Church of Panagia Trouloti

The Church of Panagia Trouloti stands in Pyrgoi Thermis, on a picturesque height with panoramic views, and is one of Lesvos’ most important Byzantine monuments. It mainly dates to the 14th–15th centuries and belongs to the type of the cross-in-square church with a dome, a feature that gave it its name. A distinctive element is the depiction of the Theotokos in the dome, contrary to the usual Pantokrator, making it rare on the island. Its exterior is plain, built of local rubble masonry, while inside fragments of murals dated 1650 survive. The 18th-century walnut wood-carved iconostasis impresses with its rich ornament and biblical scenes. The church also preserves portable icons, sacred vessels and ecclesiastical books—valuable testimonies to Lesvos’ religious and artistic tradition.