Sights in Paros

Panagia Ekatontapyliani

The most important attraction in Paros

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Panagia Ekatontapyliani is the jewel of Paros also known as the Church of one hundred gates. It is a historic Byzantine church located in the town of Parikia. The complex includes a central church surrounded by two smaller churches, as well as a baptistery on the east side with an inscription on the rare cruciform, marble baptismal tub.

The church dates from 326 AD. According to the sources it was founded by Saint Helen, the mother of the Roman emperor Constantine the Great (reigned 306-337 AD), during her pilgrimage to the Holy Land, when she stopped on the island to pray at a local chapel.

Ekatontapyliani is known for the pilgrimages that take place there in honour of Panagia, the Holy Virgin. It is the second largest pilgrimage destination in the Aegean, after the famous Panagia Megalohari on the nearby island of Tinos. Inside the main church you can see the two remaining columns from the temple of Artemis/Diana on which Ekatontapiliani was built.

Panagia Ekatontapyliani is the most important attraction on the island of Paros.

The Venetian Castle of Naoussa

In the most cosmopolitan and picturesque village of Paros

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The Venetian castle in the picturesque port of Naoussa adds a touch of history to this traditional village. The castle was built in the early 14th century. In the 15th century it was renovated by the Sommaripas, the family that ruled Paros until 1517.

To reach the ruins of the castle, the largest part of which is now submerged, you have to walk on the wall that protects the port of Naoussa. When there is a strong north wind, the waves break on the wall and you can easily get wet.

In the picturesque port of this coastal town, you will find many taverns, cafés and bars of singular beauty. We strongly recommend that you wander round the narrow, cobblestone alleys of Naoussa, one of the most beautiful villages of the Cyclades.

Delion

The sanctuary of Apollo overlooking the historic island of Delos

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On top of a hill on the north side of Parikia lies the sanctuary of Apollo and Artemis/Diana. It is called Delion, because it is opposite the holy island of Delos. The sanctuary was established at the end of the 9th century BC and was used until the 5th century BC. During this period another marble temple was built on the north side of the older, archaic temple in honour of Apollo’s sister Artemis/Diana. Among the other ruins in Delion, an ancient cemetery dating back to 3000 BC has also been unearthed.

The area surrounding Delion was used throughout antiquity as part of the phryctoriae system, a system of communication that used an organized network of flames on mountaintops and hilltops to spread a message over long distances. According to the legend, this particular technique was also used by Agamemnon to inform his wife, Clytemnestra, in Mycenae that Troy had fallen. This message traveled over 700km in merely a few hours. When the sky is clear you can make out many of the surrounding islands and you will be rewarded for walking up there with an unforgettable view!

Holy Monastery of Agios Antonios

Unique view of the entire eastern Paros

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The castle on the hill of Kefalos dominates over the eastern side of the village of Marpissa at the top of which we find the Holy Monastery of Agios Antonios which dates from the 17th century. The hike from Marpissa to the Holy Monastery takes about 30 minutes and is one of the most interesting trails in Paros.

On your way to the top you will come across many large, white stones which are all that remains of the Venetian, now ruined town of Kefalos. Among the ruins are the remains of many small churches that were destroyed and looted.

Once you reach the top, you can admire the Holy Monastery of Agios Antonios with the old icons and the impressive iconostasis carved in wood and decorated with gold leaves. The hill is cone-shaped and the view of eastern Paros is breathtaking from up there. The monastery is only open in the morning during the summer months.

Archaeological Museum

The most important museum in Paros

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The archaeological museum was founded in 1960 in order to house the ancient relics that until then were kept in the monastery of Ekatontapyliani. The Museum includes the following collections:

Hall A: Sculptures from the Ancient and Classical periods.

Hall B: Small ceramic objects and sculptures dating from the Neolithic, Early Cycladic, Mycenaean, Geometric, Archaic, Classical, Hellenistic and Roman periods.

Atrium: Sculptures and architectural elements, urns / sarcophagi for burial and mosaic floors from the Roman Period