New archaeological data on the topography of the Medieval Castle of Mytilene, the most emblematic monument of the city, were revealed in the context of the implementation of the project "Highlighting and improving the visitation of the Lower Castle of Mytilene", which is financed by the co-financed European program of Sustainable Urban Renewals of the NSRF 2014-2020 of the North Aegean Region.
As the Ministry of Culture and Sports informs in its announcement, in the area of Kato Kastro where works are being carried out to restore the medieval maritime fortifications and highlight the area with the creation of a bicycle path and a pedestrian path, as well as with the reconstruction of the small Ottoman houses in cultural spaces, it was revealed in context of highlighting the platform of the Ottoman fountain, Ottoman bath of the 16th century. in contact with the medieval wall. This is the earliest bath that has been found on Lesbos and which preserves the vaulted spaces of the hot, lukewarm and cold bath with the hypocausts.
As reported by the Athenian and Macedonian News Agency, the YPPOA informs that in order to highlight and protect the monument, which will be visible to visitors, the area to the west of it was investigated, where a section of a strong wall was located on which the western wall of the bath is located , as well as a marble entrance gate, which according to the findings dates back to Early Byzantine times. The gate has a total height of 3.20m, a width of 2.05m. and a depth of 2.00 m. A total of 9 slabs of local gray-white marble were used for its construction, assembled with mortar, while cavities in the lintel indicate the existence of a wooden door, adjusted with hinges. Its pilasters are decorated with a band and concave wave, while the lintel has a curved cornice. A horizontal, embossed, curved band can be seen on the threshold. Inside, part of a rough wall is preserved to support the floor of the main, warm room of the bath complex. The embankment removed to reveal the portal contained mainly layers of burning and ashes due to its proximity to the hot area of the bath, and yielded unpainted utilitarian and glazed pottery typically of Byzantine times, as well as bronze coins (folles) of the 6th and 7th centuries which were spotted near the threshold.
Considering that only the eastern wall of the Acropyrgos, the Byzantine gate in the north-eastern walls and the entrance to the cistern are preserved from the Byzantine period in the Castle of Mytilene, the newly discovered marble gate can be considered a find of special importance both for its topography and defensive architecture Castle of this period, as well as for the history of the city of Mytilene. Probably with this early Byzantine gate is connected the hitherto unknown archaeologically and excavated Byzantine settlement of Melanudio, which is located by many researchers in the area of the Lower Castle of Mytilene, concludes the announcement of the YPPOA.
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