Roman Cistern in Lefkos

One of the best preserved monuments of Karpathos, the Roman cistern, is located in Lefkos, on the southwest coast of the island.

Although the site has not been thoroughly explored, it is of particular archaeological interest, as the cistern, also considered to have been a tomb or a storage facility, is one of the few examples of Greco-Roman ruins on the island, testifying to their abilities to construct efficient systems to collect and transport vast quantities water from source to settlements.

The underground cistern, carved in the limestone bedrock, is made up of a central, rectangular chamber with seven side galleries. The chamber has three rows of pillars supporting the roof. To prevent water seeping away, the galleries were coated with thick plaster.

The stone cut flight of stairs leading down into the central chamber enabled access to the galleries to remove water when required. Part of the central chamber has now fallen through and the cistern is now fenced off to avoid any accidents.