One of the most beautiful areas of the island is Kambos, a green valley
3 km south of Chios town. Kambos
(“Plain”) is a flat land stretching about 10km along the East coast of the island of Chios, and 2km wide.
The low mountains that surround Chios from the West are the source of its underground water that makes Kambos
an endless garden full of flowers and citrus trees.
In the 14th century, the Genoese aristocracy of Chios selected this area to build their mansions. High walls of stone, from the village of Thymiana near Kambos, protected the mansion from dust, winds
and the cold. Elaborate cisterns,
decorated with marble motifs and spouts, are a central figure in the
courtyards. Shady pathways leading to
secluded corners and beautiful gardens provided privacy and quiet for those who
wished to enjoy the tranquility.
The property consisted of the main building (palazzo) and two other
houses (guest houses). Each member of
the family had their own residence, and lived within the walls of the
estate. In this way their individual
privacy was assured. Arched doors and
windows, arcades with small marble pillars, huge entrance gates with
coats-of-arms and various reliefs, pebbled courtyards and frescoed ceilings,
all offer uniqueness in the architectural style of the area. Great care has been given to the decoration
of each house with period furniture.
In 1954, a local laborer was sent to Ventimiglia, Italy and Nice, on the Cote d’Azur coast of France, to be educated in the fine art of gardening. He spent some time at Villa Hambury in
Ventimiglia, where he learned the art of landscape gardening and how to
maintain a typical Ligurian formal garden, which is the present form of the
Argentikon gardens.
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