|
| |
Kos Island
|
HISTORY
According to the myth,
Kos was the homeland of the Giants. It was settled
during he Neolithic era by Carians, Phoenicians,
Pelasgians and later by the Dorians. Along with
Halikarnossos, Knidos, Lindos, Ialyssos and Kameiros, it
was a member of the Dorian Hexapolis formed in 700 BC. |
|
 |
| |
|
The city of Kos was founded
in the 4th century BC, and it remained the center of
island life until 6th century AD, when it was destroyed
by an earthquake. |
| |
 |
|
Many great personalities of
the ancient world claimed Kos as their birthplace:
Hippocrates and Pythagoras are but two of the best
known. After the decline of Rome, Kos began to prosper
again in the Middle Ages. The Knights of St. John
controlled the island from the 14th century until the
Turkey conquest in 1522. Held by the Turks until 1912,
when it passed to the Italians; it was united with
Greece in 1947. The modern city was rebuilt after the
devastating earthquake of 1933. |
| |
|
SIGHTSEEING
The third largest island
of the Dodecanese group, after Rhodes and Karpathos, Kos
has a large number of archeological sites and monuments
from every era. In the capital several ruins of the
ancient city - temples, stoats, the agora - were
discovered under the medieval constructions erected by
the Knights of St. John around the harbor. |
|
 |
| |
|
Here, too, still stands the
plane tree which tradition maintains was planted by
Hippocrates and under whose shade he taught his
disciples. The interesting finds and mosaics unearthed
here are exhibited in the Archeological Museum. |
| |
 |
|
One of the most important
ancient sites in Kos is the Asklepeio with its temple of
Asklepios, south-west of town. Other sites are at Pyli
where there is a Classical temple and at Kefalo which
boasts a theatre and archaic temples. The major
monuments from the time of the Knights are found in town
and near Kardamaina, where there is a large Venetian
castle whose walls are virtually intact. |
| |
|
Byzantine churches still
stand both in town and in most of the villages. Kos has
two ports, one in town and the other at Mastichari. |
| |
|
It is a lush island with
pretty coastal villages (Tigaki, Agios Fokas, Karsamaina),
health spas (Thermes, Kardamaina), and wonderful
beaches. Equipped with abundant facilities for tourists,
it can offer all the amenities and is a fine spot for a
pleasant, carefree holiday. Many of its beaches provide
other water sports besides swimming, while at its hotels
one can choose between a cosmopolitan or genuine Greek
ambience, depending on one's preference. |
|
 |
| HOW
TO GO?
Take a ferry
from Kusadasi to Samos then from Samos to Kos |
|
|
|