Cyclades
Islands
: Amorgos, Andros,
Folegandros, Ios,
Kea, Kythnos,
Milos, Mykonos,
Naxos, Paros
and Antiparos, Santorini,
Sifnos, Serifos,
Sikinos, Syros,
Tinos
Northern
Aegean Islands:
Chios, Ikaria,
Limnos, Lesvos,
Samos, Samothraki,
Thassos
Ionian
Islands:
Corfu (Kerkyra), Ithaki,
Kefalonia, Kythera,
Lefkada, Paxos,
Zakynthos
Saronic
Islands:
Aegina, Angistri,
Poros, Hydra,
Salamina, Spetsis
Sporades
Islands:
Alonissos, Skiathos,
Skopelos, Skyros
Dodecanese
Islands:
Astypalia, Halki,
Kalymnos, Karpathos,
Kassos, Kastellorizo,
Kos, Leros,
Nisyros, Patmos,
Rhodes, Symi,
Tilos
Other
Islands:
Crete, Evia,
Cyprus
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Dodecanese Islands - Astypalaia
Astypalaia lies between Amorgos and Kos,
and is the most western of
the Dodecanese Islands. It is shaped a little like
a barbell, with two mountainous masses linked by a narrow
isthmus; in ancient times,
the Roman fleet took shelter here during storms. The coast
is heavily indented. Astypalaia may have been a Cretan
possession prior to the collapse of the Minoan civilization,
but it was colonized later by Dorians, as linguists have
deduced from their modern dialect.
Like so many of the Greek isled, Astypalaia has undergone
many changes of rule in its long history, being subject
to Athens, Macedonia, and Egypt at different times in
its ancient past. It remained largely independent during
the Roman period, and was ruled by a single Venetian family
for a few centuries. Later it passed to Turkey, who ruled
it on and off until 1912, when Astypalaia became the first
of the Dodecanese islands to be occupied by Italy. It
was later restored to Greece after World War II.
Astipalaia’s High Castle of the Querini was built
by Venice to defend against Barbarossa’s fleet and
other pirates that ravaged the Mediterranean during the
Renaissance. Over the entrance of the castle perched high
on the rocks is a chapel, through whose floor beehives
were once dropped to sting intruders into retreat.
The capital, Astipalaia (also called Kastello) is partnered
with the port of Periyialion on the west side of Maltezana
Bay. Astipalaia has a relatively tiny population of just
over a thousand on the entire island.
Like most of the Dodecanese islands, Astipalaia gains
most of its income through tourism,
fishing, sponge diving, and
the few agricultural products its deforested and arid
soil will produce.
Astipalaia has not had extensive archaeological investigation;
considering its lengthy history that may go back to Minoan
times, it is possible that historical treasures still
lie buried under its thin soil, or at the bottom of its
harbors. Astipalaia, though, has no obvious historical
ruins; its wealth is mainly in its people. Visitors to
Astipalaia can expect to be treated welcomingly.
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