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KASTELORIZO > STORIA

STORIA

Kastelorizo is inhabited since Neolithic times. The history of this small island is revealed in the important sites it has.

In ancient times it was known with the name Megisti, which is used even today.

In the island bloomed the Mycenaic civilization, as it seems from the findings of mycenaic graves brought into light by excavations. Dorians followed that built the acropolis in Paleokastro, in the west part of the island, parts of which are saved until our days.

In 530 BC Megisti is domained by Rhodes and follows the same historic route with the capital of Dodecanese.

Romans and Byzantine later conquer the island, while in 1306 the island is in the hands of Saint John Knights. Castle Kastelo Roso was built then, from which the island was named Kastelorizo.

In 1440 the island was conquered by the Sultan of Egypt.

In 1512 Turkish prevail in the island. Their possession lasted until 1912 when Italians come.

From the end of 19th until the middle of the 20th century the island bloomed. Then it had about 15.000 residents.

Kastelorizo was bombed during World War One. It was then that residents started to immigrate and abandon it. This continued and after World War Two, when the island was bombed once again and suffered a lot of catastrophes.

Kastelorizo adjusted to Greece in 1948, as all Dodecanese islands.