Mesta is one of the oldest cities on Chios Island. You will fall in love with the city very easy, but you always have to keep in mind to look at the small beauties, at the details of the city. Going through the city looking at the old houses and the small doors, you may have noticed that nearly all the doorbells have something in common.

The story behind the doorbells brings us back to the ancient Greek. In nearly every house there were slaves chained to the door in order to open it for guests or keep it closed for uninvited people. So, if they hear the ironic voice of the door, they are either supposed to open or to leave the door closed.

The lions are not only a nice decoration on each door and continue to change the image of the city, but they also have their meaning. The intimidating lions serve as guardian beasts for the house and also for the whole city. Lions in general symbolize the power and strength.

In Mesta you will see a lot of different lions. Some of them are still used very traditionally as an iron doorbell where  an ironic ring is in the lions mouth, you use to make the bell. Other doorbells are working very modern and electric, but the button is in the head of the lion. In some doors you also see the lion on the top of the door, just as a protection for the house.