Pyrgi: The painted village

Pyrgi is located in the southeast οf Chios island and is one of the remaining medieval villages of Greece. Also, it belongs in mastichohoria (villages that cultivate mastic- Pistacia lentiscus) and it is known for the unusual designs, called «xista» (= scratched, pronounced «ksista» ), that adorn its buildings.

Xista

Xista is a unique architectural spectacle that can be found in the area of Pyrgi. Black and white geometric shapes decorate externally the houses, the churches, the shop, even the banks. Their origin still remains unknown, however it is estimated Xista are influenced by the Genoese (1346-1566), as they are reminiscent of the Italian «Sgraffito».

The Xista are created using three materials: cement (or some other base material), black sand and lime. The materials are placed in the aforementioned order and while the lime is fresh, various designs are carved with the help of tools. The black sand is collected from the beach Mavra Volia (=black pebbles) which is located south of Pyrgi.

Additional information

1. Τhe arrival in the village can been done either by car or by intercity bus (KTEL) from the central station in Chios town. There are 3 itineraries in the morning except for weekends. During summer itineraries may vary.
2. Not far away from village, the Mastic Museum can been found.

References

1. Pyrgi
2. Pyrgi- Wikipedia
3. Pyrgi, Greece
4. Το Πυργί (available only in Greek)
5. Το «ζωγραφιστό χωριό» (available only in Greek)

More photos from Pyrgi and Chios (Instagram)

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