Kattavia

Kattavia
Κατταβιά
Village

Town square in Kattavia

Kattavia (yellow dot) within South Rhodes (red) and the Regional Unit of Rhodes
Kattavia

Kattavia (yellow dot) within South Rhodes (red) and the Regional Unit of Rhodes

Coordinates: 35°57′0″N 27°46′0″E / 35.95000°N 27.76667°ECoordinates: 35°57′0″N 27°46′0″E / 35.95000°N 27.76667°E
Country  Greece
Region South Aegean
Regional unit Rhodes
Municipality Rhodes
Municipal unit South Rhodes
Population (2001)
  Total 590
Time zone EET (UTC+2)
  Summer (DST) EEST (UTC+3)
Website South Rhodes

Kattavia (also Greek: Κατταβιά or Italian: Cattavia) is a small village located on the southernmost tip of the island of Rhodes. It is located within the municipal unit of South Rhodes (Nótia Ródos - Νότια Ρόδος) and was at the epicentre of the 2008 Dodecanese earthquake.

Overview

Kattavia is a part of the Municipality of Southern Rhodes which is one of 10 municipalities on Rhodes. The municipality seat is Gennadi, which is located about 14 km north of Kattavia.

Kattavia village square or platia is situated over a creek which is dry for most of the year. The village currently has five full-service cafes and two general stores.

Kattavia is generally considered to be a traditional village which hasn't been affected much by overdevelopment. The Municipality of Southern Rhodes requires all new construction to adhere to strict traditional building designs when located within the village limits.

In recent years, the village has become a destination due to its proximity to Prasonisi, a popular windsurfing beach.

History

When the Knights Hospitaller ruled Rhodes, Kattavia was turned into a fortified village where the population could find refuge when attacked by forces of the Ottoman Empire.[1]

Historical Sites

The church of Agia Paraskevi, the patron saint of the village (19th century), and the church of the “Assumption of the Virgin Mary” (Panagia Katholiki) a 10th-century church located within the villages cemetery.

On the way to Prasonisi on the right hand side, the archaeological site of “Vroulia” is found. It is an ancient coastal settlement that many to believe to the predessecor to modern day Kattavia known for its terracotta vessels called “vessels of Vroulia”. Other historical sites include:

Demographics

Kattavia's current population is around 200 people, but its registered population is around 600. In the summer months the population of Kattavia swells to over 700, due to the Greek Diaspora returning home from countries such as the United States and Australia.

Festivals

The village's patron saint is Aghia Paraskevi. Her feast day is July 26, when the village throws a 3 day festival held within the village square. Festivals throughout the year include:

Notes

  1. Hazard, Harry W. (1975) "The Hospitallers at Rhodes" A History of the Crusades: Volume Three: The Fourteenth and Fifteenth Centuries University of Wisconsin Press, Madison, Wisconsin, p.310, ISBN 0-299-06670-3

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kattavia.