ATHENS – Greek Culture Minister Lina Mendoni on Sunday inaugurated two restored monuments at the Castle of Mytilene on the island of Lesbos, marking the completion of the latest phase of a multi-year restoration program valued at more than $20.5 million.
The projects include the restored northern fortification wall of the medieval castle and the restored Ottoman madrasa, an Islamic theological school believed to have been built by Ottoman admiral Hayreddin Barbarossa during the reign of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent.
“The Castle of Mytilene is one of the most important monuments in the Mediterranean,” Mendoni said, adding that the culture ministry had carried out major restoration works since 2019, including the rehabilitation of one of the fortress’s most technically challenging sections, extending for more than one kilometre.
She said the restored madrasa had been converted into a venue for exhibitions and cultural events accessible to the public.
Mendoni said preserving and showcasing monuments in urban areas remained a priority because it integrated cultural heritage into everyday life and encouraged public engagement with historic sites.
More than $20.5 million have been invested in restoration works at the Castle of Mytilene, financed through Greece’s Recovery and Resilience Facility and successive EU structural funding programs, she said.
Further restoration work is already underway, including the rehabilitation of the castle commander’s residence and an Ottoman gunpowder magazine, with completion expected in early 2028.
Mendoni also inaugurated the Amber Resin Museum and the restored medieval tower in Ambeliko village, as well as the restored Church of Agios Therapon in Mytilene.
On Monday, she is scheduled to inaugurate additional restoration projects on Lesbos, including conservation works at the Church of the Dormition of the Virgin in Petra, restoration works at the Fortress of Molyvos, the modernised Archaeological Collection of Molyvos, and the restored Balizade Hasan Bey Ottoman mosque in Mytilene.
