Mesta, Greece

Mesta
Μεστά

The outside of the village
Mesta
Coordinates: 38°15′N 25°55′E / 38.250°N 25.917°E / 38.250; 25.917Coordinates: 38°15′N 25°55′E / 38.250°N 25.917°E / 38.250; 25.917
Country Greece
Administrative region North Aegean
Regional unit Mastichochoria
Municipality Chios
Elevation 120 m (390 ft)
Population (2011)[1]
  Rural 337
Community[1]
  Population 437 (2011)
Time zone EET (UTC+2)
  Summer (DST) EEST (UTC+3)
Postal code 821 00
Area code(s) 22710
Vehicle registration ΧΙ

Mesta is a Greek traditional village in Chios. It belongs to Mastic Villages a group of villages in South Chios where the main activity is the agriculture of mastic. The mastic villages have added in representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity of UNESCO.[2][3] Mesta is characterised by particular architecture since it is a village-castle with perfectly preserved medieval architecture.[4][5] Mesta is located 35 km south west of Chios (town), 4 km away from coast. It is built at a height of 120m and it belongs to Chios municipality and Mastichochoria municipal unit. It is also a community that comprises the village Limenas where the port of south west Chios is located.

History

The village was probably built in the 12th century during Byzantine era. The architecture of settlement with the narrow streets and the perimetric fortification served to repel the pirate raids. The street plan of the village is pentagonical and the many narrow roads inside the fortification give the impression of a labyrinth. The fortification reinforced during Genova era in Chios, between 1346 and 1566. In 1794 the church of the Older Taxiarchi that is located in the centre of the village was built. A lot of villagers of Mesta died and other captured during Chios massacre. Some of them were released after a while because the mastic agriculture was important for Ottomans.[6]

Historical population

CensusSettlementCommunity
1991337
2001 501565
2011 337437

References

  1. 1 2 "Απογραφή Πληθυσμού - Κατοικιών 2011. ΜΟΝΙΜΟΣ Πληθυσμός" (in Greek). Hellenic Statistical Authority.
  2. "Know-how of cultivating mastic on the island of Chios". unesco.org. Retrieved 17 February 2016.
  3. "UNESCO recognizes the mastic cultivation of Chios". protothema.gr. Retrieved 17 February 2016.
  4. "Μεστά". chios.com. Retrieved 17 February 2016.
  5. "Μεστά". chiosonline.gr. Retrieved 17 February 2016.
  6. "Ιστορία". chioshistory.gr. Retrieved 17 February 2016.
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 11/1/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.