Andros
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- Alternative meanings: There is also the Caribbean island Andros, Bahamas as well as Anglo-American historical figure known as Edmund Andros, and a fictional character Andros from the TV series Power Rangers: In Space.
 Andros (Άνδρος) |
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| Coordinates | 37°50′ N 24°56′ E | |
| Country | Greece | |
| Periphery | South Aegean | |
| Prefecture | Cyclades | |
| Population | 4,107 source (2001) | |
| Area | 102.8 km² | |
| Population density | 40 /km² | |
| Elevation | 0-994 m | |
| Postal code | 845 00 | |
| Area code | 22820 | |
| Licence plate code | ΕΜ | |
| Website | androsweb.gr | |
Andros, or Andro (Greek: Άνδρος), an island of the Greek archipelago, the most northerly of the Cyclades, approximately 10 km (6 miles) south east of Euboea, and about 3 km (about 2 miles) north of Tinos. It is nearly 40 km (25 miles) long, and its greatest breadth is 16 km 10 miles. Its surface is for the most part mountainous, with many fruitful and well-watered valleys. Andros, the capital, on the east coast, contained about 2000 inhabitants in 1900. The island had about 18,000 inhabitants in (1900) with the density of 48.13/km². The 1991 census read 8,781. According to a 1992 Baedeker, the town of Andros still contains 2000 inhabitants, and the island's total is now 10,500.
The island in ancient times contained an Ionian population, perhaps with an admixture of Thracian blood. Though originally dependent on Eretria, by the 7th century BC it had become sufficiently prosperous to send out several colonies, to Chalcidice (Acanthus, Stageira, Argilus, Sane). The ruins of Palaeopolis, the ancient capital, are on the west coast; the town possessed a famous temple, dedicated to Dionysus.In 480 BC it supplied ships to Xerxes and was subsequently harried by the Greek fleet. Though enrolled in the Delian League it remained disaffected towards Athens, and in 477 had to be coerced by the establishment of a cleruchy on the island; nevertheless, in 411 Andros proclaimed its freedom, and in 408 withstood an Athenian attack. As a member of the second Delian League it was again controlled by a garrison and an archon. In the Hellenistic period Andros was contended for as a frontier-post by the two naval powers of the Aegean Sea, Macedon and Egypt. In 333 it received a Macedonian garrison from Antipater; in 308 it was freed by Ptolemy I of Egypt. In the Chremonidean War (266-263) it passed again to Macedon after a battle fought off its shores. In 200 it was captured by a combined Roman, Pergamene and Rhodian fleet, and remained a possession of Pergamum until the dissolution of that kingdom in 133 BC. Before falling under Turkish rule, Andros was from A.D. 1207 till 1566 governed by the families Zeno and Sommariva under Venetian protection. After a few centuries, Cyclades joined the rest of Greece in 1821.
On May 10th, 1821, Theophilos Kairis, one of the leading intellectuals of the Greek Revolution, declared the War of Independence by raising the Greek flag at the picturesque cliffside church of St George: at this time, a famous heartfelt speech, or "rhetoras", inspired shipowners and merchants to contribute funds to build a Greek Navy to combat the Ottomans.
Andros (Chora or Hora), the capital of the island, is on a headland between two beaches. It has a mix of post-World War I neoclassical mansions with vernacular Cycladic houses. The town squares are paved with marble. At the end of the headland are two islands, the first linked to the mainland by a brick bridge a ruined Venetian castle and the second a lighthouse. There are four museums: the extensive Archaeological Museum, an exceptional Museum of Modern Art, a Nautical Museum and a Folklore Museum.
The main resort town is Batsi on the western coast which is popular with Greek tourists.
The island is famous for its mineral springs at Apoikia where the water comes out of a lionhead.
Palaeopolis, the ancient capital is mostly underwater.
Stenies, on the island's eastern coast near the beaches of Yialia and Piso Yialia, is probably the island's most picturesque village. However, the east coast of the island does not have an advanced tourism infastucture, and historically, no decisive steps have been made to increase the flow of visitors, under the fear of losing the traditional landscape as in the case of neighbouring islands (notably Mykonos). There are no commercial distractions in Stenies.
 A picture of the Vitali beach, a popular destination for tourists, due to its Seaside Taverna and diving rocks seen on the far right. |
A credible and extensive source about the history of Andros, can be found in the excellent book of Demetrius Paschalis 'Historia tis Nisou Andros', or in English, 'History of the Island Andros'. The book was first written in 1925 but published multiple times since and numbers over 1000 pages long written in 'Katharevousa' a form of modern Greek with elements of ancient Greek. It is not known if the book has been translated to any other language. The author includes interesting bits of information throughout, like the fact that Andros was a center for the worship of Dionysus and Isis or information on the Venetian families that ruled the island in the 1500's.
Contents |
[edit] Municipalities
| Municipality | YPES code | Seat | Postal code | Area code ((0)30-) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Andros | - | Andros | 845 00 | 22820-2 |
| Idrousa | - | Gavrio | 845 01 | 22820-7 |
| Korthio | - | Ormos Korthiou | 845 02 | 22820-6 |
[edit] Communities and settlements
- Apoikia
- Ammolochos
- Andros (Chora)
- Ano Aprovato
- Ano Gavrio
- Arnas
- Batsi
- Epano Fellos
- Gavrio
- Kalyvari
- Kaparia
- Katakilo
- Kipri
- Kochilos
- Korthio/Ormos Korthiou
- Lamira
- Livadia
- Makrotantalo
- Messaria
- Palaiokastro
- Palaiopolis
- Pitrofos
- Sineti
- Stenies
- Varidio
- Vitalio
- Vouni
- Vourkoti
- Ypsilou
[edit] References
"Large Bronze Age Town Unearthed On Andros." New York, N.Y.: Hellenic Times. Sep 2- 30, 2005. Vol. XXXII, Iss. 11; pg. 2. ISSN 1059-2121 (link)
[edit] External links
- Andros island guide
- Richard Stillwell, ed. Princeton Encyclopedia of Classical Sites, 1976: "Andros, one of the Cyclades, Greece"
- Andros News "for up-to-the-minute news, travel news, hotel news and feature stories about Andros"
This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.
| Municipalities and communities of the Cyclades Prefecture |
|---|
| Amorgos • Andros • Ano Syros • Drymalia • Ermoupoli • Exomvourgo • Ios • Kea • Korthio • Kythnos • Milos • Mykonos • Naxos • Paros • Poseidonia • Santorini • Serifos • Sifnos • Tinos • Ydrousa • Petaloudes • Rhodes • South Rhodes • Symi • Tilos |
| Anafi • Antiparos • Donousa • Folegandros • Irakleia • Kimolos • Koufonisi • Oia • Panormos • Schoinoussa • Sikinos |
