ASTYPALEA TRAVEL GUIDE

ASTYPALEA > ARCHAEOLOGY

ARCHAEOLOGY

Venetian Castle of the Querini or Quirini

It is the island’s most important sight. Situated on Hora’s loftiest point, on the remains of the island’s ancient acropolis and of the Byzantine castle, it was initially constructed by Giovanni I Querini in 1207 and completed by Giovanni IV Zanachi Querini in 1413.

The castle offered protection, which resulted in an increase of its population, reaching 4,000 inhabitants. The strongly built castle with the narrow, cobblestone alleys also included two towers, one at the gate where the feudal owners resided and one with four storeys on the south side, the so-called “Sarai”. The abandonment of the castle began in 1830, when piracy was no longer a threat and by 1948 it was completely deserted.

Kylindra archeological site

It is located in Hora on Katsalo Hill.

This is an ancient cemetery for infants, probably one of the largest ever to have been discovered. According to the 22nd Ephorate of Prehistoric and Classical Antiquities, this ancient cemetery was used from the Late Archaic up to the Roman times (600 b.C.-200 A.D.). The dead infants were placed inside clay vessels and buried. Some 2,000 burials have been discovered to this day and one such vessel is on display in the Archaeological Museum of Astypalaia.

Tallara Post-Roman Baths

It is in Maltezana or Analipsi.

The Old Christian baths of Tallara, also known as the Baths of Maltezana, incorporates some of the excavations’ most impressive findings. More specifically, visitors can see mosaics depicting the four seasons, the zodiac and Time holding earth in his hand.