By Nikolas Bardis

Panagia of Thassos is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful and picturesque villages of the island. After the Revolution of 1821 it became the capital of the island and took its name from the church that exists there, and is dedicated to the Dormition of the Virgin. The village is built at an altitude of 300 meters, as in the olden days the inhabitants, in order to protect themselves from pirates, left the coast and sought mountainous and safe shelters. In fact, this particular village experienced such development in the past that it even had its own currency, the so-called bakiras, which today we can see in the village church.

Panagia, however, in addition to its rich history, is also distinguished by its special architecture. It is amphitheatrically built on a green slope of Mount Ypsari, quite densely populated and with stone-paved cobblestones. The houses have slate roofs, small wooden balconies, but also covered balconies. One could say that the architecture of the settlement is characteristic of that of the mountainous villages of mainland Greece, specifically Macedonia and Pelion. Furthermore, the village is crossed from end to end by canals with running water. Walking there you will come across many fountains. The most emblematic is located in the square of the three sources. The villagers used to get water from there, and the women did many of their jobs, such as washing the carpets, while in the icy, gurgling waters they put various foods for preservation.

In the wider area, around Panagia, there are eleven more chapels, all beautiful and with their own special history. On the 15th of August, in fact, when the central church celebrates, the whole village turns into a big feast, and its honor is the kurbani, meat with wheat accompanied by rice or potatoes, which is distributed after the Divine Liturgy. All the houses are open, the squares are full of people and the village is living glorious moments, reminiscent of the old days, when it had more permanent residents. Today only 739 souls live there, hoping for a rebirth of their place.

In the summer the area bustles with life and tourism, while in the winter the place is almost deserted. This great contrast is the reason why many young people have left the island, although some have returned in recent years, such as Stratoula. She points out that in winter life on the island is not particularly easy, but summer comes to somewhat compensate for the situation. All, of course, the inhabitants of the village have one and only wish… They want to see their area come alive again, the children to play carefree in the streets and the winters to be filled with warm smiles and company.