About Paros...

Municipality Paros
The current form of Municipality Paros resulted from the conjunction of preexisting Municipality Paros (838 residents) with the Communities Marpissis (813 residents), Naoysis (.110 residents), Leukon (72 residents), Kostou (65 residents), Argilochoy (801 residents) and Agkairias (92 residents). Thus, the current municipality has extent 196.308 acres and 9.591 residents. If someone Seeks the history of island is always more impressed by the fact that there is so much history in a so small piece of ground. Wherever anyone passes , “trips” in the ancient memories. From wherever it passes, it will see churches, a lot of churches of 16th century, but also older and later, as well as more from 30 monasteries, equally old with the churches.

The history of Island
In 4000 bc the island was lived first time, during the newer neolithic period, Homo sapiens season! In 3000 bc began his growth. In 2000 eg was connected with minoic Crete, and was named Minois or Minoa and became center of Cykladitic culture. Later, was named “Paros” from Arcadian Paros, who was installed in the island with the Arcadians that followed him. The 8th century bc, when Iones come , the island have big commercial and economic force for a lot of years, while his population reaches the 120.000 residents! Later came the Roman and afterwards Byzantines and Fragoi. But also Enetoi passed from Paros the 13th century, when the island devolved to the administrative control of Duchy of Naxos. In 1537 notorious Barbarosa with the pirates pillaged wildy the island. And thus destroyed Paros which fell in the hands of Turks in 1560, so it led to complete decline. However, with Manto Mayrogenoys, Paros took part active in the revolution 1821. At the history of Paros, the island has developed the arts and the letters, were elected big sculptors, painters, poets and philosophers. One of the knownest poets of antiquity, Archilochos, was Parianos. Today Archilochos is said one of the communities of municipality. The eminent marble from Paros, acquaintance in the antiquity as parios stone, was the material that sculptured the big sculptors of antiquity for their unique sculptures, as Ermis of Praxiteli, Venus Of Milos, the statue of god Athina in Aegina, pediment of temples, tomb plate, horseman in the Citadel of Athens, statue in Ramnoynta, epitaph column in Amorgos and other many. The poet K.Kabafis says in his poem “the escort of Dionyssis”: Damon the craftsman (other more capable in Peloponnese idoes not have) the pariano marble processes the escort of Dionyssis. The god with great glory front, with his force in step… Paroikia is the Capital of island and seat of municipality. Paroikia is built in the same part with ancient and constitutes a formal sample of Cycladitic settlement. Closely roads, traditional houses, stone arcades compose the setting in which the visitor has the occasion to experience the present next to the past that makes perceptible his presence through the castles, the churches, the ancient holy and museums. Sovereign natural Mary Katapoliani or Ekatontapyliani, magnificent old-christian temple, constitutes the third at order of importance old-christian monument afterwards the Acheiropoiito and Saint Dimitrios of Thessalonikis. In the center of city was discovered cemetery of 3rd-4th century ac with importantly funeral gifts.

Naoussa
It is the second settlement in population afterwards Paroikia. Has maintained her traditional beauty and this makes it particularly beloved as place of interruptions. It is built in the depth of natural harbor, the second one of Paros after that of Paroikias. The named square with the eucalyptuses and the old harbor constitute points of report for the visitor. The historical monuments that meets someone in his Naoussa give the chance to contact with a piece of history of place. Important its role from the 16th up to 19th century, when becomes also the epicentre of commercial interest. Byzantine, Frenches and Russians that pass from the city leave important samples of their sovereignty. Churches and monasteries 12th, the 13th and later 17th century adorn the city and more generally the region. It is found north-easternly and abstains 10km from Paroikia. From 1993 Naoussa has been twinned with her homonym Naoussa of Imathia.

Dryos
Coastal village that in the antiquity was used as shelter of boats of ancient Parianon, which was protected from trenches in the rock. The golden Coast is one of the bigger and more beautiful beaches of island , because the winds of summertime (etesian winds), are organized each year the World Championship Windsurfing. It is southly-eastern found Paroikiasand abstains 26km.

Marpissa
Marpissa or Tsipido is village built amphitheatric in hill with a lot of churches and monasteries. It is found 19km southly-eastern of Paroikias.

Leukes
The most mountainous village of Paros, built amphitheatric, is one of the most beautiful places in the island, drowned in the green.It was capital of island and it was built in the hinterland in order to avoid the raids of pirates. In the central street of village are found home and churches of 15th-17th century, while round the village exist monasteries of 17th century. In the tops of around hills can no one see old windmills and pigeon houses. It is found 12km southly-eastern of Paroikias.

Community of Antiparoy - History
First residents of island were the Palms and at the antiquity was named “[Oliaros]”. As Antiparos was reported first time the 13th century ac despite the fact that its name is ancient. Antiparos was the name of one from the 50 sons of Egypt, which was stop ed from his wife Kritomytheia, who she was one from 50 Danaides. In 1207 the island was conquered by the nephew of Dogi of Venice, Mark Sanoydo. In the beginning of 15th century Antiparos was compelled each year to give in the Duchy of Naxos 30 oarsman, make that leads to the conclusion that it was over-populated. In 1537 the island, as remainder Cyclades, fall in the hands of Turks and it remains under their possession up to 1770, when reaches in the island the Russian fleet of brothers Orlof. In 1774 fall again in the hands of Turks, take part in the revolution 1821 and in 1830 are linked with Greece. The pillages, the destructions and the slaughters were the fate of residents of island during all of these years where it passed from conqueror in the other. However in the island functioned high school, in which took their first education very important persons, as Neofytos Mayromatis, Despot Naypactos, and the deacon Ananias, one from the bigger schoolteachers of Nation.

Antiparos Today
Unique recollection of those upset years is what remained from the important castle that was built in the during of Enets in 1400 ac. Today the island has roughly 800 residents and a lot of visitors the summertime, that long for interruptions without trouble but with calm and relaxation in a graphic environment. Particular interest presents the cavern with the stalactites and the stalagmites, acquaintance from the antiquity, in which can anyone see names of persons that visited him ago centuries.