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Fast facts
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Population 2021: 112, inhabitants
Older Censuses 2011:109, 2001: 143, 1991: 209, 1981: 262, 1961: 310, & 1940: 386, 1869: 240 inhabitants
Population density per km2 8 inhabitants
Village altitude 570 m
Region averege altitude 560 m, mountainous
Village land area 0,02 km2
Region land area 14,25 km2
Parish church 1 orthodox, Zoodochos Pigi (Life-giving source), founded on May 16, 1839
Economy relies mainly on agriculture (olives trees and viticulture).
Description
Mesogios village (Greek: Μεσόγειος) is located at the center of the island, and at the south-west foothills of “Ambelos” mountain (or Karvounis).
The distances are: 19 km from Pythagorio town, 32 Km from Samos town, 22 Km from Karlovasi town and 19 Km from Marathokampos village.
Administratively consists the local communities of Mesogios, which belongs to Pythagoreion municipal unit, of East Samos Municipality, with Samos city capital.
Built at 570 m, it’s the third highest village of Samos (together with Kosmadei village), with beautiful view over the southwest foothills of “Ambelos” mountain (or Karvounis), and one of the few villages which don’t enjoy view to the sea.
Historically, the villages Mesogios and Pandrosos (located 800 m north) interrelated, and most often consider as one village.
topHistory & name
According “Samiaka” (1862) by the E.Stamatiadi, the first settlers of the villages were two families “Arvanites*” from Albania, warriors fighting the Turks under the leader Skanderbeg (George Castriot) which after his death were dispersed all over to escape from the Ottomans.
* Arvanites are a population group in Greece, from the current Northern Epirus, whose members speak Arvanitika, a mix of Albanian language.
Em. Kritikidis in his book “Topography of Samos” (1869), states that the first settlers were Albanians.
The author Zafiriou, in his book “Archive of Samos” (1945-1946) disagrees and claims that there were not only two families but more and it was not Arvanites but Greeks from south Epirus. And concludes, that if they were Arvanites, there must have been names in the area in their dialect, while there aren’t any.
The author “N.Dimitriou”, in his book “Folklore of Samos” (1983-1997) disagrees also with the view that the first inhabitants were Arvanites. Additionally he supports the point of view, that if they were Arvanites, some would continue to speak this dialect or some words from it while there aren’t any. Additionally, the dialect of these villages, looks amazingly close with some villages of Tinos island and it’s possible that they cameme from there, or at least, to have a common origin. The author, excludes any possibility of Arvanites coming to Samos.
Supporting the view of author Dimitriou, it is more likely that the first inhabitants were not Arvanites but from Tinos island.
top
Name
The first name of the village was “Kato (=down) Arvanites” which according to the author Ν. Zafiriou, the first name of the village “Arvanites”, originated from the characterization that given to them, the inhabitants of the neighboring villages (Pirgos and Mavratzei), who called them so disparaging.
It is less probable the opinion that the name “Arvanites” came from the origin of the first settlers, as supports the author Ep. Stamatiadis.
Since 1958, the name of the village was changed to “Mesogios” which was probably chosen due to the geographical location of the village which is in the center of the island (Mesogios = middle of the land).
It is very likely that you will hear it, even today as “Kato Arvanites” or “Arvanites” for both villages (Pandrosos and Mesogios) since many of the locals still use the old name of these villages.
topTips
- If you continue the road north, after 800 m, you will reach the village Pandrosos, and from there following the dirt road you will be at the top of Mount Ampelos, or continue north to villages “Vourliotes” or “Manolates“, or other destinations on several dirt roads.
