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On the west side of the town of
Parikia, lies the church of Panagia Ekatontapyliani, an impressive Byzantine monument that
has been in continuous use for the longest time in Greece. The Church,
which is -exceptionally- not white as is typical in Cycladic islands, is
built behind fortified walls.
The construction of the Church of hundred Gates or Doors dates back to the
6th century, but the inspiration dates further back to the 4th century
when it was founded by St. Helen, the mother of Constantine.
According
to the legend, while St. Helen was
on a pilgrimage seeking for the path that would lead her to the True Cross,
she was forced to make a stop at the island of Paros because of a storm. As is the Greek
custom when in trouble at sea, she vowed to build a church on this spot
but died before this plan could be realized.
Emperor Justinian saw St. Helen's wish to completion in the 6th
century. Legend surrounds this pretty church of pupil surpassing master,
and ensuing tragedy. The church was built by Ignatius, who was a pupil
of the architect of the famous Agia Sofia in Constantinople (Istanbul), Isidore of Miletus. Isidore attacked Ignatius in a fit of jealous rage
when he saw the beautiful church and tried to push Ignatius off the
roof. In the ensuing struggle, both men fell to their deaths. Ignatius
and Isidore are immortalized in stone in the courtyard in front of the
church.
Another legend surrounds the gates, or doorways. Ekatontapyliani was made
up of three interlocking buildings, with 99 doors and windows. According
to this legend, when the 100th door is found, Constantinople (Istanbul) will
return to the Greeks. In the 10th century, the church was restyled in
the shape of the Greek cross.
An icon of the Virgin is found on the wooden iconostasi which is
worshipped for its healing powers. Near this icon, a footprint set in
stone is said to belong to the island's patron saint Agia Theoktisti.
As a young woman, in the 9th century, Theoktisti was captured by
pirates. She escaped and fled to Paros where she lived alone in the
woods for 35 years. When a local hunter found Theoktisti, she asked him
for some communion bread. He gave her the bread and she laid down and
died. Realizing she was a saint, the hunter took her hand as a relic,
but he found he couldn't leave the island until he reunited the hand
to the rest of her body. The severed hand relic is displayed in the church.
From the back of the Church a door leads to the chapel of St. Nicolas. This
4th century Roman building, which was later converted into a
church/chapel has a double row of Doric columns, a
marble throne and 17th century icons.
The baptistery next door dates back to the 11th century.
The elaborate Church of Ekatontapyliani has no bell tower. Its bells hang from a tree outside.
The church is open from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Be sure to
wear appropriately dressed.
Archaeological Museum
in Parikia, behind the Church of
Ekatontapyliani
The Archaeological museum which
stands in Parikia, next to the High-School, presents finds from Paros
and the nearby island of Antiparos, which stretch back over 6,000
years.
The Archaeological Museum of Paros is considered as one of the
most interesting in the Aegean islands.
Museums collections
Room A: Archaic
and Classical sculpture.
Room B: Pottery,
sculpture and small finds dating from the Neolithic to the Roman
period.
Atrium: Sculptures,
architectural parts, urns, and a mosaic floor dating from the Roman
period.
Opening Hours
Winter period :
Monday: Closed, Tuesday - Friday: 08:00 - 14:30
Weekends and
Holidays 08:00 - 14:30
From July 1st to
October 31: Daily: 08.30 - 15.00, Monday: closed
Ticket price
Full admission € 2
Reduced admission €
1
- students
from countries outside the E.U.,
- citizens
of the E.U. aged over 65
Free admission
- persons
under 18
- university
students from Greece and the E.U.
- students
of Classical Studies or Fine Arts from countries outside the E.U.
- members of
the ICOM - ICOMOS
- tour
guides
-
journalists
- persons
possessing a free admission card
Days of
free admission for all visitors Sundays in the period between 1
November and 31 March, the first Sunday of every month, except for
July, August and September (when the first Sunday is holiday, then
the second is the free admission day, etc.)
Telephone
+30-22840-21231
Ancient Cemetery
in Parikia, approx. 400 m from the port heading left.
The cemetery of
the ancient city of Paros covered a large area and was continuously used
from the 8th century BC until the 2nd century AD. The graves of the
Archaic period (cist-graves and pithos-burials) are organized in spaces
divided by vertical and horizontal walls. In the 5th century BC the
burials were placed in large, marble urns or in monumental structures
with pedestals and funerary stelae. In the Hellenistic and Roman
periods, marble, pedestaled sarcophagi were used. The excavation
started in 1983, during the construction of the Municipal Cultural
Centre of Paros, near the harbor. It was continued until 1985, when the
finds proved that this was one of the most important cemeteries of the
Cyclades. The excavation was carried out under very difficult
circumstances, since the area had been converted into a marsh with dense
plantation, due to underground water and high sea level. The area was
drained with the use of pipes and water-pumps in 1989. The grave
monuments with the funerary stelae and sarcophagi have been restored.
The excavation site has been organized as an archaeological park,
visible from all sides. Photographs of the excavation and
representations of the burials are displayed in an old, restored
building outside the site.
Venetian
"Kastro"
in the old quarter and at the highest point of Parikia
from the 13th century.
Ancient Wall
just beneath the Kastro (Parikia)
Marble Quarries at "Marathi"
on the way to Lefkes
The Parian marble, lychnite,
is startlingly white and was sought after during the classical age of
Greece for the finest works. Praxitele's beautiful statue of Hermes,
which can be seen at the Archaeological Museum in Olympia, as well as
the famous Venus de Milo (which is in the Louvre in Paris) were sculpted
from Parian marble.
However, Parian marble was not only known among the Greeks. The lychnite was an
important part of ancient wonders, statues and palaces in Athens, Rome
and Egypt. It is also said the the lychnite Parian marble was used to
clad the legendary Temple of Solomon in Jerusalem.
The history of Greece was once recorded in the Parian Chronicle, carved
in marble of course. The Parian Chronicle, dating from the 3rd century,
was discovered in the walls of the Kastro in the 17th century by the
cleric to the Duke of Arundel. The Parian Chronicle records the artistic
achievements of ancient Greece up to 264 BC You can see remnants of
this work and other important pieces of marble at the Archaeological
Museum in Parikia, behind the church of Ekatontapyliani. The majority of
the remains are in a museum in Oxford, England.
Visit Marathi on the way to Lefkes in the center of the island to see
the famous marble quarries (Latomia Marmarou) where the brilliant white
rock is drawn from deep in the mountain. The quarries were last worked
for Napoleon's tombs.
Take a flashlight with you if you would like to explore the ancient
tunnels. There are three shafts to be explored. Take the bus to Marathi
and follow the signposts to the quarry.
Venetian Castle
in the little harbor of Naoussa.
Churches in Naoussa
Several important churches dated in the 15th century
are found in
Naoussa, including Catholic Church.
Agia Trias Cathedral
in Lefkes.
Museum of Popular Civilization
in Lefkes.
An amphitheatre
in Lefkes, plus an interesting library.
Butterfly Valley 
Only about 8 km south of
Parikia is the Butterfly Valley, or as the Greeks call it "Petaloudes".
In the summer months, from May to August, the trees in the lush green
valley are covered by clouds of Jersey Tiger moths.
The trees look like they are dancing and the fragrance, which attracts
the butterflies (well, moths really), it is lovely.
Donkey paths cross the valley, and you can enjoy the experience with a
mule trek. Organized tours can be arranged from
Naoussa or
Parikia, or you can take the bus or get there on your own.
About a mile north of the Butterfly Valley, you'll find the 18th century Convent of
Christ in the Woods (Moni Christou tou Dasous). Only women are allowed
into the sanctuary. Agios Arsenios, the second patron saint of the
island; teacher and abbot, is also buried there.
Museum of folk Art
"Scorpios Museum"
Located on the road to Alyki, a few meters from the airport. Benetos
Skiadas revives Greek tradition with his unique hand-made miniatures of
ships, fishing boats, churches, the Venetian Castle of Parikia, etc.
Open daily 10.00-14.00 from 1st May to 30th September. Entrance 2 euros.
Tel: 22840-91129.
Cave of Antiparos
Useful Information
| Location: |
13km south of Antiparos village, almost at the top of a more
than 200m high mountain. Regular bus from the quay in Antiparos
once a hour. |
| Open: |
Summer 10:45-15:45. Tours every hour.
Reduced opening hours in Winter.
Out of hours, key available from Mayor or Town Council, Tel:
02840-6121. |
| Fee: |
Adults EURO 3. Tour buses EURO 3.50. Public buses EURO 1.10
one way. |
| Classification: |
 Karst
cave.
|
| Light: |
electric. |
| Dimension: |
L=95m, W=30m, H=25m. |
| Guided tours: |
L=200m. |
| Bibliography: |
Shaw, T. R. (1992): History of
Cave Science, pp 14, 142, 178, 180-182, 241, 244, 255, 275,
277
|
| Address: |
Cave of Antiparos, Tel: (+3022840) 61315. |
History
| |
|
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| 1673 |
Christmas mass, held by Charles
François Ollier. |
| 1700-1774 |
A number of stalactites were cut off during the war. |
| 27-SEP-1840 |
Visited by Otto, King of Greece. |
| 1995 |
Electric light and new railings of stainless steel. |
| 1996 |
The new road to the cave was completed. |
Description
Image: an 18th century
engraving of the cave of Antiparos.
On the small island of Antiparos, south west of Paros, an
enormous cave descends 70m into the earth. Even in August travelers
will feel damp and chilly as they descend the 400 cement steps into
the cave. Famous visitors have carved their names on the walls,
including
Lord Byron and King Otto, the King
of Greece in 1840
On three occasions the French Ambassador
at Constantinople, the Marquis de Nointel,
Charles François Ollier, celebrated
midnight mass here, using an enormous truncated stalagmite as an
altar. At its base is this inscription:
HIC IPSE CHRISTUS / EJUS NATALIE DIE MEDIA CELEBRATO /
MDCLXXIII
(Here midnight mass was celebrated on Christmas 1673).
Islanders claim that older inscriptions
have been destroyed by overwriting by runaways who had been
wrongfully accused of attempting to assassinate
Alexander the Great and were hiding in
fear of retribution.
Another famous visitor was
Joseph Pitton de Tourenefort, Professor
of Botany at the Jardin du Roi in France. He visited the cave in
August 1700 and described the speleothems as growing like plants
or vegetation.
Boats from Paros take passengers
directly to the landing stage on the shore below the cave, where
locals wait there with donkeys for those who want a ride up the
hill of St John to the cave's entrance. Alternatively, go to Pounda and take
the car ferry across, a 5 minute ride.
The old way to visit the cave was by boat from the harbor of
Antiparos to the beach below the cave and then by foot or on a
donkey for a 200m elevation to the cave. The boat ride is really pleasant,
but the ascend to the cave in the hot summer sun was pretty tiring,
especially on a donkey, so in 1996 a new road to the cave was opened
and it is now possible to reach the cave by car or coach.
There is a local public bus, which makes regularly stops
at the cave. Also there are busses by tour operators from Antiparos to
the cave.
Lighthouse
behind Monastiri Beach (Naoussa)
ideal for people who enjoy walking!
Monasteries (main)
- Monastery of Longovardas (1638),
forbidden for women
- Monastery of Christou Dasous with the
tomb of St. Arsenios
- Monastery of St. Mary Thapsanon from
1935, built on ruins of 17th century monastery
- Monastery of St. Antonios
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