Mt Pelion, one of the most complete surviving complex-sets of the Urban Balkan Traditional Architecture

Texts & images: Babis Pavlopoulos – iconstravel photography

Vyzitsa, Kontos mansion (1792). 

A typical example of the urban Balkan architecture as presented in Mt Pelion.

Pelion Mountain is located in central Greece. Actually it is an arm-peninsula projected into Aegean Sea. Even though it is not a very tall and big mountain, Pelion is a beautiful place with forests and rich flora, in which we can find a large number of traditional villages that some of which are listed as A zone Traditional Settlements. In fact, these villages manage to preserve one of the most complete surviving complex-sets of the urban Balkan traditional architecture.

Pinakates in autumn. Stone buildings covered by slate slabs.

The images that can be found in Pelion are amazing.

In Balkan Peninsula, especially after its consolidation under the Ottoman Empire, a common type of traditional architecture is presented as the mainstream. The only part that is probably excluded is the south of the Greek area, where a different type of architecture, a more simple and introverted type flourished, but without the main Balkan style being completely unknown. The roots of the urban Balkan architectural type can be detected in the secular Byzantine architecture, perhaps also in ancient Greek architecture*.

Ano Lechonia, Olympios tower-house. Originally built in rectangular ground plan, in 1860 a small wing was added. The upper storey was rebuilt without its original bold projections. Nevertheless, the tower preserves its character as an early defensive building. Perhaps start of the 18^th Century or earlier. 

The special characteristics of this Balkan traditional style that flourished from the 16^th Century until the 19^th Century, are the projected parts with the wooden skeletons and the soft masonries of the upper levels of the buildings, the repeating series of windows with skylights above, the wooden lace-like cornices of the roofs, the defensive features and the extroverted appearance. The projected parts are named “sachnisi”, a word with Persian origin that means the seat of Sachis, the Persian king. The term is referring to the often richly decorated internal spaces behind these projected structures.

Ano Lechonia, Kokoslis tower-house, a multi-storey building. The original bold projections have disappeared after the conversions of the end of the 19^th Century. An added half-round staircase turret also belongs to these conversions. Perhaps, at the start of the 18^th century or earlier. 

The generational roots of the settlements in Pelion could be queried at the establishment of some great monasteries in the area, during the 12^th and the 13^th Centuries. These monasteries became the cores, around which the settlements were built. After the Turkish conquest in the 15^th century, Turks never settled on the high levels of the mountain, remaining close to the sea and to the plain.

During the second part of the 18^th Century, the Greek population, living in the mountain settlements due to their commercial activity, reached great economic prosperity. They engaged in several kinds of craft industries, like tanning, silk-craft, weaving, simultaneously cultivating figs and olives and producing olive-oil and wooden dishes.

Makrynitsa, Skotyniotis tower-house (perhaps before 1700). This is a four-storey tower-residence, which may also have served as a gate tower for the enclosed property. For many years the tower was  in poor condition but it has been carefully restored. 

Makrynitsa, Konstantinidis tower-house, the main construction of a building complex.  This is a square, three-storey fortified building, restored with respect to its original form. The bold projected parts are very typical for the old tower-houses in Pelion.

As very often happens, the architecture became the reflection of this economic prosperity. It is worth noting that the first mansions, built at the end of the 18^th Century, are known as “houses of prosperity”. These buildings were typical examples of the urban Balkan architecture.

The older structures that survive in the area, dated in the first half of the same century or earlier, were built in a similar type but more introverted, with more defensive elements, very close to the lone-standing countryside-tower. The main differences were the height of the building, and also the ground plan. These tower-houses were multi-storey with particularly bold projections on the upper levels, mainly built in square ground plan, with absence of openings on the main body, except for the high positioned door, guarded by a machicolation** above, and a number of shot-slits. In general, their appearance can be characterized as “brutal”. Most of them, especially the ottoman towers, were built in farmlands.

Ano Lechonia, the ruined Souleiman five-storey tower-house. The upper storey with the projected structures has disappeared. We can discern the high positioned entrance and the shot-slits above. The absence of openings on the main body is typical.

Agios Lavrentios, Zarifis early fortified mansion (1716). The impressive architectural projection and the large arched gate characterized the appearance of the mansion. It is difficult to classify the building to the category of the tower-houses but it stands very close.

The “houses of prosperity” (1750-1830) were three-storey buildings, usually built in asymmetrical L ground plan, so that the short wing guarded the door as a flanking tower. The naked masonries with incorporated wooden beams characterized the main body and the projected parts of the higher level. Shot-slits and machicolations can also be found, enabling us talk about fortified residences for most of them and for all of the early buildings of this type. In Pelion, security problems were present until the end of the 19^th century. Another important feature was the richly decorated internal space of these buildings with colourful paintings or elaborate wooden structures, especially in the upper parts. The upper part of each mansion behind the projections was used as summer place. The roofs were always covered by slate-tiles.

Makrynitsa, the Axelos family tower-house in the central square of the settlement. The tower originally built in square ground plan has lost important features of its original form. Perhaps first half of the 18^th Century. 

Makrynitsa, Vaytzis mansion (1761). This is the oldest dated example of the “houses of  prosperity” in the complete form of a tower-mansion. It is a very important mansion because it preserves the semi-open place at the upper level, the “hayat” (Turkish=life). It is believed that this feature was originally the mainstream for the upper floors of the mansions in Pelion. The character of the residence is completed by the large height, the high positioned entrance, the machicolation above it and the shot-slits pointing  in every direction. On the other hand the projected parts were lookouts for the place around like hanging turrets. Under the “sachnisi” the machicolation is discerned.

After the third decade of the 19^th Century, constructions with symmetrical features on the façades began to be build, the “houses of the central symmetrical axis” or “houses of latent decline” (1830-1860). They preserved many features of the previous type. Except for the symmetrical positioned features on the masonries, the projections became more timid and the small, central, elegant, polygonal “sachnisi” dominated the main façade and the typical central axis.

The last category that we can classify the residences of Pelion is the “houses of decline” (1860-1910), a reflection of the impact of the industrial revolution in the area. Nevertheless, even in this period, important houses were built in a way which combines the local traditional architecture and the Neoclassical style. Some of these buildings are known as Egyptian type mansions, because they were owned by cotton merchants who returned from Egypt. The external staircase, the elaborate cages, the arcades in front of open porches and the absence of the soft projected masonries mainly characterized these buildings.

Agios Lavrentios, Glavanis mansion. The bold projected wooden structures and the machicolation above the entrance can place the building of the mansion around the middle of the 18^th century. Today, the original colourful skylights above the series of windows are walled as well as the central, semi-open once “hayat” at the upper storey.  

Makrynitsa, the Diocese mansion (1815). This a very different construction than anything that was built during this period in Pelion. This is a two-storey residence, made completely by stone with timid projected parts, built in a wide-angle L ground plan. On the corner of the wide-angle L we find a small balcony like a stone pulpit, while the ground level leaves barrel-vaulted passages from the street behind to the square of Our Lady. In this place the monastery that the settlement was built around, was located.

One of the important reasons that Pelion managed to preserve this large amount of traditional architecture, was a State program in which the region was included. The target of this program was the preservation of the old mansions through their conversion into hotels. The mansions that most of them had fallen into serious decay, were renovated with a big respect to their original forms.

The most attractive and representative settlements in Pelion are Makrynitsa, Portaria, Vyzitsa, Pinakates, Milies, Agios Lavrentios, Ano Lechonia and Tsagkarada.

Vyzitsa, Kontos mansion (1792) south view. A three-storey building, belonging to the “houses of prosperity”. The upper level with the projected parts never changed appearance internally, because early on it had stopped being inhabited and after the start of the 20^th century was just a strange attraction for the new way of life. A typical appearance for the category, naked main body masonry with wooden bounds against earthquakes in a tower-like form, “sachnisia” (the projected parts) on the higher level, windows in a repeating motif with skylights above each one and the lace-like cornice of the roof. 

Makrynitsa, Mouslis mansion (1833). Even though a late example, it is a typical one for the “houses of  prosperity”.

Anakasia, Chatzianastasis mansion (start of the 19^th Century). The added flanking tower on the north side of the building.

Vyzitsa, Karagiannopoulos mansion (1791). A remarkable building for the Pelion architecture. A particularly heavy construction, imposed in the place around. The internal space of the upper storey is richly decorated.

Vyzitsa, karagiannopoulos mansion (1791), the richly decorated internal space of its upper storey. The wooden structures dominate.

Vyzitsa, karagiannopoulos mansion (1791). The wooden ceiling of the best room (ontas) in the upper storey.

Vyzitsa, Karagiannopoulos mansion (1791). Upper storey, detail of the wooden decoration.

Vyzitsa, Karagiannopoulos mansion (1791). View of the internal space of the upper storey. Parts like this that enter deep between the rooms of the floor are named “eyvans” (Turkish) or “çikmat” (Turkish) when they end at an externally projected part, like here. 

Pinakates, Koliaedis mansion (1839). A typical mansion of the 19^th Century. Here it is under renovation, so the wooden skeleton of the soft masonry of the “sachnisi” is discerned. It belongs to the “houses of latent decline”. The projected corner bartizan guarded the back of the building. Once a machicolation was projected above the door.

Vyzitsa, Psichoulis mansion (1841). A big mansion belonging to the “houses of the central symmetrical axis”. We can detect it on the main façade that the small central polygonal “sachnisi”, a cage window under the previous construction and the entrance below, create a vertical symmetrical axis. 

Makrynitsa, Topalis mansion (1844). Beautiful images are often created when the weather and the building and natural environment are combined. A small turret is discerned on the one corner of the roof for the defense of the mansion. 

Vyzitsa, Michopoulos mansion (around 1850). It belongs to the “houses of latent decline”.

Pinakates, Xyradakis mansion (1840). A small three-storey mansion. The central polygonal “sachnisi”, positioned on the upper storey, is discerned. Once a machicolation covered the entrance.

Makrynitsa, Mavrakis-Vatsareas mansion (around 1830). This is a mansion, belonging to the “houses of the central symmetrical axis”, with extended use of wooden skeleton on the upper storey.

Portaria, Kadartzis mansion (1864). This is a mansion that belongs to “houses of decline”, an “Egyptian mansion”. Staircase, arcade, open porch, wave-like cornice of the roof and painted elements on the façade of the upper floor, differentiate the new type of mansions after 1860. According to testimonies the mansion was built by a Venetian architect.

Portaria, Zoulias mansion (1864). An Egyptian mansion made entirely by stone. The wooden skeletons on the upper floor of the older mansions was already forgotten.

Portaria, a late mansion (end of the 19^th Century – start of  the 20^th century). It stands between the Egyptian mansions, the “houses of decline”, and the neoclassical architecture.

*The architectural wooden projections were in use in the ancient Greek architecture and Hypparchos imposed heavy taxes due to the extreme use of them (A. Zachos, “Αρχιτεκτονικά Σημειώματα», Η.Χ. no 3, Ioannina 1928). In Byzantine architecture, the Justinian’s law about these structures is preserved.

**Machicolation: stone box, projected beyond the wall, with opening to the floor, which allow the defenders to control the face of the wall. Usually above entrances.