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TOWNS
& VILLAGES
Of LESVOS
LAFIONAS
The village of Lafionas is situated to the northwest of
Petra in
 a
distance of 5 kilometres. It is a picturesque village with
a fantastic view over the village of Petra and Mithimna,
adorned by the traditional cafes and its beautiful
countryside.
A "Folklore
Museum"
is open to the public in the summer. It is housed in the
Primary School and it exhibits objects that the villagers
lend to the Museum in order to keep the traditions and the
past alive. According to hearsay the village must have
been built 400 years ag o
(during the period of piracy and the Venetian dominion).
It also said that every time the inhabitants heard about a
raid they quitted the village and took refuge in the
woods.
In the village there is a cross-shaped basilica dedicated
to the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It was
constructed in 1807 and was restored in 1920. The temple
is made of cypress wood, which the villagers bought from a
sailing vessel that was carrying lumber to Smyrna and due
to the bad weather had anchored in the port of Petra. The
villag ers
bought it then for 300 gold liras. There are only three
temples of this kind on the island of Lesvos.
At the rural position "Tekes", which is three
kilometres from the village, the first Monastery on the
island which was constructed in 325 p. c. is located. It
is dedicated to St Alexander, who had been Mithimna’s
First Bishop. St Alexander participated to the A'
Ecumenical Synod of Nikea. The church is a paleochristian
basilica. The relics of St Alexander are kept in a well
maintained engraved monument made of stone.
Click here for Information regarding
ACCOMMODATION
in
PETRA
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