Andros (Chora)

The town of Andros or what the locals call Chora, is the capital of the island and is located in the northeastern part of the island. Chora sits upon a small peninsula that divides the sea in two. The main road crossing Chora ends up to the Unknown Sailor’s square with the statue of the Afanis Naftis. The square overlooks a small island, on which is built the medieval Venetian castle and the rocky islet of the famous lighthouse Tourlitis. Next to Chora, there are two sandy beaches, the main beach Niborion to the west and Paraporti to the east. At Niborio is located the famous Nautical Club that was inaugurated in 1957 and was financed by shipowners and sailors to teach sailing and rowing to the young people of Andros.

Chora has a special character with beautiful cobblestone streets and modern imposing mansions that reminisce of its nautical tradition. Walking along Georgios Empirikos Street you can see the Kairios library, the Voyiatzidis mansion, Empirikio High School and the building of Petros and Maria Kydonieos Foundation. Chora has four museums: The Archaeological, the museum of Modern Art, the Nautical museum and finally the museum of Folklore Art. In the world-renowned Museum of Contemporary Art of Vasilis and Elisa Goulandris, you will find sculptures and paintings by famous Greek artists. It also hosts exhibitions of international artists every summer. Elements that distinguish the city's intense cultural character are the many exhibitions and events that are held especially during the summer such as the Andros International Festival and traditional feasts. The lighthouse of Tourlitis, built in 1887 on a rock. is one of the main attractions,

In Chora you can find many beautiful neoclassical mansions and houses, paved streets, squares, picturesque alleys and beautiful churches such as Panagia Palatiani, the Catholic Church of Agios Andreas and Agios Georgios and the Metropolis of Andros which is located opposite the house of Theophilos Kairis, an emblematic personality of Andros.

Histroy

In contrast to the western and central Andros that was inhabited since antiquity, the peninsula of Chora began to be inhabited during the 13th century. At that time the island was under Frankish occupation and on the islet, at the edge of the peninsula, was built in 1207 the Venetian castle (or Lower Castle) which served as a base but also as a residence of Marino Dandolo, nephew of the master of Andros, Enrico Dandolo. During the 16th century Chora was a small but densely built settlement, fenced by walls. All the houses were inside the walls, leaving the plains on both sides of the peninsula for crops. In 1674 Chora was destroyed and abandoned until 1750 where it began to be inhabited again.

In the 19th century Andros turned to shipping and experienced economic and social growth. Thus Chora, being the main commercial and economic center of the island, extends along the peninsula. In the densely populated district of Riva and Plakoura, but also in the wider area, mansions and neoclassical houses are being built by the families of the shipowners. At the same time, public buildings such as the Empirikio Nursing Home and the Hospital, are being built with fundings of the wealthy families in the uninhabited areas of the peninsula.

In 1901, the pedestrian street of the Agora was built by the mayor Georgios Empirikos. It was the first pedestrian street built in Greece and is still the main commercial street of Chora with a variety of shops. It starts from the Nursing Home and ends at Kairis Square, the place where Theophilos Kairis started the Greek revolution on the island.

On September 23, 1943, while Andros was under Italian occupation, the Germans bombed Chora in order to force the Italian garrison to surrender, as Italy had surrendered. The result of the bombing was the destruction of the mansions of Empiriki in the district of Riva, the Venetian Castle and the lighthouse of Tourlitis. In 1958, in Riva, the square of the Unknown Sailor with the statue in memory of the brave sailors was built. After the war, several houses were built, mainly hotels, on the north side of the peninsula. Thus, the beach of Niborio turned into a tourist center with several shops and hotels by the sea.