Acropolis of Eresos

The ancient acropolis of Eresos was built on the summit and slopes of a naturally fortified hill, today located SE of the modern settlement of Skala Eresou. Early on, it was reinforced with walls built around the foot of the hill as an enceinte. Today, the remains of a medieval Genoese fortress of the Gattilusi era survive at the hilltop. More specifically, two towers are preserved in fragments, one round and a later square one used as a bastion. The earliest remains of the wall date to the Archaic period; they are found in the northern part of the acropolis and are built of trachyte stone. The fortress, known from 14th-c. travelers’ accounts, underwent changes and additions over time and was used continuously until the Ottoman takeover of Lesvos in 1462.