KYTHIRA TRAVEL GUIDE

KYTHIRA > MUSEUMS

MUSEUMS

Byzantium Museum

The collection is housed in the post Byzantium church of the Assumption in Livadi that was donated by Diocese of Kythira. The collection consists of early Christian to post Byzantium examples of artistic works as: wall paintings, religious paintings, icons and objects used in religious ceremonies. There is also part of an early Christian mosaic floor that was in the ruins of the church of Agios Ioannis the Potamo.

The Historical Archive of Kythira

The Historical Archive of Kythira is housed in the Fortress of Hora. The archive has one of the most important collections of Venetian records that have been saved in Greece; its importance is made greater as records of other Ionian islands have been partially or wholly destroyed.

The archive contains records from the 16th century onwards and is separated into sections of the Venetian and English occupations with official registers, population census, documents, wills, Venetian official documents, correspondence, ecclesiastical registers and judicial papers. The notary protocol contains 128 notaries from 1563 to 1914.

There are documents that refer to the relations between Kythira and Crete during 17th-18th century and another set referring to the relations of Monembasia and Kythira. These documents offer an insight to the history of Kythira, Ionian Islands, Crete and Greece.

Archaeological Museum

The Archaeological Museum is in Hora, the capital of Kythira. The exhibits include examples of prehistoric, Minoan and post Minoan gathered from Paleopoli: marble, sculptures, ceramics, coins, seals etc. The ancient sculpture of the Lion of Kythira is a notable exhibit. Due to the lack of space many of the discoveries are house in the Archaeological Museum of Piraeus or are in storage.