SANTORINI
The island of Santorini is one of the most enchanting places of the world.
The first inhabitants were pre-Hellenes who arrived here in 3.000 BC. They
called the island Strongyli (which means round) because of its shape.
Later
when the Phoenicians colonized the island, attracted by the beauty of its
landscape, they named it Kallisti (which means the most beautiful).
The Dorians
from Sparta accompanied by their king Theras inhabited the island in 1115
BC and they changed the name to Thera. Around 1.200 AD, under the Frankish
occupation it took the name Santa Irene, after a small church in Therasia,
hence the name Santorini.
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The massive catastrophic eruption of the Volcano in 1450 BC meant
to be forever engraved in the history of mankind. The greater
central part of the island, about 80 sq.km, collapsed to the
bottom of the sea and the waves rushed in to cover it forming
a gigantic basin which is now called Caldera. During the massive
eruption the whole of the Aegean darkened, the waves rose 250m
high and with a speed of 350 km per hour reached the island of
Crete and obliterated the Minoan civilization. Unproven theories
suggest that this event may be related to the sinking of Atlantis.
The eruption resulted in the abrupt halt of a developed rich society
of high standards and a unique flourishing civilization, influenced
by the Minoan culture as depicted on the wall paintings, and
the rich findings of the excavations in Akrotiri.
In ancient times Thera submitted to the Persians, then became
an allie to the Spartans and by 426 BC became part of the Athenian
domaine. Later it was conquered by the Ptolemies, the Romans, the
Byzantines and the Francs. In 1579 Santorini was occupied by the
Turks and finally in 1832 the island became part of Greece.
Santorini today has a population of 10.000 inhabitants. The capital
of the island is Fira. One of its most elegant villages is Oia
(pronounced Ia), well known around the world for its unique sunsets.
The black beaches, the harsh rock structure of the cliffs and the
volcanic colours makes Santorini an exceptional place in the world.
In Caldera, 400 meters deep, still exists a gigantic crater of
10 km wide. The architecture of the island is closely related to
the needs of the people and the beauty of a Cycladic island. The
visitor is impressed by the traditional houses constructed inside
the rocks presenting their lively colours. There are over 300 dome
shape churches all over the island, but very few of the impressive
mansions that existed survived the terrible earthquake of 1956.
Santorini is enchanting and romantic therefore couples from all
over the world come here for their honeymoon. Blue Dolphins hotel
has a special suite for honeymooners!
Having completed this short trip through the paths of history
we wish you an enjoyable stay in this unique island.
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