The view from the Asklepieion ruins and monuments on Kos island takes in nearby Kos Town and extends to the mountainous coast of Turkey. Click on the photo to open a larger image so you can enjoy a better view!
Category: Monuments & historic sites
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Pic of the day: The Odeon of Herodes Atticus
The city of Athens fans outward from The Odeon of Herodes Atticus theatre, situated on the south side of the Acropolis. Originally built in 161 AD, the venue had a wooden roof and could seat 5,000 people for music concerts. The seating and stage areas were renovated in the 1950s, and the open-air theatre now hosts theatre, music and dance performances for the annual Athens & Epidaurus Festival, which runs between June and September.
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The Castle of the Knights in Kos Town
The exterior wall of the Castle of the Knights of St John, viewed from the opposite side of palm-tree-lined Finikon street in Kos Town …
… and part of the castle interior, viewed from the elevated walkway that extends along the perimeter of the castle’s tall stone walls. Visible in the distance is the Bodrum area of Turkey.
Seaside stronghold: When I was a little kid, my friends and I used to build makeshift forts and treehouses and compete for control over the territory. “I’m the king of the castle, and you’re a dirty rascal” was a familiar taunt back in those days. It’s too bad our parents never took us to Kos, because we would have had the time of our young lives visiting the Castle of the Knights in Kos Town.
One of the most popular tourist attractions in Kos, the castle was constructed sometime in the 15th Century by the Knights of St. John, who used stones and marble recovered from the ruins of an ancient city that was devastated by an earthquake. It took them more than 120 years to finish building the stronghold, which was the second castle to be built on the site. (The first one was built in the early 1300s and later got completely destroyed). There actually is a castle within a castle — the outer wall was built between 1495 and 1514 to provide extra fortification for the original castle built more than a half century before.
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Island landmark: The Holy Monastery of Patmos
The biggest building on Patmos just happens to be the island’s biggest tourist attraction — The Holy Monastery of Patmos, seen towering above the houses and mansions of Chora. Also known as the Monastery of St. John, it was built around 1088.
Another view of the imposing fortress-like monastery, the number 1 sightseeing destination for tourists whose cruise ships make brief calls into Skala port at Patmos
The monastery dominates the Patmos landscape even when viewed from sea
A zoom view of Chora and the monastery, shot from a ferry departing Skala port
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Take a spectacular flight above Greece!
Aerial visions: I never need inspiration to plan a trip to Greece, but today friends of mine passed along a link to a stunning video that I couldn’t resist sharing. it’s called “Visions of Greece,” and it was posted online by YouTube member Chania Crete. The video is 54 minutes long, so pour yourself a glass of your favourite Greek wine or ouzo, sit back, relax and enjoy the breathtaking scenery. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself checking airfares to Greece after watching!
