Initially, the island was called Thera. Santorini was named by the first Italian seamen to sail in its harbour. The chapel in the port was named in the honour of Santa Irene, so the whole island was named Santorini
According
to tradition, there is
one Church for each family in the island. Each Church has a
name after a Saint who protects the family. On the name day of the
Saint, the family gives a special reception with free food and wine for
everyone who may be there. This reception is called "panigiris".
The
island is almost dry and there are only very few springs on it. The
Santorinians, in order to cover their daily needs, use rainwater, which is
collected in special cisterns during the winter. Every house has its own
cistern. In order to clean the water they used to have leeches (vdeles)
in the cisterns, which absorbed viruses. Today they use chemicals.
Furthermore, the island is supplied, especially during summer time, by water-carrying ships.
Some years ago Santorini was a rather poor island. The earthquakes were a catastrophe for the economy. Even food was a problem. The island's main product was the famous little tomato of Santorini. As there was no money for buying meet, the Santorinians cooked, instead of meat balls, tomato balls. You can get the " know-how" for making "tomato balls" in our gourmet.
In Oia, the picturesque traditional
town on the northwest side of Santorini, an old mansion has been restored
and converted into a museum that houses the Maritime History of Thera.
ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM IN
FIRA
Found right on the borders of the Catholic and the Orthodox quarters. Finds representative of the island's long history are housed here, including vases and figurines (eidolia=Idols) of the Early Cycladic Civilization period (2500-2000 BC - second of the three pre-historic civilizations in the Aegean Sea, the Minoan and the Mycenaean Civilizations being the first one and third one of them).
ACROTIRI
An ancient Minoan City is located to the south of the present village. Excavations still go on. Nevertheless you can walk in the streets of the ancient town. This site has been known since 1870 when two members of the French Archaeological School, Mamet and Gorceix, made the first research. In 1899, Robert Zahn carried out minor excavations at the site of Potamos. The present excavations commenced in 1967 by Professor Marinatos who was killed in the area of the settlement in 1974, falling into one of the excavation pits. A large part of the city is brought to light, nevertheless it is estimated that excavations will continue for many decades in the future. Fantastically well preserved frescos were found covering the inner walls of the ancient houses. They are now kept in a special department in the National Archaeological Museum in downtown Athens. BUT, there are reproductions to be seen here, in Petros M. Nomikos Conference Centre
·
A
complete set of reproductions was first presented in Greece during the 1st
International Symposium on the Wall Paintings of Thera in 1997. Since
then, the exhibition has been open to the public between May and October
each year, attracting an important number of visitors.
The tunnels of the Petros M. Nomikos Conference Centre have been providing
a most suitable background for the display of the reproductions.
They are beautifully incorporated in the setting, allowing the visitor to
imagine how the original frescoes would have been on the walls of the
prehistoric city of Akrotiri where they were discovered some 30 years ago.
It is really a rare opportunity for any visitor, the scholar, the tourist
or the Santorini resident, to be able to enjoy all 41 frescoes so far
discovered, in Santorini, their actual birthplace, together for the first
time since they were buried 3.500 years ago.
VISIT THE EXHIBITION - MAY TO OCTOBER 2001
Do not miss the chance to immerse yourself in this enchanted lost world,
revived for all to experience; plan your holidays on Santorini and visit
the Petros M. Nomikos Conference Centre.
The
exhibition is open daily from 10:00 to 21:00
