The castle of Myrina or castle city is placed in an exceptional position at the west side of Myrina and is one of the most well preserved castles all over the Aegean Sea. Myrina was first inhabited in Neolithic era.
On the rock there are remnants of the first houses and a part of the Cyclopes walls. The building material of walls was used afterwards by Franks and Turks in the manufacture of other buildings.
The Byzantines built in 1186 a small but powerful castle by which however are saved a few parts. The period of Frank occupation repairs were made by Filocalo Paolo Navigaioso, Big Admiral of Romania, in 1207-1214. For this phase of repairs informs us a marble plate with the lion of Venice
The castle is built in rocky and steep peninsula and communicates with the land only from Eastern. By the two sides of narrow isthmus that connect the peninsula with the land is shaped harbor. The northern side borders on the Greek district Romeikos Gialos and the southerner on Turkish (Tourkikos Gialos).
The main gate of the castle leads to the south part of it. A second gate leads to the north part while a third gate, smaller in size, is placed western. The surrounding wall has 14 towers. Most of them are round or petaloid. There are also some rectangular towers also.
The walls of the castle are build with volcanic stones, main characteristic of the island. The appearance that the castle has today is a result of many structural stages
Archaeological museum of Lemnos works from 1961. Is placed at Romeikos Gialos, close to Gymnasioum. Has many findings from Poliochni, Kaveirio and Ifesteia, findings from Myrina and the rest island. The exhibition follows the chronological evolution of Lemnos island.
The visitor enters the ground floor and sees the prehistoric Lemnos. Findings from Poliochni, from the Black to the Iodi period, art crafts from Myrina (copper era) and many items of the same period that were collected from all the island and Koukounisi also.
At the same floor you may see the marbles of the museum. Sculptures, signs, tomb columns from Lemnos and Imvros. Remarkable is the replica of “Love” a sculpture of Lisippos, “Ganimides”, funeral suppers e.t.c. On the second floor the visitors observes items and findings that belong to the 8th, 7th και 6th b.C. century.
The last exhibition room shows Lemnos island during the Hellenistic era. Ceramic wheels, matrixes of vessels, stamps and utensils. Signs from the Roman Lemnos. in a special designed, air conditioned room are kept all the osteal and metallic items, jewelry, tools, coins e.t.c.
Laographic Museum (Portianou)
Initiated in 1995 and is an honor to Lemnos tradition.
Findings from ordinary life of the previous centuries, make the beautiful building alive.
Utensils, tools and traditional clothes, reveal the unique folklore heritage.
Nautical Tradition and Sponge-fishing Museum in Nea Koutali
In Nautical Tradition and Sponge-fishing Museum in Nea Koutali is preserved the nautical tradition of the refugees that came from the island Koutali in Propontida.
In Nea Koutali refugees of 1922 used to work on sponge-fishing and sponge processing. Museums’ exhibition has three themes:
The first theme shows the nautical life of people before the violent expatriation from Propontida. In this section you can see heirlooms and photos from their old country.
The second section shows the sponge-fishing and sponge processing in Nea Koutali.
The exhibits are divers’ equipment, fittings of the sponge-fishing boats, sponge types and machinery of sponge packing. The third section has the archaeological collection of Nea Koutali.
Consists of items that the sponge fishermen collected by the sea.
Collection’s creation started in 1950-1960 thanks to the supervisor of Primary School in Nea Koutali. Has a big collection of amphora ans other ceramics, parts of ancient anchors and other items from ancient wrecks. A brief catalogue of the exhibits is available in the museum.