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Zakynthos



Prefecture of Zakinthos

Capital and port of the island with approximately 11.254 inhabitants. The monumental area of Zakynthos was ruined by the erthquakes of 1953. The whole city with old mansions -of rococo and neoclassic style- as well as over than sixty churches fell down. Then a big fire followed and the ruin was completed.

The new buildings are built according to standarts against the earthquakes and according to the old traditional style, so the city continues to impress the visitor. There are vaulted archades and impressive public buildings. A road passing through gardens and pine forests leads to Bochali, the most beautiful suburb of the city.

Worth seeing places:

  • The Byzantine Museum.
  • Dionyssios Solomos`s Museum. There is the statue of the famous poet-maker -work of G.Vroutos- the mausoleum of Solomos and Kalvos, the winged lion of Venice, piece of a ship which took part in the sea-fight of Naupactos, coat of arms of noble zakynthian families, heirlooms and personal things of Solomos, portraits of heros of the Revolution of 1821 as well as other documents about this event, portable pictures, piece of furniture and aquarelles representing costumes of the years of the Venetians` domination.
           
  • The Museum of "Catochis and Ethnicis Antistasis". It is roofed at the ground floor of the Public Library of the city. It comprises collection of document, pictures, articles of the period of 1940-45, the forbidden by the conquerors paper of the Resistance and other documents.
  • The Public Library of Zakynthos with approximately 55,000 books and a collection of the local papers. In the same building there is roofed the Picture Gallery of Zakynthos in the condition it was before the earthquake.
  • The churches of Agios Nickolaos of Molos, "Panagia of the Angels" and "Panagia the Phaneromeni" , built in the middle of the 17th century, the only ones saved from the destruction of 1953.
  • The Venetian Castle, in a distance of 3km, built in a wonderful site.
  • The monastery of Agios Dionyssios. Its catholic was built in 1708. It was renewed in 1764. The urn with the lodge of the Saint is kept here -it was kept in the monastery of Strofades and transfered here in 1717- and oil paintings made by the painters Coutouzis and Doxaras.

  • Strani hill, in a distance of 2km. Here, Dionyssios Solomos inspired the his poems: "Praise to Liberty", which is our national anthem, and "the Free Siezed" as he was watching the seige of Messologi. Scopos top -height of 500m- at "Cockinos Vrachos" cape. A byzantine church is saved. The view is amazing.

  • At Bochali, the church of Ae Giorges of the "Philickon". In front of its picture took oath the member of the "Philicki Etairia" (a group of people who were secretly working for the revolution) as well as the chieftains Colocotponis, Nickitaras and Photomaras.
  • Strofades, islets -42n.m. south of Zakynthos. On the biggest of them there is the monastery-fort (13th century) of "Metamorphosis", dedicated to Saint Dionyssios. There is a sailboat from Zakynthos which caries provisions for the few monks and watchmen of the lighthouses.
 

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