“THAT Lesvos it is famous for its unique landscapes,” says the guide on the route to the Voulgaris Gorge Stratis Zgournios, researcher at the Museum of Natural History of the Petrified Forest, Sigrion Lesvos.

And he continues, referring to APE-MPE: “Such an unknown beauty, hard to reach, but unique, is its canyons. One of them is located in the west of Lesvos, between the settlements of Vatussa and Antissa. The valley of the Marmantos stream was created, which flows into the Voulgaris river. In one part of this valley, an impressive gorge appears.

Protected area ideal for birdwatching

The Voulgaris Valley region was carved into the volcanic formations of the Vatusa volcano, which was active about 18 million years ago.

Large faults affecting and destroying volcanic rocks created conditions for deep erosion of volcanic formations.

“The creation of the canyon is due to the large geological faults that cross the volcanic cobblestones that appear in the area,” says Mr. Zgournios.

The water of the Voulgaris River follows a fragmented fault zone and is deeply eroded at high speed, forming a spectacular ravine and steep rocky slopes. The action of the water breaks down volcanic formations and creates spectacular landforms, even forming small waterfalls.

The gorge area is a protected area and an ideal place for bird watching. Part of the Natura 2000 network, where many rare birds find refuge. White herons, black storks, terns, herons, golden herons, cranes and others.

During the winter months, and especially after torrential rains, such as in the last days of January this year, the waters traversing the valley of the canyon make for a magnificent sight. The route passes among oaks, holly, ferns, oleanders and, of course, olives.

According to Professor Nikos Zouros, Director of the Natural History Museum of the Zigri Petrified Forest in Lesvos, “impressive geosites like the one in the Voulgaris River Gorge dominate every corner of the Lesbos Geopark. Mysterious tall buildings that form a unique atmosphere of dreams, where even every modest rock in the country of Theophrastus, the first scientist who taught to distinguish and classify stones, has a story.

300 million years of geological history

Lesvos Island has a unique wealth of geological monuments and landscapes of natural beauty, habitats and cultural monuments that have contributed to its recognition and inclusion in the UNESCO World Geoparks Network since 2012.

The Lesvos Geopark is a special place, as important evidence of the geological history of the Aegean Basin over the past 300 million years is revealed here.

Landscapes and landforms of particular beauty have been formed over the years and are witness to its complex geohistorical evolution, giving evidence of the first stages of the evolution of the Aegean, in the period after the destruction of the Tethys Ocean, which was closed and destroyed for well over 45 million years.

According to data on the paleogeographic and tectonic evolution of the Greek area during the Lower-Middle Miocene (23-14 million years ago), the Greek area with Asia Minor formed a single landmass, and the sea moved south of Crete and the Dodecanese and west of the Peloponnese and Western Greece. This single landmass was called Aegis.

Lesvos was part of this single land, covered with dense tropical and subtropical forests. Between 21.5 and 16.5 million years ago, intense volcanic activity took place in the northeastern Aegean. Important volcanic centers were created during this period, as well as the impressive volcanic structures of the Lesvos Geopark, which led to the creation of the petrified forest of Lesvos.