The town of Samos which you have visited is the capital of the Prefecture and contains the offices of the various administrative authorities : the Prefect, the Regional Director, the Metropolitan Bishop, the Judge of First Instance, the Public Prosecutor, the Harbourmaster, etc.

The town has a population of 5,823 ( 1991 census ). Forty years ago, the figure was 6,007. As the visitor will appreciate, the population has remained because it is easy to find work here and to enjoy amenities which a large city would have.

Historians tell us that the town was first built around 1840. Before that, they were only a few warehouses here, but little by little people moved from Pano Vathy, a commune behind the town to the east, and others came and settled here from other parts of Greece, particularly from Cephalonia. The first residents developed commercial relations with the Turks and the Russians, and thus turned this deserted bit of the island into the finest town in the Prefecture.

In earlier times, Samos was called Limin Vatheos ( " Port Vathy " ) after the harbour on which it stood. It later had its name changed to Samos, to distinguish it from the Commune of Vathy.

The harbour of the town is an attractive sight. In recent years efforts have been made to make it function more effectively : a small refuge for fishing - boats has been constructed, work continues on the extension of the breakwater, and a coast road reaching to Malagari - the site chosen for the commercial harbour to be constructed in the future - has been built.

In 1881, we find that Samos port was the seat of the Prince, the home of the Samian Parliament, and possessed a court of appeal. At that period, it had 595 houses and a population of 2,220. Today the Xenia Hotel stands on the site of the Prince's residence, which was a three - storey building measuring 20 by 18 metres ; its foundation stone was laid on 21 September 1875 by the then Prince, Constantine Photiadis. What are today the municipal gardens were then the Prince's gardens. In those days there was also a prison, which closed down years ago, now houses the offices for the historical archives of Samos.