Dragon houses on Evia

The name "dragon houses" comes from the fact that at the time of their discovery, it was noted that, being built from enormous and therefore extremely heavy boulders, they could not have been constructed by human hands.

The structures, always single-story, though extremely simple in design, form a rectangular shape in plan. The walls are made of relatively thin, flat stones stacked one on top of the other without mortar. Any gaps are filled with smaller pebbles.

The opening, whether window or door, is most often a structure consisting of two vertical pillars (which were sometimes omitted) and a horizontal lintel above.

Particular interest is drawn to the ceiling. Huge, flat stones are arranged in such a way that in successive layers they increasingly cover the interior. The construction appears impressive, as the massive slabs have been laid with remarkable knowledge of building statics.

A characteristic feature of the dragon houses is the opening left in the middle of the covering, through which daylight enters. The openings are most often long and narrow, but there have also been round ones.

Although it initially seemed that these simple yet knowledgeably constructed buildings would date back several thousand years B.C., historians date their origin to the 5th century B.C., or even the early Hellenistic period, that is, between 336 and 30 B.C.

The purpose of the dragon houses remains uncertain to this day.

Since their location seems strategic, always high, with almost unlimited oversight, at the time of their discovery it was believed that they served as shelters or other buildings of military significance. Later, a hypothesis emerged that they were residences with enclosures. Today, it is accepted that they constituted buildings of religious significance.

Most dragon houses have survived to this day in good condition. The largest number is found near the towns of Styra and Karystos, with the largest and best-preserved ones on the summit of Ochi.

They are accessible around the clock, but the path leading to them is always winding, followed by a climb. The signage is not the best, so it is not recommended to search for the dragon houses late in the afternoon, to avoid being caught in the dark while exploring.