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August 5th, 1824 was the last day of the naval battle of Mycale strait won by the Greeks who were fighting for their freedom. Especially that day saw the Samiots away of the danger of total destruction (like it happened earlier at Chios, Psara and Kassos) as they had repelled all invasion attempts. The next day, August 6 1824, coinciding with the feast of Saviour's Transfiguration, dawned with thanks giving, rejoicing and fest. In the naval battle decisive role played the Greek fireships. So, every August 5th, in Pythagorion takes place a re-enactment of naval battle with explosions and fireworks at sea and the next day a religious fair is held with folk dancing. It is worth noting that at the same strait, in August 479 BC there was the last naval battle with the Persians who, following the destruction of their fleet, abandoned forever their efforts to enslave the Greeks.
It was the first technical port built in the Mediterranean. The mole which protected the harbor was 360 meters long and based in 30 meters of sea depth. Today, the western end of Pythagorion quay conspicuously consists of this ancient project which constitutes also the root of the outer mole.
A tunnel of 1036 m was hewn through the hill and below the city’s defensive wall to serve as a safe aqueduct in case of siege while providing an escape route. What made it an extraordinary engineering feat and a project management paradigm is the fact that two different teams begun simultaneously from both sides of the hill and they succeeded, with a negligible deviation, to meet just under the top of the hill in 180 m of depth, despite they were obliged to deviate from straight line due to frailty rocks.
Heraion of Samos
The ancient city’s defensive wall of polygonal masonry was 6220 m long. The Samians were forced to demolish it following their defeat by the Athenians in 440-439 BC, but soon after they built it again. Today remains its northern part at the top of the hill above Pythagorion, so it can be visited.
The workmen of ancient Samos were extracting soft limestone with primitive tools which was used in the temple of Hera and for construction of city buildings. The mines have forty-five entrances and eight levels. As of today many old inhabited houses in Pythagorion conspicuously incorporate structural elements which were molded in ancient times.
It was used by Pythagoras as part of initiation of students at an early stage, where they were standing a test. According to local legend, he sought refuge there when he was chased by the tyrant Polycrates prior to his final departure for the Doric city of Croton, in Sicily.