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Samos

municipality

It has been built at the end of the gulf of Vathi, where the harbor – one of the largest and safest in the Aegean – lies. It was the seaport of Vathi village. The area was called “Yialos” (meaning seaside) and till the end of 19th century there was nothing there apart for a few warehouses. After that and with the demise of the pirate raids that were devastating the Aegean islands and coasts, the first houses emerged and the initial settlement was a fact.

In the beginning the settlement was named Kato Vathi (lower Vathi) and later Stefanoupoli to honor the first, but also the worst, Hegemon (ruler) of the island. His name was Stephanos Vogoridis. When he was replaced the village was renamed as Port of Vathi. Its current name, Samos, was given to the city in 1958.

The settlement began to develop rapidly, when in the early summer of 1854, the Hegemon Ioannis Gikas, decided to move also the capital from the village of Chora to Samos. As he said “it is to the benefit of this land to have its capital by the sea and the gulf of Vathi is indeed the perfect spot for this cause”.
Soon afterwards the harbor was constructed as well as the first seafront that connected it with Pythagoras square. Both of these are continuously expanded and improved to our days.

Samos city is built amphitheatrically at the end of the bay and is one of the few cities that managed to keep its traditional character. It has one of the best seafronts in the Aegean and many neoclassic buildings that witness the island's good old times.

Apart for the major’s office, also the rest of the island’s authorities are stationed here. Also the Prefecture and its services, museums, many banks and the Archbishop’s office. It is the biggest commercial center of eastern Samos with a purely urban population.

To the north of the city and on its territory is the monastery of Zoodochos Pigi, built on the cape of Cotsikas. It’s a small monastery, built close to the sea by the monk Azarias in 1730 or 1735. To the east of the city and not far away from the previous monastery are two more. The monastery of Ayia Zoni (cincture of Holy Mary) and the Zoodochos Pigi monastery (same name as the previous one). The first one was built in 1695 and is located in the valley of Vlamari, the second one was built in 1781 and is located higher up on an altitude of approximately 300 meter. From this spot you can see the straits between Samos and Asia Minor as well as the mountain of Mikali and to the north as far as New Ephesus and Chios Island.

The population of Samos town is mainly occupied in clerical work, there are merchants, small industry owners, craftsmen, laborers and a few farmers and fishermen.

Its highest recorded population was recorded in the 1928 census, 8636 people.

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