THE CASTLE OF ANTIPAROS ISLAND

Piracy, either in low or high periods, kept the islanders in a state of permanent defense, under every regime and in all centuries from the Middle Ages down to after the war of Independence. It was only natural, then, that architecture should take a defensive form.

Settlements were built on naturally fortified sites or around some castle, even inside the confined space of a walled enclosure.

As soon as you go through the gate of the old castle, you find yourself in a time long gone by, centuries ago in the past, on a narrow lane leading to the ruins of the tower overrun by weeds. This is a place where imagination runs wild, mind and senses go numb and wake up in another world.

THE CAVE

From the port of Antiparos, right by the quay were ships moor, starts the paved road which leads all the way to the cave. It is located on the southwestern slope of Agios Ioannis ridge, at an altitude of 171 meters.

Many centuries ago, the roof of its front part collapsed, resulting in the creation of the present vaulted entrance which is 20 meters wide and 8 meters high. In the open and half covered space formed by the collapsing, there are two small churches to the right of the entrance, one of Ai Giannis Spiliotis and the smaller and older one of Zoodochos Pigi, connected to each other. The cave is not home to any considerable organic life, apart from some mushrooms and small insects. Studies have shown that it doesn't have any static problems, and the stairs built by the community allow for an easy descent. Each summer the cave is visited by about 10.000 people.