Topograhic Map of Peramos (drawn by Achillea Chrisoheri [Goldenhand] )

Main

Chapter 4: Peramos Original Text by Gregory Augerinou Sgouridi December, 1968 Translated loosely from Greek by Chris Steve Manitsas, with commentary on the history of the Manitsas and Kalpakis families Editing and Web Design by Steve Chris Manitsas (Comments are highlighted in green) Index Table of Contents Image Archive Kyzikos Connections Bibliography Chapters: Introduction | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 This page is maintained by Steve Chris Manitsas. Send comments to Manitsas@aol.com It was last updated February 21, 1998, and is continuing to undergo revision. Peramos

Peramos of 1911, as is appears from above Ailia Hill. In the center is the big church of Taxiharis, and in the back is the sea with two ships docked at the port. Behind Michali Kiriazi are the two cyprus trees of the Megali Vrisi.

Peramos of 1997, from the same location. A minaret marks the former location of the church. (Click photo for a panorama)

The Bay and the Shoreline

Above the northeast side of the triangle that forms the Peninsula of Kyzikos, just above the midpoint, Peramos was built about 11 kilometers above Kyzikos.

The natural harbor is protected from the east by two large stone masses, a large hill, the Kastro of a height of over ten meters and continuing a smaller rock, Kastraki, which continues from Kastro into the sea in the shape of a mouse. The Kastraki ends with a projection like a platform, the Bathy. The children would dive toward the town into calm waters. The water had a depth of 1 1/2 meters and provided for their enjoyment. The small bay formed by Bathy and the shore was always calm and in its shallow water the young children got their first baptism of the Sea. This calm beach was called Bathaki. On the west the bay is closed by the sandy shore of Mitika and farther on the small cape of Koutslopetra. Above the shore of Mitika the Hill of Christ rises sharply and continues with the flat area of Anemomilos (wind mill) that takes up all the lower shore to a considerable distance.

Thus from the east, the Kastro, and from the west, the heights above Mitika, and from the north, the hills at the depth of the town, the winds are blocked from all directions except the south. One picturesque decoration of the bay is the Xera, a group of rocks that rise up about 3-4 meters from the sea at a distance of about 400 meters from Bathy, a dragon with four heads that attends the bay of Peramos.

It was the dream of every youth to swim to Xera. Many would swim to the rock and back without rest. For the older children this was a favorite sport. The eastern side of Kastro descends steeply and forms a small harbor, the Agriogato (wildcat), hidden from all sides by capes and caves. In this natural cistern the women swam protected from indiscrete gazes. There were not few that opened up to swim to Xera. One could get to Agriogato either from between Kastro and Kastraki or by a foot path above Kastro. The women on the western district swam at the edge of Mitika.

In the center of the harbor, a little closer to Mitika, was the Skala (wharf), the central formal dock. It was built of stone to a depth of 5-6 meters into the sea and another equal length extension supported on steel posts. It was covered by thick blue colored planks with steps on the sides. It served the boarding of small boats. Steamships and large sailing vessels anchored farther out.

A little farther out from Agriogato is the small calm bay of "Agios Nickolaos ta Tsaganakia". At one side of the bay, during the latter years, the shipbuilding shop of Marangos was set up and the large scale fishermen, Sivris and Zoumblios families set up their boat sheds. (When, as a youth, I corresponded with my cousin Stelios Hadgipolihronis, he had the name of Sivris. In later years the name was changed to the original family name. In small towns even in this country name changes were not unusual, as in England where the local baker might retain the name of Baker.) On the other side was the Chapel of St. Nicholas with its two tufted _____ in the front completes the beautiful picture of the bay with its shore, the vineyards, mulberry trees, olive trees and fig trees that covered the small valley between the houses of the town and the height of St. Nicholas. The chapel was used formally on Tuesday of Holy Week and all the town came. Here was carried out the old tradition of "the Tsoli" that we will talk about in the chapter of Easter and wrestling in Peramos.

This calm harbor is closed to the east by the capes and by Bathy of St. Nickolas, and here the older boys swam since the waters were deeper and more turbulent.

Behind the cape and Bathy, the sides of the elevations are steep and go down to a sea full of rocks with the sand, and a little farther out is the bay of Zampourdou and continuing on Rokanas with the multicolor _____ that adorn the shore.

Above Rokana on the border of Mihaniona is Diaba, a handy dock for the fishing boats of Peramos that fished off the Mihanionas' island. Farther up we reach Kanali with the Chapel of Zoodohou Pigi. Every year on Good Friday those of Peramos come together with those of Mihaniona to celebrate Good Friday and for the youth to compete in wrestling on the firm sand.

Now we are in Mihaniona. Let us stop and turn back continuing our walk along the shore to the other side of the town to the west toward the innermost part of the Gulf of Kyzikos. From the Koutslopetra that closes the shore of Mitika on the left side of the town, the coast is strewn with cliffs and large rocks. For that reason we will make our trip by boat. Further from Kouslopetra we will first find the Cape of Mparampoutis, then the Flat Rock, farther down the Cape of Satikos. We pass the shore of Lampis' Well and further on Tourouka, a cliff cut into the sea, and we reach the large cape, the Aipnevma, that closes the eastern part of the little cove of Agio Pnevmatos. In all of this distance of the shore the sides are steep coming from the level area of the Windmill and Lampis' Well and to the last elevation of Agio Pnevmatos. Behind the cape is a level area above the rocks of the shore where is built the Chapel of Agio Pnevmatos, hidden among the cliffs and the hill that protects the northeasterly part of this harmonious agricultural area.

(A description of the chapel site is given.)

We continue further down turning at a small cape and we enter Koulimani, a cheerful broad beach covered with firm sand. Here is he Chapel of St. Thoedore with its well of fresh water. At Koulimani the beneficent river of the town, Megalo Rema, empties into the sea. Tall poplars are on the bank, with the melon fields, vineyards, mulberry trees and olive trees stretching out in the depths of the valley of Megalohoron.

The semicircular shore is bordered on the west with the Black Rock, known as Gkrafo, and continues as a rocky shore, Koumaria, with its well and ends at Balari, a long narrow cape. Back of Balari opens the Pithari, a sandy shore larger than Koulimani. Here were built the _____ of George Taliantzi where many fish (tunny like fish) were raised each time with the nets and many boat loads were sent to Constantinople during the fishing season (August through October). This place was the source of palamides and lakerda (salted fish). From ancient times, as is told by historians, this was the most important source of income in all the peninsula. Even coins of ancient Kyzikos are engraved with the palamida.

The surrounding valley was adorned with olive trees. The largest production was from Pithari. This was a blessed place, both on land and sea.

Pithari has its saint, St. George. A great festival was held every year in his memory.

After Pithari comes the bay of Thanasenas. This was also a fishing spot and also with olive trees in the surrounding hills and valleys. The granite hills with their valuable black-green hard rock, start above at Arapi, on the road to Faneromeni, and go to Thanasena from where this stone was loaded for shipment to Constantinople. Also, here is a chapel of St. Mercurios with an abundant creek coming from among the granite cliffs.

The coves of Pithari and Thanasenas are divided by a gentle curve and from a distance seem like one bay.

From there is a small bay, Mpahtses and Megali Pounta, a prominence that closes from the east the Mpakratsi, the large natural harbor that gave refuge to the boats when they couldn't stay unprotected at the northern harbor of Panormos.

After Mpakratsi comes Armenohori and further down the Kenourio Horio near the ruins of old Kyzikos at the neck of the peninsula.

The agricultural district of Peramos constituted a large expanse about the town. From the east to the border of Mihaniona the distance was short - about 30 minutes. To the north and northwest the farms of the Peramians extended to the border of Kastela and Diabati and further behind the river and hills of Mpor to the foothills of Tsabliou (the Kivelis mountain) into the valley of Faneromeni. To the west the cultivated land of Peramos extended to Megali Pounta and Mpakratsi. For one to go to the N-W and western borders about two hours of good travel were needed.

Let us describe these agricultural districts starting separately from the agricultural roads that went to each district. There were three roads: 1) From the Megali Vrisi, 2) The Ageli (herd) of Provatisia (Sheep) and 3) The Megali Ageli. Let us take them separately starting from the east.

The road to Megali Vrisi starts at the northeast side of town and goes between the Alonia (threshing floor) of Ailia and the hill of Maros. It is the lower road to Mihaniona. It goes above the heights of Zampourdos and of Rokanas. Little of the land is cultivated. There are a few vineyards and fig trees near town but farther on it is barren. The fine dirt on the ridges does not sustain anything except crops such as barley and that in limited amount. To the road to Mihaniona one could also arrive from St. Nickolas.

Above the Alonia of Ailia on the crest of the hill was the Chapel Profitis Ilias, Ailias "o Kontinos" to distinguish it from the one on the crest of a hill at the border of Kastela.

On the Alonia of Ailia (the threshing floor) were held each year, during the days of Easter, wrestling matches.

To the west of the hill of Ailia was a slope green with vineyard, olive trees,and fig trees, the Klavetsos, that went down to a large creek. From this creek originated the Rema, the sometimes dry creek that goes through the town and ends in the sea.

Let us now take the other road, of Provatisias Agelis. It is called that because from there the sheep started to go to pasture. It started at the north part of town between the Chapel of St. John and the Vrisaki (little fountain) on the right and the Kotroni Hill on the left and went straight up to the rural Chapel of St. Athanasios.

Before we reach St. Athanasios, a road angles to the right to the Asvestaria (the lime kilns) and Lagopetres. Lagopetres, mostly barren ground, reached to the bed of the creek that divided it from Klavetzo.

Many roads start from St. Athanasios. To the right, the upper road to Mihaniona, also is mostly barren land. To the left are the Alonia (threshing field) of Aithanasi and continuing the Bromopsi with the vineyards, olive trees and fig trees, and further down is a small hill that goes to the town. On the hill is the Chapel of St. Constantine.

Continuous with Bromopsi on the left is Kropsia, a green and rich area with vineyards that spreads and goes down to the valley watered by the Megalo Rema.

We will refer to this river further on.

From Kropsia a small hill goes down to the town, to Agiosmataki, at the corner of the town.

Let us return to Aithanasi (St. Athanasios) to take the road that goes straight to the north.

Going among vineyards we reach the large district of St. Anargyros and Leftokarias. From there also starts the large river (Megalo Rema) that goes to the sea at Koulimani.

From Leftaria we turn left, we pass Kakoskala and we reach the hill of Ailia of Makrinou with its chapel on its peak. Between Kakoskala and the hill of Ailia is the road to Kasteli. Going to the left after the hill of Ailia we find the upper road to Diabati, farther on Soulinaki with its well, next is Rodia with the Roumani (forrest) of Rodia, and farther on Vlach's Creek and the other road to Diavati and come to the northern edge of Mikrohorio through which the road to Lagada goes behind the mountain side of Tsablios toward the place of the sea (?) at the northern side of the Peninsula.

In these districts, from Leftokaria to Mikrohori (that we will come to from another main road) the properties of Peramos end, property worthy of praise with vineyards, melons, olive trees, mulberry trees, walnut trees, chestnut trees, and fields for livestock. All are nourished by running water.

Let us take the direction down of the river of Megalorema. As it comes down it irrigates the district of St. Anargyros and Agias Paraskevis. Its valley, narrow in the beginning, widens as it goes down and on its banks are large beautiful plane trees, and flowering walnut trees that give their shade to the workers when they rest.

Further down from Agia Paraskevi to the left is Karamihali's Rahi and further a wide band of irrigated land that borders Kropsia on the east and goes further down to Haliki. From there the bed of Megalorema widens and reaches the District of Megalorema which takes its name from the river.

Let us take again the river going down from the start to see the districts that are on the right side, toward the west.

As the river starts it leaves Kakoskala on the right and the road to Kasteli and irrigates the side opposite Agia Paraskevi and reaches the large district of Longos and Kokinohomata (Red earth). The northern aspect of Longos borders Rodia. Below Kokinohomata we reach Aspres Petres (White rocks) and the threshing floors that are on the level areas of the hill.

We are now in the District of Megalorema. At this point the river crosses the road that goes from Megalo Ageli to Faneromeni. At this point we will stop in order to take the central agricultural road of Megali Ageli and to investigate the districts that are most important to the northwest and to the west of town.

This large rural road starts from the west of town. It is called Megali Ageli or Ageli of the Cows since in older times cows went out from there to pasture.

There on the plaza that opens up bordered by the houses on the edge of town, on the right side of the road was the guard house of the collector of the 10% tax. During the time of the grape harvest, all the loads of grapes that came into town were registered for the 10% tax. The collectors tried to collect from even small baskets. For this reason any baskets that could be lifted by the youth were taken by the foot path of the Hill of Christ and from other routes in order to avoid the tax. The truth was these tax collectors being locals did not pay much attention to these baskets -- there were so many grapes. These guard houses were set up also at other roads as the Provatesias Ageli down which the other large district of Agia Paraskevi brought their grapes.

From the Plaza of Megalis Agelis we go up a wide steep road. This road is clearly not a natural passage. It must have been cut through the hill that closes off the town from that side. This cut is evident from the steep embankments on each side that are several meters high, as if cut with a knife. In all its distance from the town to the flattened crest and further for a considerable distance it was paved in ancient times with large irregular marble tiles. For this reason it was called Kalnterimi (Stone-paved).

The marble paving in time was destroyed but several large plaques survive in the ground to the present day. We will concern ourselves with this road in another chapter.

Before we climb up the Kalinterimi, a small road to the left leads us to the elevation of the windmill, a flat area on the hill of Christ that takes up all the western side up to the Fountain of Lampis at the boundary of the district of Agio Pnevmatos.

Let us walk back to the flat area of the windmill to enjoy the superlative sight of the open sea that stretches before our eyes, the far reaching Propontis (Sea of Marmara) beyond the blue Gulf of Kyzikos with the opposing mainland of Karantagi and in the depths of the gulf, Panormos the large city that shines as a vision with the reflections of the sun on the windows of its tall houses.

As we proceed to the broad area of the windmill we leave on our right the vineyards of Loutsas and the Ridge of Karanikolas and to the left the surroundings of the Fountain of Lampis. Next begins the downhill and we go down to the district of Agio Pnevmatos (Aipnevma).

We return to the Kalinterimi and go up the steep wide road paved with large slabs of stone. We now go downhill leaving to our left the Ridge of Karanikola and Loutsa and at about 500 meters we find to our right on the road, Makrakis Fountain. From a spout in a marble face water runs continuously into a marble basin. No epigraph survives on the marble of the fountain. It seems broken and made bare of any decorations or writing. They must have been taken by collectors of antiquities who roamed the area and did not leave any sculptured marble. To the right of the fountain angles a narrow road that brings us to Krofia an another road goes down to Haliki. Another road to the left goes up to Gourgoura and from there goes to the Crest of Koulimani beyond Aipnevma.

Proceeding on the big road we come to Megalorema (Big River). There the road crosses the river and the river, after aimless turns in the large district of Kolimani, empties into the sea. This area was also blessed with vineyards, olives, mulberry trees, melons, etc... In their season there were piles of watermelons on shore ready to be taken to the markets of Constantinople.

We continue from the spot the road crosses the river. Before the river turns to the district of Kolimani, another road equally wide and straight goes to the little bridge and goes west leaving to the left Papoutsa and further down, the district of Koursoula that borders on the district of Koulimani, and to the right Platano and Mirtia to go eventually to the big valley of Pithari. Here the valley is full of olive trees, old trees with thick trunks hollowed out and next to them younger trees, all fruitful.

Further down continuing from Pithari we reach Thanasena .Here also the olive trees are in the smaller valley. To the west below the boundaries of Katsika, is the animal pen of Parthenis Tsigas and farther west is Tsiltikia at the borders of Armenohori.

It takes quite a while to see this western area. Let us go back to where the large road crosses the river and rest as did others under the walnut tree of Papahristodoulos. And now we cross the river. The crossing is not difficult. At this point the river is broad and many islets of gravel are formed. Even in winter when the flow increases, a crossing can be found. We now go up the steep road toward Tsairia, and we go down till we reach the border of Myrtia. Further down on the left we reach Katsika, a slope that goes down on the left to the animal pens of Ioannis Kalpakis at the border of Pithari.

We now have reached Tsairia which takes up a large expanse to the right of this steep road. Before reaching there we passed Aspres Petres (White Rocks) and the threshing floor (alonia). Farther up from the White Rock are the Melissaria (Bee Hives) and continuing, Fotis' Kalamia. From there on up is Tsairia.

Before we reach Tsairia we take the road turning to the right and leaving, to the left, the district of Fotis' Kalamia we go quite a distance and we pass Ntobros Kouri, a thick forest of chestnut trees and continue to Mikrohori (Small Town), the large agricultural district in the northwest corner of the town with running water, a great blessing for the mellons and crops.

There we find Ageli (Sheepfold) of Floras, the largest stock farmer (rancher?) of Peramos. The Kaliva, a roomy stone building with the long lasting _____ around it, the fences, and the pens, the sheep and goats that number in the hundreds, the shepherds and the dogs give a tone of an intense and happy life for the entire district.

In the Mikrohori (Small Town) still exist many ruins of homes and other buildings as well as a small church of St. Dimitrios that justifies the tradition that Peramos once existed there.

Beyond Mikrohori we reach the boundary of Diabati and to the northwest we enter the area of Mpor that is divided from Mikrohori by a creek with leftokaries (?). They are enjoyed by the shepherds and those in the fields nearby.

Behind the crest of Mpor starts the downhill to the base of Tsavlios -- of the Kibelis Mountain -- and below in the valley is the Monastery of Panagia Faneromeni. The agricultural fields of Peramos reached to here. In this area Nick Petikas, patriarch of the family having done good works in Nea Peramos Megaridos, now in the USA, has built a large farm but his plans were cut short by subsequent events.

From the crest of Moor and the hills of Tsavlios the Peramians got their fire wood. There they also had kilns, called Kougia.

From the southwest side of Mikrohori we proceed to the district of Mihal's Milo (mill). One side goes up from the creek that serves Mikrohori up to the crest of Tsakalos. Here, it seems from the name of the district, were watermills. In this always shaded ravine were grown watermelons, melons, cucumbers, tomatoes, and vegetables. As we go up he slope vegetation is wilder. Reeds, Arbut berries, wild _____, etc. grew among the rocks up to the bare crest of Tsakalos. The dark red earth of the slope showed that some metal ore lay hidden in the mountain. In later years foreign mining exploration was started but ceased with the departure of the people of Peramos in 1922.

Let us take the road going from Tsairia upward. We reach high up at Aigiani ta Dentrakia (The Little Trees of St. John). Here we can see neighboring districts to the right of the road, the Kalinteri and another chapel, Aigiani of Kalinteri, hidden in the downslope.

Then comes Taratsa, a broad area of fruit trees and vineyards. From there on are cliffs and impassable slopes covered with brambles down to Mihalis' Milo and upward to the northern borders of Mikrohori. In these slopes is found Kolis' Rmani (?). Above Taratsa rises a high barren plain, the crest of Tsakalos that begins at Arapi (the granite hill that we will see on the road to Faneromeni) and goes on to the edge of Mikrohori closing off this large northwest agricultural region.

Let us stay a while at Aigiani ta Dendrakia. We are half way to Faneromeni. Here also stopped the worshipers on the way to the Monastery. Let us also stop to enjoy the view, the crest of Tsakalos and all the points of the horizon, a multicolor tapestry before our eyes. From the north the view is blocked out by the crest of Tsakalos but from all other directions the tapestry below our feet with the multicolor geometric patterns and in the depth beyond the sea the mountains of Karatagi are just discernable in the grey eastern horizon.

Let us continue our journey from Aigiani ta Dendrakia. We have quite a distance to walk going uphill and downhill till we reach the Monastery.

After less than 1/2 hour walking we reach the mountainous mass of Arapi. To the right of the road the deep crevices and the granite hills echo the slightest voice. As children when we went to Arapi we had a game to shout "Ar-rap" to hear our voice come back with the same accent.

From this hill the granite hills continue down to Thanasena. Throughout the entire length to the sea are quarries and workshops that cut the cubes of granite.

To the left a short distance we will, find Kagia Mpounar, a well of very cold water that comes from the depths of the granite.

Continuing on the road from Arapi we encounter Vrisoula (Little Fountain). The crystaline water runs from an earthenware spout into a marble basin. We are now at the end of the uphill. After the Little Fountain the road continues among arbute bushes and brush to end in a short while in regular curves toward the downslope of the hills that close off the valley of Faneromeni. It is the new road that was cut in 1903 (the old road was difficult and steep) so as to enable the worshipers coming from all over, the people of Peramos all came together to build a new road and this was done in two months time. It was ready to serve the many worshipers that began to come in mid August for the festival of Panagia Faneromeni. We now enter softer ground and gentler growth after the stark slopes of the granite hills.

We come from the last elevation and we see before us the majesty of the gigantic Monastery of Faneromeni choked with greenery and surrounded by the steep wooded slopes of Dindimos. The Monastery will be described in a later chapter.

Here we end our walk having walked from early morning. The guard in the Monastery (George Pirgotis) saw us from a distance and notified the abbot, Papa Alexis, to come down to the outer door of the courtyard to greet us. Let us go in to first make a supplication on our knees to the wonder working Icon of Panagia.

We don't have time to return to the town since it will become dark. For this we will remain at the Monastery.