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AMORGOS (Area 134 sq. km. Distance from
Piraeus 138 nautical miles).
The oblong shore of the mountainous and barren island of
Amorgos lies on the eastern edge of the Cyclades, almost
in the Dodecanese.
In some places, the coastline is steep and rocky, while
elsewhere it forms quiet, shady bays. The ruins
to be found all over the island and the important archaeological
finds discovered there (some of which are
in the National Archaeological Museum, Athens) are testimony
to the fact that Amorgos was inhabited in prehistoric times
and was a place of great importance during the period of
the Cycladic civilization.
Amorgos
chora. T. Peirsman
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T.
Peirsman
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In antiquity,
there were three flourishing and independent cities on Amorgos:
Minoa, Arkessini and Egiali.
At Katapola, the main harbour of the island today and the
location of
the interesting church of Our Lady 'Katapoliani' (built on
the site of a temple of Apollo), traces of ancient Minoa have
come to light.
Swimmers will be delighted by the superb beaches to be found
in the vicinity. The whitewashed houses of
the capital of the island, Hora or Amorgos, spread out
beneath the Venetian castle which
stands on the peak of the hill.
The typical Cycladic architectural style of the double or 'twin'
church is much in evidence here. The Archaeological
Museum has finds from all over the island and is well worth
a visit.
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Amorgos. M. v. Vessem |
Amorgos. M. v. Vessem
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| To the north-east of Hora, at
the foot of a rock, is the Byzantine monastery of Our
Lady 'Hozoviotissa',
one of the most important
monuments of its kind.
The second port of Amorgos, Egiali, is a pretty village famed
for its superb sandy beaches and consisting of three distinct
'quarters'. It is easier to reach Egiali by sea than along
the poor and steep road linking it to Hora.
In the south of the island, Arkessi stands near the
site
of the ancient city of the same name, amid a group of picturesque
whitewashed hamlets. The road network of
Amorgos is nearing completion, and will link up all the
villages on
the island. Amorgos has few hotels or rooms
to rent. Yet despite the limited facilities available for
visitors, the fine beaches and particular
beauty of the island attract more and more tourists each
year.
How to get there: By ferry from Piraeus (to Katapola and Egiali)
From Rafina (to Katapola) |
Amorgos. T. Peirsman |
Amorgos.
N. v. Wageningen |
T. Peirsman
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T. Peirsman
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Source: GNTO
The map of Cyclades
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