Amorgos

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Katapola

Katapola is located in the center of Amorgos, in a natural and well-protected bay and is one of the island’s two ports. It is divided into three distinct neighborhoods, Katapola on the left, Rahidi in the middle and Xilokeratidi on the right. On the hill above Katapola are the excavations of the ancient city of Minoa which are of great archaeological interest. Minoa was one of the three cities of ancient Amorgos.

According to archeological findings, the bay has been inhabited for over 6,000 years. It seems to have played an important role in the inhabitation of the island and in its cultural prosperity from the Late Stone Age at the end of the 4th millennium BC. and later, especially in the Early Bronze Age, in the 3rd millennium BC. On the hill south of Katapola there are traces of habitation from the 4th millennium BC. The village of Katapola began to develop after 1830. Till then the bay was a base of pirates, and therefore there were no permanent residents. Katapola gradually began to be inhabited by the Amorgian captains who significantly developed shipping from the end of the 18th century until about 1950.

Katapola is a beautiful settlement that has preserved its Cycladic architecture with whitewashed houses and cobbled narrow alleys. Among the main attractions, is the old fountain and the church of Panagia Katapoliani with its Venetian bell tower, in the courtyard of which there are columns and capitals. The church is believed to have been built on an ancient temple dedicated to Pythian Apollo. On both sides of Katapola there are many other remarkable churches such as Agios Panteleimonos, Agios Ioannis, Agios Anargyros and Panagia.

Katapola along with Aegialis are the most developed spots of Amorgos with many restaurants, hotels, tourist and commercial shops. Katapola is nowadays a modern tourist resort full of life, mainly during the summer months, that attracts thousands of tourists every year. Close to Katapola, there are many beaches of all kinds, that can be reached either on foot or by boat. Among them are Maltezi beach, Plakes, Agios Panteleimon as well as the Three Hierarchs located at the edge of Xyrokeratidi, below the church with the same name.

One of the most important events is the feast of Psimeni on the eve of the celebration of St. Panteleimon, an event that you should not miss.