The architecture of Leros has a rare morphological diversity, since the traditional island style coexists with the urban neoclassicism as well as the early Italian modernism. The traditional houses in the island’s settlements have the typical purple roof, which is called “patelia”. In the countryside, the long, narrow ground-floor buildings are called “katikies” and they constitute the Dodecanese version of the farmhouse. Since the second half of the 19th century, the island has acquired a remarkable building stock of neoclassical summer houses and mansions that were built by the expatriates from Egypt and Russia. Most of them can be found in Agia Marina and Platanos and are known for their symmetrical style. The occupation of Leros by the Italians, from 1912 until the end of the World War II, was the reason for the creation of a totally new town, Lakki. It was here that the Italians created an exquisite ensemble of Mediterranean rationalism as far as the urban planning and the original architectural creation are concerned.
Leros Architecture
