Platanos village

• Fast facts

Population  2021: 340 inhabitants
Older Censuses  2011: 396,  2001: 577, 1991: 440,  1981: 520,  1951: 747,  1940: 900,  1886: 785,  1869: 691 inhabitants
Population density per Km²  29 inhabitants
Village altitude  530 m
Region averege altitude 530 m, mountain
Village land area  0,08 km²
Region land area 11 km²
Parish Church 1 Orthodox, agios Georgios (Saint George), originally built in 1850 and rebuilt from the ground in 1950.
Economy relies mainly on agriculture (viniculture) beekeeping, some restaurants and gift shops in tourism.

• Description

Platanos village (Greek: Πλάτανος = plane tree), is located at the center of the island, at the western foothills of “Ambelos” (or Karvounis) mountain.

The distances are: from Samos town 38 km, from Karlovasi town 12 Km, from Pythagorio town 25 Km and from Marathokampos village 8 Km. 

Administratively consists the local communities of Platanos, which belongs to Karlovasi municipal unit, of West Samos Municipality with Karlovasi capital.

The village has a pleasant cool climate during the summer months but with enough cold in winter compared to the other villages of Samos. The climate of the village is ideal for viticulture, that’s why has large areas of vineyards and produce one of the best wines at the island.

Platanos is also famous for its refreshing water, as evidenced by the public fountain of the 17th century in the village square and the proverbial song “To Plataniotiko nero” (=water from Platanos) (wonderful reggae version).

It has excellent view to north, west and south, you can see the mountain of “Kerkis” and the villages on it to the west, the southwest coastline of Samos, Karlovasi till Chios island (sometimes) at north, the island of Fournoi, many islands of the Dodecanese to the south, … the Aegean sea at your feet.

Although the surrounding area of “Platanos” suffered numerous fires, the village is still surrounded by rich forests with pines and vineyards.

• History & name
  

According to Em. Kritikidis in his book Topography of Samos (1869), the village took its name from the first settlers who came in 1555, from the Platanos village at Cynuria of Peloponnese, or from Almyros in Thessaly, while excluding that the village took its name from many plane trees that exist in the area.

Ep. Stamatiadis in “Samiaka” (1886), states that according to tradition, the first settlers came from Evia, at least in 1641, while it took its name from the plane trees forest that existed earlier at the area. Note that there are still many plane trees around the village.

• Settlements

Platanos village today, does not have any settlement in its wider area, but Ep. Stamatiadis, and Em. Kritikidis records three settlements at the end of 19th c., Kavaseika or Agios Theodoros with 30 houses, Vareaneika that had been abandoned, after the migration of the inhabitants to Asia Minor and Kaminia (=furnaces) with ten houses, together with the lime furnaces, from which it took its name. The inhabitants of Kaminia, later abandoned it and moved to to Asia Minor and to Samos villages Neochori and Skoureika.

• Tips

• Visit at the village the public fountain in the square that was built early of 17th century and rebuild at 1837.
• Visit at the village Τhe church of “Kimiseos tis Theotokou” (Assumption of Virgin Mary), is the post-Byzantine building at 17th century, monument recognised by ‘the Greek Ministry of Culture” since 1981.
• Visit the building of the elementary school, which was built during late 19th century, with architectural design by Archimandrite “Damianos” (Nicholas Tsoukaladakis from Platanos), who was also a painter and architect and who studied in Paris. The building was restored to its original, in the end of 20th century by the distinguished architect Kyriakos Krokos (from Platanos as well).
• Drink coffee or have lunch in the cool square of the village, under the shade of plane trees.
• Βuy honey or homemade wine, from small traditional shops in the village square.
• From “Platanos” plenty of dirt roads will lead you east, to the interior of the island, towards the mountain of “Ambelos” (or Karvounis).
• Following the asphalt road to the northwest, will bring you to the villages Agii Theodori and Konteika

• Video