Inside the church of "Panagia Kastrou" (Our Lady of the Castle) is a small Archaeological and Religious Collection. Its exhibits include sacerdotal vestments, metropolitan mitres, valuable icons, silver chalices, and oil-lamps. Among them, the solid gold mitre of St Nektarios stands out. The Archaeological Collection includes antiquities found near Leros, such as household utensils, amphoras, and inscriptions. A library is also housed there.
During World War II, especially after the German bombardment of 1943, its largest collection of books was transported to the town hall, only to be returned to its original place much later. The collection includes books from the private library of the Metropolitan Bishop of Leros as well as a series of rare manuscripts.
The Castle of Our Lady is the most important sight on Platanos. It was built on ancient ruins in the Byzantine period. It owes its present design to the additions made by the crusader Knights of the Order of St John, and later, by the Venetians. The Castle has seen affected by every phase of the island's history. During World War II, it was used as an observation post by the Italians.
In its interior, there is the church of Panagia Kira with a miraculous icon and noteworthy murals. It used to be the front of the monastery by the same name. The monastery cells now house a small religious museum.
The church of Agia Paraskevi which stands in the capital, used to be the island's cathedral. It is an imposing sight seen over all the other buildings of the town. During World War II, it was bombarded repeatedly by German airplanes and the inhabitants had to restore it numerous times. During this time, the icon of Panagia Kastrou was transferred there, only to be returned to its original place after the end of the war.
The church of Agios Ioannis Theologos stands in Laki. It is a beautifully gleaming white church nestled among verdant land. It was built on the site of an 11th century early christian basilica with building material used from the site.
The little church of Agios Isidoros stands in Alinda on an islet connected to the land by a narrow passageway of about 50 metres. It is built on the ruins of a base of an ancient temple which still can be seen behind its altar. The church looks as if it virtually "pops out" of the sea, creating a picture of unique beauty.
The lovely church of Our Lady of the Castle stands inside the castle of the picturesque settlement of Platanos and is a significant religious monument, not only for the locals but for every visitor to the island.
The icon of the Virgin is connected with an old legend which states that one night a light on the open sea was seen approaching the island, and the next day a deserted boat with the icon was found there. It was placed in the island's cathedral where it disappeared the
following day, then reappeared in the castle's powder-magazine. The Turkish commanding officer became furious and had it placed in another church and guarded, but the next day the icon was found again in the castle's powder-magazine.
The church of Our Lady was built on this site in 900 BC. The monastery of the same name, which became the "katholikon" was founded in 1,300 BC. One can also visit the small religious museum housed on the church's grounds.
The church of Panagia Kavouradena, standing near the settlement of Xirokambos, 7 km south of Agia Marina is one of the most beautiful small churches on the island of Leros.
Its erection in a crevice of the seaside rocks is connected with an old legend which states that one day a fisherman saw the icon of the Virgin among the rocks and was instantly cured from a crab bite he bore on his hand. Later that night, he dreamt of a woman dressed in black who asked him to return the icon to the place where it was found. The locals considered the icon a miracle-worker and they built a small church on the same spot.
The Castle of Belenis, a mansion from the turn of the century, stands in the village of Alinda. Since 1988, it has housed the Municipal Library, a part of the Municipal Art Gallery of Leros, and a small Folk and Historical Collection which includes embroidery, traditional attire, musical instruments, domestic utensils, ecclesiastical vessels, heirlooms, portraits, old photographs, and personal objects of the historian Emmanuel Gedeon. A brief
historical retrospective of the typography from the 15th century until 1873, with printing machines and old local papers and magazines, is also shown here. Among the exhibits is the ladder of the destroyer "Queen Olga" which was sunk in 1934 in Laki.
The War Memorial of Laki stands at the harbour of Laki town. It was erected in memory of the sinking of the Greek destroyer "Queen Olga" by the Germans in 1943. At that time, the enclosed, safe port of Laki served as a naval base for the Italians.
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