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The 18th century brought several natural disasters (earthquakes, fires) to the island so most of it had to be rebuilt. Most of the existing buildings were constructed during the 19th and 20th century so there is a variety of styles composing the architectural picture of Lesvos.

The basic materials are stone and wood: colorful trachyte at the villages of the western and northern part of Lesvos, schist at the Plomari area, red stone at Mystegna in the eastern part of Lesvos.

An interesting architectural feature is the "sachnisini", a light wooden construction with large windows that projects from the upper floor, to save space and provide plentiful sun-light. Generally, in Lesvos, there are the following types of buildings:

Farm houses: They are made of stone, with tiled roofs and a characteristic chimney.

Urban houses: They are two or three storied, made of stone and wood, with tiled roofs and usually a small yard. Most of them they have the "sachnisinis".

"Pyrgelia" Small towers or castles: They are fortified country houses belonging to rich Lesvians, used either during summer or in winter, when the landowner had to supervise the olive harvest.

They are three-storied buildings made of stone and wood with "sachnisinis", and large windows with wooden frames.

Typical features of the pyrgelia are the small - embrasure like - windows and a heavy door. Many of them can be seen at the areas of Moria, Pamphila and Pyrgi Thermis.

Mansions: They were built in the beginning of the 19thcentury and needless to say they belonged to rich families. Most of them are at the suburbs of Mytilene (Sourada and Varia), at Mythimna and Plomari. They are all luxurious with oriental, classicist, baroque and eclectic influences.

The material mainly used is stone while marble decorations are very common. The interiors are also richly decorated with frescoes and fretwork ceilings. The buildings stand in large gardens full of trees, winding paths, wrought iron railings and small statues.

The old industrial buildings of Lesvos (olive presses, soap factories, warehouses) are also very interesting. They are simple, one - storied, stone constructions.

Most of them have been restored and are now used as cultural centers or house folk art collections. Every small town in the island has at least one such building.

Other features of the island are the Kalderimia, paved roads, and the fountains, which are made of stone or marble and carry ornamental carvings and inscriptions.