Myrina Volcanic Dome

The impressive peninsula, upon which the byzantine castle of Myrina is built, lies between two sandy beaches, Roman and the Turkish Gialos. This peninsula was formed 19.3-18.2 million years ago, when the intense volcanic activity caused dacitic magma to rise and permeate the crust, where it cooled instantly, creating the steep volcanic dome that characterizes the area.

The volcanic rock is porphyritic, meaning mineral crystals can be distinguished easily in the glassy mass. These volcanic rocks belong to the group of most recent volcanic formations of Lemnos.

The volcanic dome includes other impressive volcanic structures that can be found on the peninsula, such as the almost vertical surface of the NNW-SSE fault running through the castle’s second gate (north) entrance.

The lava of the volcanic dome contains impressive tafoni, which are honeycomb weathering structures with small and large cavities caused by erosion. These structures are mainly found in coastal igneous rocks, as they are exposed to water, wind, and sea spray.

The medieval Castle of Myrina standing prominently upon the volcanic dome is one of the largest forts in the Aegean dating back to the 13th century BC. However, the castle owes its current structure to the reconstruction that took place in the 15th century AD by Genoese rulers, the Gatelouzis.

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