Traditional cultural elements

Vineyards and wine of Limnos
The wine-harvest season is without doubt one of the most joyful, given that all the residents on the island, by tradition, collect their grapes in what comes to be a feast. In the middle of September, depending on weather conditions, the vintage begins and has been traditionally performed by women. Later, follows the wine pressing, an activity undertaken solely by men.
The mood for collaboration and mutual assistance amid the members of the families, has fostered a spirit of voluntarism and a climate of joy, since they all gladly participated in harvesting, carrying and pressing the grapes. Actually, the entire image of the dwellers gathering around huge wine-presses at the center of the village, during harvest time, is quite similar to a scenery of “a peaceful war”.
The pressed grapes were stored in clay jars and on top of them were placed dried sea weeds in order to secure the necessary moisture. The jars were then sealed with a cap and straw-mud were buried for a period of about two months.
Every vine culturist unsealed his jar at the time he deemed appropriate, in order to produce the taste and colour of wine he desired. Another distinct and equally meritful moment was the time where all friends and relatives gathered to taste the new wine crop.
For the transportation of wine from the presses to the peoples’ houses, they used to decant it into small barrels with the use of big pitchers, called “sourlades” made in the traditional cooking-pots at Kotsinas.
After, when the wine has been fermented twice and distilled, we get the famous “tsipouro” or “raki”. However, in order to obtain an exquisite sweet taste and scent the people added raisins, figs, corn, wheat, honey, masticha and aniseed.

Traditional occupations - “Kehagiades” of Limnos
Cattle-breeding has always been one of the most thriving activities since the number of sheep and goats was great and the dairy products famous for their quality. A great role has been played by the local people of the island, worthy founders of a tradition that lasts up to this day. Tireless in their efforts, they would daily lead their flocks to the pastures of the island aiming to win the great battle of survival and offer their families a better future.
The cattle-breeders of Limnos had their own practices and followed faithfully the traditional customs. First and setting them apart from the rest of the islanders, was their additional name “kehagiades”.
Today the “kehagiades”, through the folklore association that has been founded at the village Tsimdaria, revive on a yearly basis their old customs and organize various cultural festivities.
During these ‘’feasts’’, young people are dressed with the traditional costumes of the “kehagiades”, play the lyre and dance to their local music and dances such as the “Kehagiadiko”, “Patma” and “Mpalo”.

Traditional Architecture
The preservation of the traditional and folk architecture of Limnos is an immediate consequence of the low rhythms of development that have produced only a handful of new constructions.
Therefore, throughout the island the visitor can see beautifully preserved edifices, old mansions, walls, churches, school buildings and cottages that please the eye and at the same time make the dwellers proud and content.
Among the most interesting settlements, from a constructive point of view, are Kontias, Kornos, Kaspakas, Thanos, Plati, Portianos, Varos, Kontopouli and Moudros.

Mansions
In every village on the island of Limnos, we encounter the typical two-storey house, with minor variations. We see interesting architectural edifices, with the same layout, meaning the village’s central square along with the rational coffee shops, and the rest of the houses.
Of great beauty are the magnificent mansions of the “Romaic Shoreline” in Mirina and the terrific cottages at Kornos, Romanos, Kontias, Portianos and Moudros.

The “Mandres”
One of the most unique elements and according to many people a trademark of Limnian architecture, are the “mandres”, the farming and cattle-raising constructions of the country side. The Limnian “Madra” is not a simplified construction of a stall, a mere stockyard or a plain sheepfold.
It constitutes a concrete area where animals and humans co-exist in a rather functional manner. Usually, the single-space house of the cattle-breeders and their families had a fire-place at one corner and a loggia for the roofing of the sheep at the other end.

Schools
It is crucial to mention that the magnificent buildings housing the majority of schools, have been constructed thanks to the donations of emigrated Limnians and the money raised by poor inhabitants at the end of the 19th century.
From the grandiose building of the Senior High school in Mirina to the smallest and oldest one in Skandali, all have witnessed the care and generosity of the islanders for the education of their children.
This generosity results primarily from the fears and agonies of the local people for the future of the next generation, given that Limnos is quite isolated and far away from the focus of state welfare.

Litho-sculpture in Limnos
The island has volcanic origins and its rocks, which are abundant and in immediate disposal, are used either as construction materials or as valuable daily tools.
Many handy stone utensils and objects have been found dispersed throughout the island, including hand mills for the grinding of cereals and stone troughs. Countless wells, fountains and stone wine-presses, all in group arrangement, have been located in many villages such as Repanidi, Romanos, Varos and Roussopouli.
In recent years, the amazing evolution of litho sculpture follows the needs for internal decoration within mansions, public buildings, schools, churches but even war and burial memorials.
The local and unnamed litho-sculptor has bestowed upon us a tradition of many centuries, which we are lucky to admire through a plethora of house balconies, building metopes, stone bell-towers and other objects that adorn many monuments including the the two Allied Cemeteries of Moudros and Portianos