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Zakynthos Town

zankynthos greeceZakynthos Town is the capital and port. The center of town is the large and formal harborside square of Platea Solomou named after Zakynthos' famous poet and author of the Greek National Anthem, Dionysios Solomos.

zankynthos greeceYou'll see his statue waving at you in the square as well as the statue of fellow poet and Zantiote Ugo Foscolo with its inscription 'Liberty requires Virtue & Daring' just outside the Town Hall.

Also in the square is the Cultural Center and the Sailor's Church, Aghio Nicolaou tou Molou (of the Mole, ie. quay). The church was rebuilt painstakingly after the quake.

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The Neo-Byzantine Museum also resides in the square (8-2:30, closed Mon, fee, free on Sun). The Museum is one of the best of its kind as Zakynthos had many fine artists and the refugees from Crete only added to their skills. Additionally, there are ancient finds from around the island and momentoes from the War for Independence.

ZakynthosThe social center of town life is Platea Aghious Markou or St. Marks Square. It's located back from the harbor. Here are several good restaurants, cafes and the Solomos Museum with momentoes of his life as well as those of other famous islanders. You can see pictures of pre-quake Zakynthos.

zankynthos greeceA 45 minute walk up the cobbled path behind Platea Markou (or a short taxi ride from town) through the picturesque suburb of Bochali will bring you to the ruined Venetian Fortress (8-8, fee) with its crest of St. Mark, set amidst pine trees.

Finds within include

  • Sotera or Pantocrator or "Domo" (Byzantine Church of the 12th century)
  • St. Frangiskos (St. Francis), three aisled basilica of the 14th century
  • St. Varvara (St. Barbara), a single-aisled basilica
  • St. Ioannes Prodromos (St. John the Baptist), enf of the 15th century
  • Church of the Hyperayia Theotokos (Virgin) Laourentaina
  • St. Ioannes (St. John) Theologos, 15th century
  • Venetian prisons
  • Venetian powder-magazine
  • Officers Playing Field
  • English Barracks
  • Headquarters - barracks

Completed in 1646 on the site of the ancient Acropolis of Psophidas (of which little remains) it has borne the brunt of earthquke damage. Nearby are ruins of midieval Venetian, Greek and British villas. Repairs were carried out in 1812 by the British who laid out the very first tennis court in Greece close by.

More Zakynthos page: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5