In 1872, Argyrios graduated from the Mytilene Gymnasium and moved to Athens to study at the School of Mathematics and Physics of the National Technical University of Athens. After 2 years, he started studying architecture at the National Technical University of Athens. During his studies, he met Ernst Ziller, who taught at the University between 1872 and 1883. Ziller recognized Adalis’s talent and appointed him as his assistant. At that time, Adalis already spoke French, Turkish, English, and German, making him useful in academic and practical tasks, such as translations between French and Turkish collaborators.

Returning to Ottoman-era Lesvos at a time when trade was booming and the local Greek community enjoyed special privileges. His return marked a new wave of architecture in the region, as the architecture of Constantinople (mostly wooden buildings in dense construction) was no longer the dominant influence in the city’s style, replaced by Adalis’s classicist and Central European influences.

A landmark of Mytilene and the most important work of the period 1880-1912, it was erected on the site of a small pre-existing church that served the needs of the local hospital and began operating in 1900. The church follows the Byzantine rhythm, but its architectural style combines influences from contemporary trends prevalent in Western Europe, such as Baroque, Rococo, and Neoclassicism. Gothic elements can also be seen in the building, enhancing its grandeur and giving it a unique aesthetic, unparalleled in the Greek region.

Ioannis St. Georgiadis probably originated from elsewhere (possibly Constantinople) and settled in Mytilene, likely due to professional opportunities. He co-founded, with Ioannis Kalamari, the industrial complex of a steam-powered oil mill/spinning mill/macaroni factory in Upper Skala, known to this day as ‘Kalamari.’ The current owner of the residence of Ioannis Georgiadis is the North Aegean Region. The residence is in the Second Empire style.

The main residence of Achilles K. Vournazos, one of the most prominent merchants of the era. Vournazos had developed a business in Russia, dealing with soap production. The settlement is of monumental size in the Second Empire and Athenian neoclassical style. The residence remains in the hands of the descendants of the original family. The original building has been preserved with minimal internal changes, such as converting the room of the Turkish officials on the upper floor into a kitchen, changing the cellar into a storage room, and converting another room on the floor into a bathroom. The residence was built on a large seaside area in the Kiosk area, at the foot of the Fortress. The original area was about 5 acres, and within it, a second house was later built by the widow Penelope Vournazou, a member of the same family. In the 18th century, the area was referred to as ’the gardens of Hassan Pasha Tzezaerli and his officials,’ while in the mid-19th century, it was known as the ‘Frankish neighborhood.’

Rectangular building with absolute symmetry of openings on both floors. Great emphasis was placed on the decoration of the central entrance with neoclassical elements (pediments, columns, lintels). Inside, the large wooden staircase is of interest. Using the comparative method, the building is attributed to Argyris Adalis (‘The architecture of the residences of the upper class of Mytilene,’ 1999).

Large two-storey neoclassical building with a basement, with a G-shaped elevation. The basement section on Sappho Street is used as a store. The entrance to the residence is through the part of the small courtyard used as a semi-public space. The building has deteriorations in the coatings and the tiled roof, and the ochre color of the facade has also deteriorated. The plaster decorations on the lintels and window sills have been preserved. In terms of architecture, the residence is structured according to the basic principles of neoclassicism, with a tripartite vertical and horizontal distribution. However, decorative and compositional elements reminiscent of the neo-Gothic style are used.

A jewel of the city, lending its name to the wider area/village of Taxiarches. According to stories, the temple came into existence following a miraculous intervention by the Archangel Michael, while it acquired its current form in 1903 with the reconstruction by Argyris Adalis using materials transported from the opposite small Asia Minor coasts. Even today, passing ships use a long whistle as a greeting to the patron saint. The rhythm is Byzantine cross-shaped with a dome with variations of a Gothic rhythm. It features a narthex, while the roof is supported by stone corbels ending in square column crowns with beautiful plaster decorations.

Internally decorated with paintings by V. Ithakiou. The construction materials used are the same as the church of the Archangels in Kagiani (also an Adalis work). To this day, it belongs to the descendants of the Adalis family.

Athan. Fourtounas (or Fortounas) was a soap and oil merchant. As early as 1885, he was listed in the business directories of Mytilene under the name ‘Brothers Fortouna,’ and he also maintained a branch in Varna, Bulgaria, as a soap supplier. Athan. Fourtounas hailed from Mesotopo and migrated to Bulgaria at a young age to engage in trade. He returned at an advanced age with his French wife and built this residence as a permanent home. The residence was built on a large 700-square-meter plot on Halika Street (now Cavetsou), one of the three arteries leading to the suburbs of Mytilene, where residents enjoyed their summers in the shade. After the merchant’s death, the residence was sold by his wife to the merchant Georgios Grigoriou.