West of Trikala, the Thessalian plain stops abruptly in front of the mountains. There the Portaikos river emerges from a narrow gorge, as if through a door. That is why the area is called Pyli, "gate". And that is where two of the finest monuments of the region stand.
The bridge
The stone Bridge of Pyli was built in 1514 on the initiative of Saint Bessarion, Metropolitan of Larissa. Its tall, slender single arch spanning the Portaikos is one of the most photographed bridges in Greece.
For centuries it was the crossing from the plain to the mountain villages and monasteries of the Pindus.
Porta Panagia
A little further down, on the opposite bank, stands the Byzantine church of Porta Panagia. It was built in the 13th century, when Thessaly had rulers of its own, and is known for the mosaic icons of Christ and the Virgin inside.
How to see it
Allow at least an hour: a walk across the bridge, a few minutes by the river and a visit to the church. In autumn, when the plane trees turn yellow, the place is at its best.
Visiting hours for the church are announced by the local Ephorate of Antiquities.
Photographs
