Saint John in Palaios Platanos

Although ruined and roofless, the Church of Saint John the Forerunner remains a symbol of a village with a very turbulent history. Palaios Platanos, a “ghost” village on the eastern slopes of Othrys, with its impressive ruins, narrates the “chronicle of a death foretold.”

If there were a contest for the most “unlucky” village in Greece, Palaios Platanos in Magnesia would be a strong contender for the “prize.” The village, which seems to have been founded in the 16^th century, was destroyed six times (!) within 122 years, from 1821 to 1943!

An old sign at the entrance of the settlement narrates this incredible relay of destruction: “In the 16th century, residents from southern Almyros and ancient Alos, due to plague, came and settled here in Platanos, and thus the village grew. With the suppression of the Greek War of Independence in our province, the entire village was burned down by the Ottoman Empire. In 1833, it was burned again by the bandit Valatsos. During the Thessalian revolt of 1854, the entire village was burned down for the third time by the Ottomans. During the Revolution of 1878, the entire Platanos was destroyed. In August 1881, Platanos was liberated. In 1897, during the Greco-Turkish War (1897), several houses in the village were burned by the Ottoman army. On 15-8-1943, the entire Platanos was burned down by the Kingdom of Italy. In 1960, the village began to be abandoned by its residents for the new village of Platanos.”

Nevertheless, it must have experienced a period of great prosperity during the Ottoman era, becoming one of the most flourishing villages of Western Magnesia. This is evidenced by the impressive ruins of large stone houses now being “devoured” by dense vegetation, creating a haunting yet moving scene. At the height of its prosperity, it consisted of two neighborhoods, Agios Athanasios and Agios Ioannis, which were spread around the two large churches of the settlement.

The “acropolis” of Platanos

On a small hill above the village’s little square with its well, stands the imposing Church of Saint John the Forerunner with its hexagonal bell tower. It seems to have been originally built around the mid-19^th century and, before the dawn of the 20^th, underwent various reconstructions, as evidenced by embedded plaques bearing four different dates. The church is about 25 meters long, 13 meters wide and about 10 meters high—quite impressive dimensions for a village church.

The church is now roofless, but its roof used to be a wooden tiled roof (with Byzantine-style tiles), double-pitched over the central nave and single-pitched over the side aisles. The various phases of the church’s reconstruction appear to coincide with the destruction events that struck the village. During these reconstructions, eclectic structural and decorative elements were added, resulting in a distinctive architectural style. Byzantine influences are certainly dominant, but there are also romantic and neoclassical elements incorporated.

Regardless of architectural style, entering the church—now surrendered to the elements—evokes feelings of awe, reverence, and deep emotion in the visitor. Inscriptions on various parts of the peeling walls remind us: “Respect the historic sacred ruins”!