Agioi Pandes

Ruins of a medieval fortification, probably Genoese and dating perhaps from the 14th or 15th century, stand on a coastal hill on the north coast of Chios, north of the village of Agrelopo and of the Castle of Oria. Nothing is known of its history, and the hill has never been investigated, though the area has been inhabited since antiquity: reused architectural elements are visible on the hill and especially on the beach, a common feature of northern Chios chapels whose origins remain unknown. The position offers natural defence and excellent visibility, better than nearby Oria, commanding the coast east to Cape Oura and west to Melaniou, so even a watchtower or refuge would have been valuable. The name, and its description as a "kastelli" by Chian historians such as Zolotas, support this. A section of thick wall built of stone and strong lime mortar survives, with traces of foundations elsewhere, though low vegetation and the levelling of the hilltop for a chapel and access road have obscured the remains.