Serjilla (Sergilla)

Serjilla is situated on a gentle slope of Mount Zawiya and serves as an exceptional example of Byzantine rural towns. Founded in the fifth century AD, just before the internal Christian schism, it boasts a unique blend of agricultural wealth and urban characteristics.

The design of its stone street network reveals a meticulous chessboard layout that facilitates the movement of residents towards small markets and churches. A prominent feature of the town is the public bath, with its sturdy reservoirs and drainage channels lined with volcanic pozzolana clay, known for its leak-resistant properties.

In 2007, a Polish mission uncovered stone oil presses and elevated walls for vineyards behind the ornate plastered houses, indicating that the town’s economy was based on the production of olive oil and wine. Despite some walls suffering damage from the 2017 earthquake, the eastern part still retains magnificent plaster facades adorned with vine plants and clusters.