Few people are aware that the deadly Lefteris Reef located off the coast of the peninsula of Pelion in Greece, where many ships have come to grief, was the site of the oldest lighthouse in the world—more ancient even than the famed Lighthouse, or “Pharos,” of Alexandria.
The straits appear to be a seemingly harmless stretch of water roughly 2.5 miles across. However, beneath the calm surface lurk shallows and craggy reefs which make these some of the most dangerous waters to navigate in the entire Aegean. Lefteris Reef is the deadliest area of all, and the history of its ancient lighthouse stretches back to antiquity and the Greco-Persian wars.
Oldest lighthouse in the world, built by Xerxes during Greco-Persian Wars
According to experts, the historic tower of the lighthouse was built by the Persian Emperor Xerxes to warn his sailors that the strait was virtually impassable, with reefs where even small, shallow-draft ships might run aground.
According to the historian Herodotus, the Persians had lost many ships on the reef as they sailed across the Aegean in their quest to conquer Ancient Greece. In 480 BC, Xerxes ordered that a tall tower be built atop the reef itself as a warning to travelers to avoid the area.
This stone tower, built 250 years prior to the lighthouse of Alexandria, is considered the most ancient structure worldwide, erected to ensure the safety of ships. The lighthouse was made of blocks of dolomite, originating from the Sepiada mines in the south Pelion region. Each weighed up to half a ton. They were laid atop one another to construct a gleaming white stone column.
Parts of this structure, which collapsed into the water at a later date, were recovered by Hellenic Navy divers in 1928 and are now on display in the courtyard of the Naval Command building in Piraeus. Skiathos Mayor Thodoris Tzoumas reported the island’s authorities have been in contact with the Navy about highlighting the historic significance of the lighthouse and turning it into a “point of reference” for visitors.
Water off coast of Pelion, Greece extremely dangerous for ships
The site of the lighthouse is also a destination for scuba divers, drawn by their interest in two shipwrecks from the previous century. One of these is the wreck of the sixty-meter (197-foot) long freighter Vera, which foundered on the reef in 1999 and split in two, sinking to a depth of 17 to 28 meters (56 to 92 feet). It is easily accessible to recreational divers.
The second shipwreck, which presents more of a challenge to divers, is the great steamship Volos, which traversed the route between Hamburg and Istanbul for many years before being driven onto the reef during a violent storm on February 21, 1931. Although the crew was saved and the captain valiantly remained on board another three days after striking the reef in an effort to save the ship, the Volos sank to the bottom of the sea, resting at an angle against the reef.
Part of the hull of the Volos now lies at a depth of more than 36 meters (118 feet) while the bow plunges down 61 meters (200 feet) below sea level.
See all the latest news from Greece and the world at Greekreporter.com. Contact our newsroom to report an update or send your story, photos and videos. Follow GR on Google News and subscribe here to our daily email!
