The church of Panagia Kakaviotissa has been named one of Greece’s most unique and beautiful churches. It is located close to the village of Thanos, 4 km southeast of Myrina. The chapel is located inside a rock cavity on the top of Kakavos Mountain at an altitude of 260 meters. It was founded in 1416 by some monks who managed to escape the Turkish invasion in Agios Efstratios island. The church used to be a shelter for monks and hermits.
The hidden gem has a striking location from where it offers an impressive view to the sea and the mountainside of Lemnos. The best time to visit would be in the evening when the chapel is flooded by natural light. The chapel of Panagia Kakaviotissa celebrates on Tuesday after Easter. It requires a 20-minute walking through a dirt road from the end of the asphalt road, which is why this chapel is a frequent hiking destination on the island.
References:Sigmaringen Castle was first mentioned in the year 1077 in the chronicles of Petershausen monastery. The oldest parts of the castle are concealed beneath the alterations made during the 17th and the 19th centuries. The secret of the earliest settlement built on this defendable rock will never be fully revealed: large-scale excavation work would be necessary, which the extensive land development renders impossible. Judging from the many Roman remains unearthed in the area around Sigmaringen, the 12th century keep known as the 'Roman Tower' could be traced back to a Roman predecessor.
The castle remains that have been preserved (gate, great hall and keep) date back to the Staufer period around 1200. The castle remains were integrated into subsequent buildings. The foundations of the castle buildings are to a large extent identical to the surrounding castle wall.
These remains give us a good idea of how the castle might have looked during the 12th century.