The Sigri Castle

The Sigri Castle was built on the western promontory of Lesvos in the settlement by the same name, 93 km from Mytilini. It is classified under the standard Ottoman era fortification monuments. It was erected in 1757 by Ottoman Naval Admiral Suleiman Pasha with the view to protect the overall area from pirate raids and to secure the safe traffic of goods. This is a moderately-sized monument with a square floor plan, built according to the isodome system with brown-red trachyte, four square fortress towers at each corner, a canon station and bastions. The central gate protected by murder-holes, sealed with a double-wooden door, with iron sheet cladding and adorned with an Arabic-inspired pointed narrow-arch. An Ottoman inscription is embedded on the second lower inside arch, recording the foundation date and the well-known sultan monogram (tughra). Inside the Castle there are chambers for the Ottoman guard, who were stationed there permanently in order to constantly keep a watchful eye. In 1889 a severe earthquake destroyed a part of the fortification perimeter, while the year 1912, i.e. the liberation of the island by the Hellenic Navy, marks the end of military use for this installation. The Archeological Service has initiated procedures to fully restore this monument and open it to the public with safety.

Contact Information:

Address: Sigri, 81112, Lesvos

Tel: (+30) 22510 22087, (+30) 22510 40716, (+30) 22510 42589,  (+30) 22510 40135, (+30) 22510 40136

E-mail: efales@culture.gr