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ITHAKI (Island) IONIAN ISLANDS
Northwest of Cephalonia
is situated the historic island of Ithaki, Ulysses’ homeland. The island
is believed to have been named after the mythical hero Ithakos.
It is a long, narrow island and its two peninsulas are linked together
with Aetos’ isthmus.
Vathi is the island’s
capital. Lefki, Kioni,
Frikes, Anogi,
Exogi, Perahori
and Stavros are Ithaki’s
main villages.
As it happens in the whole Eptanissa
complex, Ithaki combines perfectly the beauty of the all-green mountains with
the crystal clear blue sea.
Its beaches enchant the visitor and the trees reaching the beach create
a scenery of unique beauty, combining wildness with tranquility.
This text (extract) is cited January 2004 from the Assoc.
of Local Authorities of Kefalonia & Ithaca tourist pamphlet.
ITHAKI (Small town) IONIAN ISLANDS
The capital of the island is situated inside a sheltered cove of Molos Bay which
seems like a lake. The houses, which were rebuilt after the earthquakes of 1953,
are as before in the traditional architectural style. The blue waters and the
verdant islet of Lazaretto in the middle of the harbour make a good first impression
on the visitor.
MONI KATHARON (Monastery) ITHAKI
Tel: +30 26740 31247
Kathara monastery is situated 566 m. above sea level, 6 klm. away
from the homonymous village. There are two views concerning the construction of
a church and a monastery, both dedicated to Virgin Mary (Panaghia). The first
claims that peasants went to the area to burn ''kathara'', i.e. wild grass and
thorns, found Virgin Mary's icon and decided to build a church there. The second
view related the foundation of the monastery with the Catholic sect of Kathara.
Whichever of the two views is true, it is a fact that Virgin Mary's church was
built in 1696 and the monastery which was built a few years later was active until
the 1980's.
Nowadays no monks live in the monastery which is open only in summer
offering hospitality to the visitors. Virgin Mary's icon is believed to have been
painted by Loukas, the Evangelist. The church's wooden carved icon screen is also
of superb beauty. Until recently another valuable icon, probably painted by El
Greco, was kept in the monastery. The icon is depicting Jesus on the way to Calvary.
This icon is today kept in Aghios Georgios' church, in Vounaki. Panaghia Kathariotissa
who is the island's patron saint celebrates on 8th and 14th September and on Easter
Sunday.
PLATRITHIA (Municipal district) ITHAKI
Tel: +30 26740 31470
STAVROS (Village) ITHAKI
At a short distance from the village of Stavros lies the ancient Settlement of
Pilikata. It is believed that the palace of Odysseus was situated on this hill.
Excavations have brought to light a sculptured tomb and an altar from an ancient
cemetery. These finds reveal the presence of human habitation on the island from
the end of the third millennium B.C. In the small archaeological museum the visitor
can see finds from the Cave of Loϊzos, Pilikata and the School of Homer. Amphorae,
early Helladic vases, finds from the Neolithic era, Mycenaean pottery.
This text is cited December 2004 from the Ionian Islands Region General Secretariat URL below, which contains image
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