…where the ancient women of Lesbos once bathed
in preparation for their beauty contest
held at the nearby temple of Hera.
THERMA SPA throughout the years..
Historical overview
- Thermaspa of Lesvos have been well-known since ancient times and were used as therapeutic baths. The thermal spring "THERMA," as its name (in the Aeolic dialect) suggests, has been in use since antiquity. According to tradition, it was here that the ancient women of Lesbos bathed before holding their beauty contests at the nearby temple of Hera.
In the 18th century Captain Housein Pasa built a reservoir capable of holding 10 to 12 people and repaired the building for those waiting to use the baths.
Well-known travelers of the time visited the baths and wrote, among other things:
Olivier G. who visited the baths in 1794, mentions them as very popular: "‘The waters of the spring are highly valued by the inhabitants of Mytilene. They consider them invigorating and go there to drink and bathe in order to relieve themselves of various chronic ailments. Recently, Hussein Kapetan Pasha built a reservoir that holds ten to twelve people. He also repaired the building where the Turkish bath attendant sits.’"
The well-known traveler J. Dallaway (1763-
In the late 19th century, an additional floor was added above the bathhouse building, which served as a hotel and a reception area for bathers, as shown in the photo below:
Pic.1 Thermaspa at Gulf of Gera, at the end of the 19th century
(Source: "I Palia Mitilini," 2013)
The two-story building next to the main bathhouse building (the first one as shown in Picture 1)-also constructed in the late 19th century, served as a storage facility for salted goods.
Subsequently, in the 1920s, an additional floor was added to the eastern part of the building, as shown in the following photos.
Pic.2: Thermaspa at the Gulf of Gera in the 1920's
(Source: "I Palia Mitilini," 2013)
Pic.3: The building facilities of the Thermaspa in the 1930's
(Source: "I Palia Mitilini", Anagnostou Stratis, 2013)
Pic 4: Another view of the building facilities of the Thermes in the 1940's
Source: "Therma - Thermal Baths of Mytilene," ADEM S.A. Brochure, 2000)
Over time, the upper floors of the bathhouse building were demolished, while the ground floor with the tanks (Building A) was reinforced with concrete and remained internally unchanged, preserving the two Ottoman bathhouses with their domed structure.
By the Royal Decree of January 8, 1951 (Government FEK 28 A’/January 24, 1951), the spring 'THERMA' was declared officially a thermal spring.
In 2019 recognized by the Government FEK according to current methods and legislation, it has been operating under the present regime with private initiative since 2015.
