Outer Chora

The remaining churches of interest in Chora are farther flung. Inland of the southern end of the waterfront (beyond Plateia Platanos), is the 18th century church of the Panaghia Eleftherotria, which, like Aghios Michai―l, also incorporates sarcophagus slabs from the same Assos workshop, together with Early Christian fragments and a variety of 19th century ceramic plates embedded in the exterior walls. On the south wall is a cypress-tree design in brick-tiles. The large church of the Dormition of the Virgin, known as the Panaghia ‘Papameleti­ou’, recognisable by its high tiled octagonal drum with double rows of arches above the window-lights in the cupola, lies in the upper central area of the Chora. The church was built in the 1670s, and has been restored in recent years; inside there is remarkable wood carving in the iconostasis and the throne. Between this church and the other large church of the Tris Gerarches to its north, and in the streets below and to the south of the kastro, are many substantial and prosperous houses with a variety of characteristic wooden balconies. Some still conserve roofs in the traditional stone from Pelion. They bear witness to the discreet wealth of Skopelos in the 19th century.

   The Skopelos Folklore Museum (open daily 10–1) lies in the centre of town, northwest of Platanos Square and of the church of Aghios Merkourios. Given the prosperity and diversity of traditions of the island, its offerings are somewhat limited. It is laid out in a traditional Skopelos house which has unpainted wooden balconies on the exterior, and a plain interior. The first two floors are dedicated to exhibiting a variety of tools, looms, costumes, textiles, photographs and ceramics, illustrative of the island’s customs. The textiles are the most striking, especially the women’s colourful betrothal dresses. The top floor has an interesting didactic display of the feasts of the year, month by month, on Skopelos.
   Other than the walls at the kastro and a number of dispersed fragments incorporated into later churches, the visible remains of Classical Peparethos are scant. Five hundred metres along the shore to the south of the centre of Chora, before the Sea View Hotel, are the remains of an Asklepieion, built some way outside of the ancient town as was usual with sanctuaries frequented by the in firm. It profited from curative and thermal springs by the shore. Excavations here (which have since been covered over again) brought to light the foundations of a stoa and many votive offerings and figurines. The traces of builds once visible on the beach are now gone, and only a fragment of a prostrate column and the base of a temple, oriented on the cardinal points, remain to be seen from what was an important 4th century sanctuary and heal centre.

Skopelos Island is part of the Sporades Island Group, Greece.

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