SANTORINI

At a distance of 128 miles from Pireas lies Santorini, the volcanic island of Cyclades which presents a rare and breath taking sight. It covers an area of 75 square km and it has about 7000 permanent inhabitants.
The formation of the island is due to various geological upsettings which shook the whole Aegean. Her first name was Kalisti of Strogili (round) because of her shape. During 2000 B.C. a remarkable civilization was developed of the volcano submerged the central part of the island and created a huge underwater crater 83 square miles in extendt, called Caldera (there are only 32 Calderes in the world, the one of Thira (Santorini) and of China which is not inhabited.

The present island together with Aspronisi are the only that remained then from the disaster, and tidal waves destroyed even the flourishing centres of Crete. During the 2nd and the 3rd centuries B.C. other eruptions followed and thus in the center of Caldera emerged the islands of Old and New Kameni, as well as the small island of Thirasia.
It was then that the island had a great development and the Thirei colonists founded Kirini at the coastal of Africa. During the Persian wars the island was subdued by the Persians and later in 420 B.C. it belonged to the sovereignty of the Athenians. In 275 B.C. it was subdued by the Venetians.
It was then that it took the name Santorini after the church of Saint Irene.
The capital of the island is FIRA or HORA. it is built on the top of the Western side of the island with interesting architecture.