Folegandros (also Pholegandros; ) is a small Greece island in the Aegean Sea that, together with Sikinos, Ios, Anafi and Santorini, forms the southern part of the Cyclades. Its surface area is
Mythology
According to
Greek mythology, it was said to have derived its name from a son of
Minos.
History
Little is known about the ancient history of Folegandros. Its inhabitants were
Dorians. Later it came under
ancient Athens rule. The island contained a
polis (city-state) called Pholegandros, which was sited at the modern Chora and a member of the
Delian League, as which it appears on Athenian tribute lists between 425/4 and 416/15 BCE.
The island was called the iron Pholegandros by
Aratus on account of its ruggedness, and is also noted by ancient geographers
Strabo and
Ptolemy, who calls it
Pholekandros ().
The island was conquered in 1207 by the Venetian Marco Sanudo and remained under the rule of Venice until 1566, when it was taken by the Ottoman Empire.
The Greeks reclaimed it in the 19th century during the Greek war of independence. The island was visited by the British explorers Theodore and Mabel Bent in early 1884.
During the 20th century it has been used as a place of exile for political prisoners, especially during the 4th of August regime.
Geography
Folegandros' landscape is varied, and includes tall cliffs and a large cave. The "capital" of the island, Chora, is built on the edge of a 200-metre high cliff. The port of Folegandros is the small village of Karavostasis. The Ano Meria village contains a small but interesting Ecological and Folklore Museum. Among the notable beaches on Folegandros is Katergo, accessible only by foot or by boat from Karavostasis. Katergo beach is used by
naturism.
Gallery
File:Apopsi Choras Folegandrou.JPG|View of Chora
File:Folegandros-7.jpg|Chora seen from the church of Panagia
File:Folegandros-5.jpg|House of the island
File:Folegandros-kastro.jpg|Inside the "Kastro" of Chora
File:Church, Chora of Folegandros, 15M6539.jpg|Chora
File:Φολέγανδρος.jpg|Chora & the church o Panagia to the north
File:Ano Meria on Folegandros, 15M6607.jpg|Ano Meria
External links
