The graphical medieval village Pirgi, the biggest and most well known of Chios, is situated around 25 km's southwest by the city of Chios. It is the most important mastic village, especially known as the painted village because of its ksista, the geometrical decorations found on the buildings of a peculiar style that can be found only to this village. Due to it's unique characteristics the village has been declared as preserved status at it's total.

Despite the millings that were reasonably gathered due to the man and time, Pirgi is considered even today a medieval monument. It owes it's name to it's central defensive tower. It's spatial planning and architecture has to be attributed to the Genoese, that dominated the island during the period 1346-1566. It cosnsists a means of protection for the production and the commerce of mastiha that was exploited exclusivelyby the Genovese company Maona.

The settlement can be found built far from the sea, invisible by it, consisting characteristic medieval village of fortified type. The fortified character is due to the Genovese policy of well established fortified settlements, especially to areas of rich agricultural poroduction and commercial interest, like Chios.  The lucky thing is that the village didn't suffer major damages by the destructive earthquake of 1881, constituting authentic ambassador of the medieval past of the village. Unfortunately today are not saved the embrasures of the tower, which can be seen in old photographs, because on 1938 were characterised as ramshakled and therefore removed.

The houses of this vilage are tightly bounded with one another, so as to form a concrete unity. The alleys are pavement type, narrow and are connected with the main square. The outer walls also include small towers by the corners and they have only one gate. That way, the continuous walls of the perimetral houses of the settlement without doors and windows, emit the feeling of a castle. There were only two gates of communication with the outside world, that were osing with iron gates. These are today the main gates of the island.  At the four corners of the precinct existed cylindrical defensive towers, the ''pirgopoula'', two of them are saved up to today. At the centre of the village stands the semi-deserted today main defensive tower, where the habitats used to flee in case of an attack. The houses are tall, two or three stories and are embracing one another above the graphic arches and alleys. All this tight structure allowed the residentsto move, in times of danger, rooftop by rooftop without being detectable by the enemies.

The fronτ part of the houses present a special decorative perception, the ''ksista'', which are unfolding to superfluous horizontal patterns with black and white geometrical shapes. They begin mostly from halfway the doors and rarely above it. The patterns consist of squares, rhombus, triangles, most of which depict flower bouquets, sea cranes, tree branches, long narrow tree leaves and many others. Ksista have as a basis a durable lime coating, onto which while being still fresh, are being carved with caliper, ruler and forks the various patterns. After the scraping of the exceeding material, the outline of the patern takes dark colouring and as a total it presents a smooth texture anaglyph. It is considered that this technique displays italian or either oriental roots, the patterns though are prototype.

In the Pirgi village can be found many churches, with most important that of Agioi Apostoloi of the 14th century which is a copy of Nea Moni. It consists a finely well preserved byzantine era monument, richly decorated with patterns made by bricks, while at it's internal part are saved exquisetely preserved wall paintings, a project by Antonios Domestico by Creta since 1665. There are also saved in pretty good condition the Kimisis of Theotoqus temple since 1694, the telple of Taxiarchis since 1680 and at the surrounding areas, the Moni of Agios Georgios since the 18th century, the prototype carvings of which depict Adam and Eve.

Pirgi might not be a village built by the sea, but it has very close to it the most top rated and award wining beach of Chios island -Mavra Volia. Slightly closer is the seaside settlement of Emporios, a very beautiful and picturesque small port with ancient history. The area hosts mostly secondary houses-cottages and it is considered ideal for vacations. Also as an extra choice, just 6 kms from Pyrgi, there is a beach with white sand and crystal clear waters, Aghia Dinami, that took it's name by the homonymous chappel that can be found there.

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