Pagondas village

Fast facts

Population (with Ireon) 2021:1.342 inhabitants
Older Censuses (with Ireon) 2011: 1.322, 2001: 1.294, 1991: 1.406, 1981: 1.351, 1961: 933, & 1940: 2.631,  1869: 1.525 inhabitants
Population density per km² 39 inhabitants
Village altitude  260 m
Region averege altitude 156 m, mountainous
Village land area  0,11 km²
Region land area 34,10 km²
Parish Churches 2 Orthodox , agia Triada (Holy Trinity), three-aisled Byzantine style, built in 1878, designed by Emmanuel Kapsalis and the genisis tou Christou (Nativity of Christ) which was built in the 15th century.
Economy relies mainly on agriculture (olives trees, less on legumes and vegetables) and tourism in Ireon settlement. Previously had great silk crop production.

Description

Pagondas village  (Greek: Παγώνδας) is located to the south of the island, and at the eastern foothills of “Bournias” hill (offshoot of Ambelos or Karvounis mountain ).

The distances are: 12 km from Pythagorio town, 26 Km from Samos town, 35 Km from Karlovasi town and 30 Km from Marathokampos village.

Administratively consists the municipal community of Pagondas, which belongs to Pythagoreion municipal unit, of East Samos Municipality, with Samos city capital.

It is one of the biggest and agriculturally richest villages in the island because it has large arable land in the plain and in recent years has also benefited from the tourism development at Iraion settlement which is located near by.
It has picturesque houses with remarkable architecture and a large square with planes and mulberry trees for shade and relaxation in the summer.
Walking up to the west of the village, you will meet the public washhouse and you get a nice picture of the village and a east view to the valley and the coast of Asia Minor.

The village preserves elements of the local traditional architecture and since 2002, has been characterized by the Greek goverment, as settlement of special natural beauty (4754 / 30-4-2002), with many restrictions on the houses construction and repair.

History & Name

It is of the first villages on the island, after the reoccupation. Created the same period with Mili village, once when Kilitz Ali Pasha came at the island (16th century). Was originally settled by Samians which at the devastation of the island (15th century) had hidden in the mountains.
Later on, residents from the village Pagondas in Evia came and settled. They named the village after their original homeplace.

First, for a short period, the village was named “Krimizis” from the Turkish word “kırmızı” which means red, because they were building their houses with red clay which exists in the region so they were all red.
Later it was renamed as Pagondas, most probably from the residents which we mentioned above. There is another aspect (less likely), which supports that name Pagondas comes from the words Pagon – da, that means land with sources.

Settlements

Two settlements belong to Pagondas village,
>> Ireon settlement at the seaside, 6,5 Km south-east from Pagondas with 776 inhabitants,
>> and Kolona settlement (where the Temple of Hera is) at the seaside, 8 Km south-east from Pagondas with 28 inhabitant

Tips

• Take a tour of the village streets and enjoy your coffee or food in the spacious and cool village square.
• Visit the public washhouse (at the west) and get a nice picture of the village and east view to the valley and the coast of Asia Minor.
• Visit the church Agia Triada
• Visit the folklore museum, which is housed in the elementary school, and the old mechanical olive mill, next to the square.
• Visit the cherch of Christ with its marble bell tower, built in the 16th century.
• Visit the ruined mills in the area of Kamara, Kryo Nero in the Imvrasos river valley.
• Follow the beautiful route at west, to Spatharei village (after 11 km.) and then to Pirgos village (after 17 km.).
• Continuing the road, at the west, for 9 km in very beautiful route and you will reach the Spatharei village.

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