Samos Island Things to Do

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The ruins of Heraion were discovered about 8 km from Pythagorio, which was the official sanctuary on Samos where it is said the goddess Hera grew up.

The first temple dated 8th Century B.C. was built of wood.

According to mythology the first builders of the sanctuary were the Nymphs and the Leleges. Angeos, the king of Samos built the wooden temple and installed an image of the goddess.

The first depiction of Hera was a piece of board with a painting of the goddess. It had great idolatry value so when the Samians discovered it, they tied it with wicker branches as they considered it sacrilege to touch it and carried it to the temple.

In the 7th century BC the wooden sanctuary was replaced by a construction made of stone which was destroyed by the Persian King Kyros.

Finally, Polycrates assigned the task of building a new temple in the same place to Theodoros, the son of Roikos, which was described by the ancient historian Herodotus, as a splendid building.

It had 133 columns and a height that reached 25m.

This temple was destroyed by a geological disaster. What remains today is only one column which also gives it name to the region.

After it was destroyed, various sanctuaries were continued to be built on this site (Heraion) followed later –with the spread of Christianity- by churches.

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Don't miss visiting the Eupalinos' tunnel

Dug in the sixth century BC through Mount Kastro on Samos to bring water from north of the mountain inside the fortifications of the city of Samos (modern Pythagoreon) to the south. The tunnel is over 1 km long, roughly 8 feet square, and was dug from both ends to meet up near the middle under the mountain. The tunnel is named after the architect/ engineer in charge in charge of the project, Eupalinos of Megara, and is mentioned by Herodotos as one of the 3 reasons for his long 'digression' on the history of the Samians.

One of the greatest engineering achievements of ancient times is a water tunnel, 1,036 meters (4,000 feet) long, excavated through a mountain on the Greek island of Samos in the sixth century B.C. It was dug through solid limestone by two separate teams advancing in a straight line from both ends, using only picks, hammers, and chisels. This was a prodigious feat of manual labor. The intellectual feat of determining the direction of tunneling was equally impressive. How did they do this? No one knows for sure, because no written records exist. When the tunnel was dug, the Greeks had no magnetic compass, no surveying instruments, no topographic maps, nor even much written mathematics at their disposal.

It is often compared to the Wonders of the World, but it is not among them. But yet the longest tunnel of its time is a masterpiece of the Antique and one of the most interesting touristic attractions of the island.

The tunnel is the second known tunnel in history which was excavated from both ends and the first with a methodical approach in doing so. A tunnel with 2 entrances, dug in the middle of the mountain, used to be the water pipe by which the town was supplied with water.

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The Monastery of the Panagia Spiliani is situated on the hill behind Pythagorio. The view from the small open area is impressive as we gaze caresses the Aegean all the way to the Turkish shores and from Pythagorio with the Kastro of Logothetis (the castle) up to Ireon.

(the cave of Virgin Mary) - cave means spileo, and Panagia is Virgin Mary.

The small twin churches are dedicated to the Panagia (Virgin Mary) and Saint George- (Agios Georgios). Entering the cave we see in the depths of the cave a very old chapel-shrine

The Church is built at a depth of 94 steps from the cave's entrance.
Three hand-made tanks collect the water that slowly drips from cracks in the rocks. The darkness together with the sound of water dripping –which is the only sound heard inside this tranquil and devout place – creates an especially emotional feeling for the visitor.

A legend tells us how the icon broke:

Many years ago some strangers came here out of devoutness by caique to secretly take the sacred icon back to their land, but the Virgin Mary did not want to leave Samos. So as they took the icon out of the caique it fell into the sea, breaking into five pieces. But the icon managed to return back to Samos where the Samians found it on the beach and returned it to the chapel.

It is also thought that the cave was a place of refuge for Pythagoras.

C O M M E N T S:

A spot that should not be missed by visitors who come to the island.
It is impressive and the view panoramic