Anavatos is a byzantine tower-village in the center of Chios Island. Due to its location on a large granite rock at the end of a cliff, the ancient city towers majestically above the surrounding area.

Although it is a deserted village, it has still preserved its history, which is often sensed by the visitor when wandering through its stone-paved streets. The town has often been associated with the Greek War of Independence in 1821 and the massacres of 1822, who represent an important part in history of the island.

The village of Anavatos got its name originally from the Greek word “anaveno”, which means “I climb”. And this name definitely fits, as it is really not the easiest thing to reach this village located on a rough cliff. The village is built on a rocky elevation with steep sides and sheer cliffs on the South and West, so that it can only be approached from the North. This natural defenses show that the village was originally founded in this site for security reasons to control the west cast during the period of piracy.

The whole village is built out of the same stone like the cliff, so the village is not noticeable from the sea and from far away the houses look like part of the cliff.

Nowadays the settlement is almost completely deserted. A medieval castle stands on top of the village, which developed with time passing by into the shape of an amphitheatre with the acropolis at the edge of the ravine. Quite a lot of the settlement’s narrow fronted homes are preserved to give a unique picture of a ghost town in a wild evocative environment.

The church of the Taxiarchis (the Archangel) is well-preserved and dominating the crest of the acropolis. Not far away from the walls gate, an imposing structure predominates among the buildings of its eastern side: It is the so-called three-store building, consisting of an olive-oil mill, a school, a water reservoir and the Church of Theotokos (the Virgin Mary).

Anavatos is a beautiful and inspiring place, and the ruin houses today remain in the atmosphere of a lost village.

Reaching the west coast of Anavatos, Elinda, a beautiful cove with a deserted beach is located, where visitors can enjoy the beauty of the nature on Chios Island.