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Kalymnos
Kalymnos. The terrain of this
fourth largets of the Dodecanese is mountainious, except fot two
fertile
valleys. It is along these valleys that its biggest villages
have sprouted- Kalimnos or Pothia and Vathi. Castles, remnants
of fortresses, archaeological finds, and old churches bear witness
to the continuous importance of Kalymnos in the history of the
Aegean. Its natural attractions- caves, lovely beaches, unspoilt
scenery- make it a mini earthly paradise. Kalymnos is widely known
as the spongefinders' island, since such a large portion of the
population is engaged in this age-old occupation.
Once, the island's
capital was located at Horio, which benefited from the protection
offered by the castle of the Knights of St. John just above it.
Today's capital is Pothia or Kalimnos, founded around 2850 by inhabitants
of Horio. Its
brightly coloured houses surround the portlike the seats in an
amphitheatre, arranged along the hillsides down to the caiques
and fishing boats bobbing below. An old church dedicated to Christ
the Saviour adorns the waterfront. It is decorated with frescoes
and valuable icons, while its iconostasis is the work of the well
known sculptor, Yiannoulis Halepas.
Kalymnos has other charming
villages, like Vathi, set in a fertile valley full of citrus trees,
and Methoni, on the south-east side of the island. The quiet hamlet
of Emborios lies to the north. To the west are Massouri, Mirties,
Kamari and Panormos where one can try sea-food delicacies such
as " fouskes" and "chtapokeftedes". On the road to Panormos,
you will notice the remains of a three- aisled basilica dedicated
to Christ of Jerusalem, which was erected around the 6th century
on the site of an ancient temple where Delian Apollo was worchipped. To
the north of the of the main town is Pera Kastro, also called the
castle of the Golden Hands (Hrissoheria) because the chapel in
its interior has an icon of the Virgin whose hands are covered
with gold loaf. Northeast of Pothia, at the foot of Flaka hill,
is the cave of the seven Virgins or Nymphs (not to be visited).
Kalymnos boasts two other caves, the richly decorated Skalies,
about 100 metres from the village of Skaliea in the north of the
island (not to be visited), and Kefalas or Trypas Kefalas to the
south (which can be visited and one can approach it by boat) At
therma, only one kilometre or so from Pothia, there are radioactivesprings
and therapeutic bathing installations, rooms where vistors may
spend the night, and spacially trained personnel to assist them.
Among the lovely beaches on Kalymnos are Massouri, Mirties and
Arginondas along th ewest coast and Vlyhadia in the south.
Click on the photo's to enlarge
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On the boat from
Kalymnos to Thelendos. Photo: H. Kerkhof.
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Kalymnos, in the church of
the monastery of Savas.
Photo: H.
Kerkhof
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Harbour of Kalymnos
Photo: Barbara Keus
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Kalymnos, spaghetti "Polonese".
Photo: H.
Kerkhof |
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Garden at Kalymnos
Photo: Barbara Keus
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Kalymnos.
Photo:W. van Zadelhoff |
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