magic. Owing to its geographical positioning, it has perennially served as a crossroads between East and West, exposed to pirate invasions yet also to the practicality of traders traversing the Mediterranean, journeying from one continent to the other.

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This enduring image is most vividly reflected in the island’s medieval villages, their existence intertwined with the distinctive product that has catapulted Chios to worldwide fame: mastic. Scattered throughout every corner of this distinct region, the villages of Chios meld elements of the Middle Ages with those of the West, along with a potent dose of the East.

The village of Mesta serves as the most emblematic example of this. A settlement in the southwestern side of Chios and carved from stone, it exudes a peculiar yet beguilingly intricate layout. The history of this Chian village traces its genesis back to the early 12th century, during the Byzantine Empire, followed by a brief yet pivotal Genovese period, before the island fell under the yoke of the Ottoman Empire.
Despite its tumultuous history, the village’s architectural planning owes its thanks to the Genovese. 

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Mesta/Photo: Nikos Kokkas
Mesta/Photo: Nikos Kokkas
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Photo: Nikos Kokkas
Photo: Nikos Kokkas

Recognising the island’s vulnerability to pirate raids in a frenzied search for mastic stores, they conceived a complex network of alleys, secret covered passages, and vaulted routes, making the village seem impenetrable and enigmatic to any foreigner daring to penetrate it.

Today, however, it stands as an exemplar of medieval architecture with heavy Italian influences that charms locals and maintains the unflagging interest of foreign tourists. Yet, within this vista reminiscent of stone-built villages in central Italy, where does the oriental element come in? 

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Armolia/Photo: Shutterstock
Armolia/Photo: Shutterstock

Naturally, in yet another timeless Mediterranean art – pottery. With an architecture that echoes once again the blend of East and West with a multicoloured clay touch, the Armolia -many argue that even the name ‘Armolia’ signifies clay – have intertwined their name with an art that in this place has been handed down from generation to generation for many centuries.

In the small workshops of Armolia, you’ll encounter every conceivable object made of clay. From a timeless jug to swans and dogs, or hanging suns and moons, clay is held in high esteem here and is likely to remain thus for a very long time, as long as human inspiration and need continue to demand it. But can a medieval village exist without towers? Evidently not! Moreover, it’s hardly a coincidence that surrounding the medieval settlements of Chios are scattered deserted towers, chapels, churches, and archaeological remnants of old cities that once buzzed with life.

Speaking of towers, another East-meets-West village is Pyrgi. Though the passage of time and progress is more palpable here, the aesthetics of the houses possess an indescribably unique quality. Most of the village’s homes are white, adorned with repeating dark patterns that make you feel as if they’ve sprung from a surrealist Escher painting or cartoon. The only notes of colour come from the scattered flower pots on balconies and window sills and the odd bunches of Chios’s famous sun-dried tomatoes, basking in the light. 

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Pyrgi/Photo: Nikos Kokkas
Pyrgi/Photo: Nikos Kokkas

The architectural technique, known in the local dialect as ‘xysta’, completely covers – in a nightmarish way for anyone with OCD – every wall and white surface with repeating black patterns, leaving an imprint of indeterminate modernism in the crossroads of East and West.

And if that weren’t enough, the rare folklore of this place, unique even within the island itself, complements this living mosaic of tradition and modernism, inviting every traveller to explore this distinct corner of the Aegean.

Read also:

Shops Not to Miss when on Your Chios Island Holiday

Chios: A Northern Aegean Island’s Flavorful Bounty

Chios: Aegean Winemaking and Undiscovered Adventures