Kythira - Revision history

Irlandos: /* External links */

2007-09-14T10:21:57Z

External links

Irlandos: /* Communities */

2007-08-22T12:43:53Z

Communities

Irlandos: /* Communities */

2006-09-19T14:21:21Z

Communities

Irlandos: /* Kythira Today */

2006-09-19T14:19:59Z

Kythira Today

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2006-09-19T14:19:06Z

Communities

Irlandos: /* Communities */

2006-09-19T14:18:38Z

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Lazarus: Reverted edits by Julli9 (Talk); changed back to last version by Irlandos

2006-07-06T20:30:08Z

Reverted edits by Julli9 (Talk); changed back to last version by Irlandos

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Julli9 at 20:02, July 6, 2006

2006-07-06T20:02:34Z

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Irlandos: /* History */

2006-01-04T13:38:18Z

History

Irlandos at 13:35, January 4, 2006

2006-01-04T13:35:30Z

New page

'''Kythira''' ([[Modern Greek]]: Κύθηρα, alternative spellings ''[[Kithira]]'', ''[[Kythera]]'', ''[[Cythera]]''), also known as '''[[Cerigo]]''' (Τσιρίγο, alternative spelling ''Tsirigo'') is an island of [[Greece]], historically part of the [[Ionian Islands]]. It lies opposite the eastern tip of the [[Peloponnesus]] peninsula. It has an area of 284 square kilometers. The rugged terrain is a result of prevailing winds from the surrounding seas which have shaped its shores into steep rocky cliffs with deep bays. For many centuries, while naval travel was the only means for transportation, the island possessed a strategic location. Since the ancient times, until the mid 19th century, Kythira had been a crossroads of merchants, sailors, and conquerors. As such, it has had a long and varied history and has been influenced by a plethora of civilisations and cultures. This is reflected in its architecture (a blend of traditional, [[Aegean Sea|Aegean]] and Venetian elements), as well as the traditions and customs, influenced by centuries of coexistence of the Greek, Venetian and British civilisations as well as its numerous visitors.

==History==

At the start of the second millennium B.C. it was a [[Minoan civilization|Minoan]] colony and in [[424 BC]] it came under the sway of [[Athens]]. In Ancient [[Greek]] [[Mythology]], Kythira was considered to be the island of celestial [[Aphrodite]], the Goddess of love, (cf. [[Cyprus]], the island of Aphrodite, the Goddess of Sex). Over the centuries it knew a succession of conquerors from the Romans to the [[Byzantines]], Venetians and Turks, and it was frequently looted by Barbary pirates. Kytherians still talk about the destruction and looting by Barbarossa, it has become an intrinsic part of the Kytherian folklore, yet one can easily accept the stories of locals by noticing the number of monasteries embedded in the rocky hillsides to avoid destruction by the pirates.

In [[1864]], the island was reunited with the [[Greece|Greek]] state.

In the capital, Chora (or Kythira), inside the castle, one can find the Historical Archive of Kythira, the second largest in the Ionian islands, after the one found in [[Corfu]].

==Kythira Today==

Like many of the smaller [[Aegean Sea|Aegean islands]], Kythira is depopulated. Its present population hovers around 3,354 people (2001 census), but the modern Greek diaspora has produced around 60,000 Kytherian descendants in Australia alone.

Kythira is administratively exceptional in that:

* It geographically, culturally and historically belongs (is closer to) to the Ionian islands.
* It is administered and belongs to the prefecture of [[Piraeus]], in Attica.
* There are close ties and some service provision by the nearby mainland prefecture of [[Laconia]].

The capital - Chora - is located on the southern part of the island having no ports connected to the southern Peloponnese or [[Vatika]]. Kythera's port for Viatika is in Agia Pelagia Kythira.

Most of the over 60 village names end with "-anika" and a few end with -athika, -iana and -ades.

A [[November 5]], [[2004]] [[earthquake]] shook the areas of the island. It measured around 5.6/5.8 on the Richter scale.

Until the mid-1990s the island was served by the small port of '''Agia Pelagia''' (now only serving smaller ferry boats from Neapolis - Vatika). Around that time the new port of '''Diakofti''' was built along with a modern wider road, aiming to support larger cargo and passenger vessels. The port of '''Diakofti''' currently serves scheduled routes to/from Gythion, Antikythira, [[Piraeus]], [[Crete]] & Neapolis - Vatika.

Additionally, the island has an airport, loosely located between the village of Friligiannika and Diakofti, about 8km from the capital. The airport was revamped and extended at the turn of the 21st century, largely by private funds provided by the local population. The island is served by [[Olympic Airlines]] flights.

==Municipalities==

Kythera

==Communities==

*[[Agia Pelagia Kythira]], Port
*[[Agios Ilias (Kythira), Greece|Agios Ilias]]
*[[Antikythira]] on Antikythira island, independent commune
*[[Aroniadika]]
*[[Avlemonas]]
*[[Charchaliana]], on Antikythira
*[[Diakofti]], Port
*[[Fratsia]]
*[[Friligianika]]
*[[Galaniana]], on Antikythira
*[[Gerakaria]]
*[[Kalamos (Kythira), Greece|Kalamos]]
*[[Kapsali]]
*[[Karavas]]
*[[Karvounades]]
*[[Keramoto]]
*[[Kontolianika]]
*[[Kythira]] Chora Capital
*[[Livadi]] it is becoming the business center of the island
*[[Katouni]]
*[[Logothetianika]]
*[[Louriantianika]]
*[[Milopotamos (Kythira), Greece|Milopotamos]]
*[[Pitsinianika]]
*[[Potamos (Kythira), Greece|Potamos]]
*[[Stathianika]]
*[[Viaradika]]
*[[Vouno]]

==External links==
*[http://www.kythera.gr Tourist and Culture Guide of Kythera Island] Tourist Information in three languages
*http://www.mykythera.gr Tourist Information in three languages
*http://www.kythera-family.net online cultural archive to which the general public can contribute from their private collection of Kytherian heritage documents
*http://www.kythira.info Tourist Information in three languages
*[http://www.Kythera-Family.net A Kythira website:] images, data, villages, family names; a cultural archive
*[http://www.ucl.ac.uk/kip The Kythera Island Project:] an archaeological, ecological, and historic research project of the island and its peoples.
*[http://www.losttrails.com/pages/Hproject/Kythera/Kythera.html photo-essay on the archaeology of Kythira]

[[Category:Islands of Greece]]
[[Category:Geography of Greece]]
[[Category:Cities and towns in Greece]]

← Older revision		Revision as of 10:21, September 14, 2007
Line 76:		Line 76:

	[[Category:Islands of Greece]]		[[Category:Islands of Greece]]
−	~~[[Category:Geography of Greece]]~~
	[[Category:Cities and towns in Greece]]		[[Category:Cities and towns in Greece]]

@@ Line 36: / Line 36: @@
 ==Communities==
-*[[Agia Pelagia (Kythira)]], Port
+*[[Agia Pelagia (Kythira)|Agia Pelagia]], Port
 *[[Agios Ilias (Kythira)|Agios Ilias]]
 *[[Antikythira]] on Antikythira island, independent commune

@@ Line 58: / Line 58: @@
 *[[Logothetianika]]
 *[[Louriantianika]]
 *[[Milopotamos (Kythira)|Milopotamos]]
 *[[Pitsinianika]]

@@ Line 49: / Line 49: @@
 *[[Kalamos (Kythira)|Kalamos]]
 *[[Kapsali]]
-*[[Karavas]]
+*[[Karavas (Kythira)|Karavas]]
 *[[Karvounades]]
 *[[Keramoto]]

@@ Line 24: / Line 24: @@
 Most of the over 60 village names end with "-anika" and a few end with -athika, -iana and -ades.
-A [[November 5]], [[2004]] [[earthquake]] shook the areas of the island.  It measured around 5.6/5.8  on the Richter scale.
+A [[November 5]], [[2004]] earthquake shook the areas of the island.  It measured around 5.6/5.8  on the Richter scale.
-Until the mid-1990s the island was served by the small port of '''Agia Pelagia''' (now only serving smaller ferry boats from Neapolis - Vatika). Around that time the new port of '''Diakofti''' was built along with a modern wider road, aiming to support larger cargo and passenger vessels. The port of '''Diakofti''' currently serves scheduled routes to/from Gythion, Antikythira, [[Piraeus]], [[Crete]] & Neapolis - Vatika.
+Until the mid-1990s the island was served by the small port of '''Agia Pelagia''' (now only serving smaller ferry boats from Neapolis - Vatika). Around that time the new port of '''Diakofti''' was built along with a modern wider road, aiming to support larger cargo and passenger vessels. The port of '''Diakofti''' currently serves scheduled routes to/from [[Gythion]], Antikythira, [[Piraeus]], [[Crete]] & Neapolis - Vatika.
 Additionally, the island has an airport, loosely located between the village of Friligiannika and Diakofti, about 8km from the capital. The airport was revamped and extended at the turn of the 21st century, largely by private funds provided by the local population. The island is served by [[Olympic Airlines]] flights.

@@ Line 36: / Line 36: @@
 ==Communities==
-*[[Agia Pelagia Kythira]], Port
+*[[Agia Pelagia (Kythira)]], Port
-*[[Agios Ilias (Kythira), Greece|Agios Ilias]]
+*[[Agios Ilias (Kythira)|Agios Ilias]]
 *[[Antikythira]] on Antikythira island, independent commune
 *[[Aroniadika]]
@@ Line 47: / Line 47: @@
 *[[Galaniana]], on Antikythira
 *[[Gerakaria]]
-*[[Kalamos (Kythira), Greece|Kalamos]]
+*[[Kalamos (Kythira)|Kalamos]]
 *[[Kapsali]]
 *[[Karavas]]
@@ Line 53: / Line 53: @@
 *[[Keramoto]]
 *[[Kontolianika]]
-*[[Kythira]] Chora Capital
+*[[Kythira (town)|Kythira]] Chora Capital
-*[[Livadi]] it is becoming the business center of the island
+*[[Livadi (Kythira)|Livadi]] it is becoming the business center of the island
 *[[Katouni]]
 *[[Logothetianika]]
 *[[Louriantianika]]
-*[[Milopotamos (Kythira), Greece|Milopotamos]]
+*[[Milopotamos (Kythira)|Milopotamos]]
 *[[Pitsinianika]]
-*[[Potamos (Kythira), Greece|Potamos]]
+*[[Potamos (Kythira)|Potamos]]
 *[[Stathianika]]
 *[[Viaradika]]
-*[[Vouno]]
+*[[Vouno (Kythira)|Vouno]]
 ==External links==

@@ Line 3: / Line 3: @@
 ==History==
-At the start of the second millennium B.C. it was a [[Minoan civilization|Minoan]] colony and in [[424 BC]] it came under the sway of [[Athens]]. In Ancient [[Greek]] [[Mythology]], Kythira was considered to be the island of celestial [[Aphrodite]], the Goddess of love, (cf. [[Cyprus]], the island of Aphrodite, the Goddess of Sex). Over the centuries it knew a succession of conquerors from the Romans to the [[Byzantines]], Venetians and Turks, and it was frequently looted by Barbary pirates. Kytherians still talk about the destruction and looting by Barbarossa, it has become an intrinsic part of the Kytherian folklore, yet one can easily accept the stories of locals by noticing the number of monasteries embedded in the rocky hillsides to avoid destruction by the pirates.
+At the start of the second millennium B.C. it was a [[Minoan civilization|Minoan]] colony and in [[424 BC]] it came under the sway of [[Athens]]. In Ancient [[Greek]] [[Mythology]], Kythira was considered to be the island of celestial [[Aphrodite]], the Goddess of love, (cf. [[Cyprus]], the island of Aphrodite, the Goddess of Sex). Over the centuries it knew a succession of rulers from the Romans to the [[Byzantine Empire|Byzantines]], Venetians and Turks, and it was frequently looted by Barbary pirates. Kytherians still talk about the destruction and looting by Barbarossa, it has become an intrinsic part of the Kytherian folklore, yet one can easily accept the stories of locals by noticing the number of monasteries embedded in the rocky hillsides to avoid destruction by the pirates.
 In [[1864]], the island was reunited with the [[Greece|Greek]] state.