The island

Milos or Melos is a volcanic Greek island in the Aegean Sea, just north of the Sea of Crete. Milos is the southwestern-most island in the Cyclades group.

The island is famous for the statue of Aphrodite (the "Venus de Milo", now in the Louvre), and also for statues of the Greek god Asclepius (now in the British Museum) and the Poseidon and an archaic Apollo in Athens. It is also famous for its variety of wonderful beaches. The Municipality of Milos also includes the uninhabited offshore islands of Antimilos and Akradies. The combined land area is 160.147 square kilometres (61.833 sq mi) and the 2011 census population was 4,977 inhabitants.

Geography

Milos is the southwesternmost island in the Cyclades, 120 kilometres (75 miles) due east from the coast of Laconia. From east to west it measures about 23 km (14 mi), from north to south 13 km (8.1 mi), and its area is estimated at 151 square kilometres (58 sq mi).

The greater portion is rugged and hilly, culminating in Mount Profitis Elias 748 metres (2,454 feet) in the west. Like the rest of the cluster, the island is of volcanic origin, with tuff, trachyte and obsidian among its ordinary rocks. The natural harbour is the hollow of the principal crater, which, with a depth diminishing from 70 to 30 fathoms (130–55 m), strikes in from the northwest so as to separate the island into two fairly equal portions (see photo), with an isthmus not more than 1,8 km (1,1 mi) broad. In one of the caves on the south coast, the heat from the volcano is still great, and on the eastern shore of the harbour, there are hot sulphurous springs.

Antimelos or Antimilos, 13 miles (21 km) north-west of Milos, is an uninhabited mass of trachyte, often called Erimomilos (Desert Milos). Kimolos, or Argentiera, 1.6 km (0.99 mi) to the north-east, was famous in antiquity for its figs and fuller's earth, and contained a considerable city, the remains of which cover the cliff of St. Andrew's. Polyaigos (also called Polinos, Polybos or Polivo — alternative spelling Polyaegos) lies 2 km (1 mi) south-east of Kimolos. It was the subject of dispute between the Milians and Kimolians. It is now uninhabited.

The harbour town is Adamantas; from this there is an ascent to the plateau above the harbour, on which are situated Plaka, the chief town, and Kastro, rising on a hill above it, and other villages. The ancient town of Milos was nearer to the entrance of the harbour than Adamas, and occupied the slope between the village of Trypiti and the landing-place at Klima. Here is a theatre of Roman date and some remains of town walls and other buildings, one with a fine mosaic excavated by the British school at Athens in 1896.

Other villages include Triovasalos, Peran Triovasalos, Pollonia and Zefyria (Kampos).
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History

Obsidian from Milos was a commodity as early as 15,000 years ago. The position of Milos, between mainland Greece and Crete, and its possession of obsidian, made it an important centre of early Aegean civilization. Milos lost its arms-making importance when bronze became the preferred material for the manufacture of weapons.

In historical times, the island was occupied by Dorians from Laconia. In the 6th century BC, it again produced a remarkable series of vases, of large size, with mythological subjects and orientalizing ornamentation, and also a series of terra-cotta reliefs.

During the second phase of the Peloponnesian War, in 416 BCE, Athens attacked Melos, with an army of over 3,000 soldiers, for refusing to submit tribute and refusing to join Athens' alliance against Sparta. The Athenians executed all the adult men they caught, and sold the women and children into slavery.

Later, Milos followed the fate of the other Cyclades islands, subjugated to the Macedonians, the Romans and then the Byzantines. In the early Christian times there were in Milos several Jewish residents and therefore Christianity was spread quite quickly. During Frankish period, Marco Sanudo seized Milos and in 1207 joined it with the duchy of Naxos. In 1537, Hayredin Barbarossa, one of the greatest pirates of all time, as head of the Turkish fleet, pillaged and destroyed most of the islands of the Aegean, but Milos spared by his destructive fury. Since 1566 Milos passed by the Venetians to the Turks. Throughout the Turkish occupation, it was a base for pirates.

Since 1830, according to the London Protocol, Milos, as all Cyclades islands, were included in the newly established Greek state.

On May 9, 1941, the German occupation was imposed on the island, by way of exception, in relation to the other islands of the Cyclades, which joined the Italian occupation zone.

Sightseeing

1. Aphrodite Of Milos

The famous statue of the Hellenistic period, which was found in Milos in 1820. The statue found by a farmer, from whom the French archaeological service immediately bought for 400 piastres. The statue was moved to the Louvre Museum in Paris, where it stands until nowadays. At the present time, in the Archaeological Museum of Milos, there is an "authentic copy" of the statue, constructed in the laboratories of the Louvre Museum.
2. The Ancient Theater

The ancient theater was originally considered to be 1st century AD Roman construction. Detected in 1735, in a spectacular position above the coastal settlement of Klima. But today has been found and the earlier part of the Hellenistic period (3rd century BC.). Today only the foundations of the stage, the orchestra and seven rows of marble seats, which can accommodate about 700 spectators, are saved. In recent years a maintenance and restoration program has started, for protection, promotion and access improvement purposes.
3. The Catacombs

The Catacombs are located in the region of the modern settlement of Trypiti, dug in volcanic soil. It is the big community cemetery of early Christian times in Milos. The catacombs were discovered by illicit antique dealers and became known after their looting in 1840. They form a maze which is currently 185 meters long and it is estimated that there are buried several thousand dead. The activity of the first Christians in the catacombs stops shortly after the establishment of freedom of religion (Edict of Milan).
4. The shelter of Adamas

In preparation for the occupation of Crete during World War 2, the Germans ordered the digging and building of tunnels and passages in various positions on the island which they used for the protection of the soldiers as well as food and ammunition storage. The largest such passage was that of Adamas which was predominantly used to shelter the Germans from British bombing. It's a ramified tunnel with 12 chambers.

Beaches in Milos

There are about 70 beaches on Milos Island. Hivadolimni Beach is the longest at about 1 kilometer (0.62 mi). The rest of the beaches are starting from (North): Sarakiniko Beach, Papafragas, Kapros, Pachena, Alogomantra, Konstantinos, Mitakas, Mantrakia, Firopotamos, Nerodafni, Lakida, Plathiena, Fourkovouni, Areti, Pollonia, Gourado and Filakopi. (South): Firiplaka, Paliochori, Provatas, Tsigrado, Agia Kyriaki, Psaravolada, Kleftiko, Gerontas, Gerakas, Agios Sostis, Mouchlioti, Katergo, Spathi, Firligos, Pialothiafes, Kalamos, Krotiraki, Psathi, Svoronou and Sakelari. (West): Agios Ioannis, Cave of Sikia, Agathia, Triades and Ammoudaraki. (East): Voudia, Thalassa, Paliorema, Tria Pagidia and Thiafes. (In the Bay Area): Hivadolimni, Lagada, Papikinou, Fatourena, Klima, Skinopi and Patrikia.