Mesta, Chios, Greece

Chios, a Greek island in the northern Aegean, is famous for its mastic – a particular type of resin with many uses—and Mesta is one of its so-called ‘mastic villages’.

MC_PHOTO2As you might expect, these are villages where the harvesting and processing of mastic has historically been the main economic activity. However, there is more to it: for a long time mastic was a highly sought after, very valuable commodity and Chios, therefore, represented an attractive target for pirates as well as foreign invaders. These ever-present threats are reflected in the way in which the mastic producers built their villages—several of the major ones are surrounded by strong defensive walls and a warren of narrow lanes inside slowed down any would-be plunderers and provided opportunities for ambushing them.

Mesta is a prime example of this type of design.

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As the photos show, Mesta does not conform to the stereotypical image of a Greek village composed of white-washed houses with bright blue doors and window frames. It is, however, a wonderful place to wander round and explore. Getting lost is almost guaranteed, but occasionally you will find a little sign pointing you towards one of the exits into the outside world.

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The photo at the very beginning of this piece shows the clock tower of Mesta’s Taxiarchis church, the largest on Chios. Its entrance colonnade is depicted below.

MC_PHOTO9Photos are not permitted inside, but I was allowed to take a snap through the door—which might give you an impression of what lies behind. To say that the interior is absolutely stunning is an understatement!

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Near the church we did eventually come across an area with a couple of tavernas, but we had Pyrgi, another mastic village, on our self-imposed agenda, so we did not linger. Looking at the photo now, however, I think we should have sat down here for a coffee at least.

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1 year ago

Gorgeous photos! I would love to walk the same route you did and experience this lovely location!

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