Sigri History
Sigri was first mentioned by Stravona (65 B.C.-23 A.D.). Its name is derived from the Latin word Seguro, meaning safe, reliable, as Sigri is a reliable, safe port, which is protected from the fierce winds by Nissiopi island, where it is believed Achilles fought during Greece’s campaign against the Trojans.
Sigri appears on old maps as “Porto Sigri”, “Segouro”, or “Sigrium.” In 1667, the pirate Georgio Maria Vitali invaded Sigri, but in the battle that ensued with the fleet of Captain Pasha, his ship was forced to surrender and he was killed.
During the period when the Gatelouzi family ruled the island, Sigri was protected by a fortress. In 1757, the Turks re-constructed the Sigri fortress, which became the base around which a community was built, forming what is the present-day village. The village had a steady water supply from the “Mana” spring of the Paleohorio (old village), which continues to be its water supply to this day. In 1861, the French Lighthouse Company erected the Nissiopi Lighthouse and for many years thereafter, Sigri served as a port for the Great European powers.
Following the Asia Minor Disaster in 1922, Sigri was inhabited by Greek refugees from Asia Minor. They built a hospitable, powerful community, whose sources of income included commercial shipping, fishing, farming, and livestock.
Today, Sigri has a year-round population of 350-400.