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Santorini Island Greece Info
The
combination of magnificent landscape, the volcano, and the famous
Cycladic architecture make Santorini a beautiful place to relax and
get away.
Santorini is not just an island that has developed as its island
neighbors have. Santorini is unlike any other island. Even the
people of Santorini consider themselves different; they say, "we are
not people, we are Santorinians." In order to convey the sense of
uniqueness of the island, it is necessary to understand the
richness, history, and geological sensitivity of the landscape.
Getting out from the deep blue sea its volcanic sheer cliffs topped
with gleaming white village homes and churches, resemble snowcapped
mountains. The thunderous fury of nature left its mark on the
island, the home of Greece's last active volcano which still
smolders today. Layer upon layer of red volcanic rock interspersed
with white
buildings and specks of greenery form a visual demonstration found
nowhere else.
The entire center of the circular island sank into the sea during
the tremendous volcanic explosion of 3.500 years ago. The eruption
caused tidal waves which virtually wiped out the advanced Minoan
civilization of Crete 70 miles to the south. Some scholars believe
that the island is part of the legendary lost continent of Atlantis
which supposedly slipped underwater during the disaster.
What remains today of Santorini is a large cresent-shaped island
enclosing a vast bay, the largest caldera on earth (7X14 miles).
There are also four much smaller islands called Thirassia, Nea
Kameni, Palia Kameni and Aspronisi. Santorini boasts several
nice beaches and two major archaeological sites. Ancient Akrotiri is
an ancient Minoan town that was covered in volcanic ash which has
allowed it to be amazingly preserved, even to this day. Several very
important wall frescos were uncovered that depict everyday life over
4,000 years ago. The frescos can be seen today at the island's
Archaeological Museum and the site can be visited everyday except
Monday and holidays. The second site of major archaeological
importance is Ancient Thira. Thira is perched on the hill of Mesa
Vouno overlooking modern day Kamari and Perissa. It boasts ruins
from Minoans, Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, and Venetians.
Santorini is one huge mound of volcanic lava. The ground is not part
of the earth's crust, but instead it was formed by the hardening of
a viscous liquid that emerged from the bowels of the earth. The sea
around it is 380 meters (1,247 feet) deep and is deepest darkest
blue right at the water's edge.
Due to the different kinds of volcanic rock, there are several black
sand and rock beaches and even a red sand beach worth visiting for
its striking color. In the towns of Kamari and Perissa the entire
range of water sports are readily available including rentals,
lessons, and equipment.
Tourism is the main occupation in Santorini today. In the summer,
visitors swamp the island, life takes place in the open air, and the
locals work non-stop. When winter comes, everything goes to a
standstill; the locals shut themselves up in their houses and catch
up on lost sleep. In the spring, before the tourists start to arrive
again, the island is a hive of activity as preparations are made as
nearly the entire island is repainted and freshened up.
The island is almost waterless and has only a very few flowing
springs. Consequently, the inhabitants often use rainwater for their
everyday use. Today, special water container trucks brought over on
ferries meet the water supply demands of Santorini.
Together with Anafi, Santorini is the southernmost island of the
Cyclades. It has an area of 96 square kilometers (37 square miles),
a coastal length of 69 kilometers (43 miles), and its width varies
from 2 to 6 kilometers (1 to 4 miles). The ground of the island is
volcanic and on the side of the volcano caldera, the island is rocky
and steep. Sheer, impressive cliffs, and parallel layers of black
and red rocks compose its western side. In the southeast are the
limestone masses of Mesa Vouno, with the highest summit being that
of Prophitis Ilias (550 meters or 1,800 feet). Gavrilos rises in the
south, whilst in the north we find the peaks of Megalo Vouno and
Mikros Prophitis Ilias.
Santorini's climate is mild and Mediterranean. It is cool in the
summer owing to the northeast winds (known as meltemi), and in the
winter, the weather is sweet and mild with an average temperature of
10 C (50 F). The rainfalls are frequent in winter but almost
non-existent in summer.
The population of Santorini numbers some 11,400 people yet every
year 500,000 tourists visit the island.
From
the sheer cliff-top, where the villages are built, you look down on the
gentle, green outer slopes of the mountain: the sea has filled the crater
of the volcano. The contrast between these two faces of Santorini is
dramatic and extraordinary.
The beauty of Santorini must depend on light and line; there is hardly any
vegetation apart from vines, and the volcanic earth has no charm of color,
unlike the earth and rock of the limestone islands. Yet it has a strange
and uncanny fascination of its own. It has rightly been called the black
pearl of the Aegean.
The sunsets of Santorini, with the Burnt Islands in the foreground, the
islet of Thirassia behind, Sikinos and Folegandros farther off, and the
great rock of Christiana, are among the most exciting aesthetic
experiences that the Aegean can provide.
The official name of the island is Thira, but foreigners refer to it by
the name given in honor of the island's patron saint, St. Irene of
Thessaloniki, who died here while in exile in 304 A.D.
Santorini,
which covers 73 square kilometers and is located 127 nautical miles from
the port of Piraeus, has an important wine trade. In September visitors
may tread the grapes and taste the wines. The rich volcanic soil also
produces popular small sweet tomatoes. The island also exports pumice
stone, china clay and pistacchio nuts. Two million tons of volcanic soil
is exported every year for use in the cement industry. A member of the
Cyclades group of Aegean islands, Santorini has a permanent population of
aapproxiimately 10.500 but during the tourist season this number swells
dramatically.
Santorini has 13 villages. Fira, also known as Thira or Hora, is the
island's capital. It is situated 27,5 m. above the sea and may be reached
from the port of Skala climbing the steep, 566 broad steps. This should
only be attempted by the untiring while the traditional way up the zigzag
path is by renting pack mules or donkeys. For those who prefer modern
conveniences, a funicular lift is available.
The cable car lifts 800 persons per hour. The duration is only two minutes
and offers unforgettable views of the volcanic island.
The Lost
Atlantis
There is a story thousands of years old about a "lost island" in the
Atlantic Ocean. The story was told by the ancient Greeks, and had been
handed down from father to son for many generations before the Greek
philosopher Plato wrote a famous story about it, about 375 BC.
The island of Atlantis, according to Plato's story, was really a series of
islands. Imagine in the center a hill, surrounded by a ring of water; the
ring of water surrounded by a circle of land, then another ring of water
and one of land, until there were nine rings of water and nine of land.
The islands had been created by Neptune, god of the sea, for Cleito, his
beloved. From their children the king and people of Atlantis were
descended. The island was very rich, and the people content. The city was
built of black and red stone; the roofs of the houses were of red copper
and flashed in the sun; and there were two beautiful temples, one
surrounded by a golden wall and the other with silver walls, golden
pinnacles, and a roof of ivory.
In 1967, a city buried by a volcanic eruption in 1500 BC., was found on
Santorini. Archaeologists say this might be Atlantis.
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