Kastellorizo
36 09 N 29 37 E
Gallery
- KASTELLORIZO or MEGISTI (which means the biggest of the islands and was the ancient name of this beautiful, peaceful island) forms the far eastern boarder of Greece, 72 nautical miles
east of the island of Rhodes and 170 miles from
the west coast of Cyprus. The island is ideal for people who love peace
serenity, nature and long walks. There are no cars on this island. There is only a small bus for the airport. Walking is the only means of transportation. There are however boats
that can take you to the smaller islands around and to the famous Blue
Cave. Megisti has a size of 9 sq kilometers and a coastal length 19 kilometers.
- HOW TO GO THERE
1. By air.-There are no direct flights from Athens but there are flights via
Rhodes island all the year round. Flight time from Rhodes is 45 minutes.
2. By ferry boat. There are boats from Piraeus all the year round. The distance is 320 nautical miles and the journey takes 20 hours.
The island has only one village spread around the island's port. It
is important if you wish to stay there to book before your arrival, particularly
during July - August. The people are warm and hospitable and they now number
about 250.
- HISTORY OF THE ISLAND
From the evidence of ruins, the history of the island dates as far
back as neolithic times.There are cyclopean walls, now in ruins, evidence of
the settlement in the island of Pelasgoi, the aegean people. The Minoans
first and the Mycenians later also seemed to have visited the island as
finds now in the Archaeological Museum in Athens show. Settlements of Dorieis
and of the Lycians from the opposite coast of Asia Minor followed. The
Lycian Grave of the 4th century B.C. is still one of the most impressive
monuments on the island.
The ancient name of the island, isattributed to its first settler MEGISTEAS
but according to another interpretation it is due to the fact that the island
is the biggest of all the small islands spread around the area. The present name
KASTELLORIZO was assumed during the crusades and was due to the red rocks,
CASTEL ROSO, on which the castle was built.
Kastellorizo followed the history of the other Dodecanese islands and has the
same martial and commercial tradition since it was traditionally administered by Rhodes.
At the end of the 19th century, the island flourished due to the wealth
accumulated from the fishing of sponge. Famous schools and churches were
built.
During the Italian occupation, however, many inhabitants emigrated to
mainland Greece, to Australia -- where there are now about 50,000, and to
Egypt. During the Second World War the Casttle was bombed. The island was
finally reunited with Greece in 1948.
- THE CASTLE in the port.
It was built on the ruins of ancient castle, some thousands of years
old, in the 14th century by the Knights of Saint John and received its
name from the red colour of the rocks .Next to the castle are the ruins
of a Turkish hamam and a restored watermill.
- THE LYCIAN TOMB is a church like grave built at the end of the 5th
century or the beginning of the 4th century B.C.
- St Constantine and Eleni church was built in 1835 of granite brought
from the temple of Apollo on the opposite site of Lycia in Asia Minor.
- PALAEOKASTRO 2 kilometers n.w. built in BYZANTINE times.
- THE CYCLOPEAN WALLS
- THE ANCIENT TOMBS.
- THE MONASTERY OF ST GEORGE OF THE MOUNTAIN.
- THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM.
- THE BLUE CAVE, which is the most beatiful in the Mediterranean. There
are stalactites and stalagmites in this extremely beautiful cave which
can only be visited by boat. There are, of course, other caves.
THE ISLAND IS A NATURAL PARADISE.
As there is no real interference with nature the island and the surrounding sea is home to
a number of species of the animal and vegetable worldl.
- WHERE TO STAY
There is one pension class B open all the year round and about 150
beds in rented rooms.
- WHAT TO EAT
Apart from the fish, there is the gouvarlakia, katsoumaria. sweet
pies and strava.
- AS there are no cars, or taxis the only
means of transport is walking or by boat. By boat one can also
visit the smaller islands around, RO island 6
nautical miles, STROGGILI , 5 nautical
miles, and ST GEORGE.
NOTHING of course that can be said or written about the island
is as good as visiting it yourselves.
BON VOYAGE.