Η Folegandros is an island in the Cyclades, between Sikinos and Milos. It is 15 miles (east) from Milos and 22 miles northwest from Santorini. It is also called Polykandros or Polykandros. Its shores are steep and form many capes such as Kastelli, Kyparissos, Aspropounta, Vitsentzos, Grota, Livadi, Livadaki etc.

The island has two large settlements. The capital is Chora (or the town of Folegandros), with 316 inhabitants, built on the east side, at an altitude of 200 m. The other settlement, Ano Meria, is located further north with a population of 291 inhabitants, and is the most traditional part of the island. It is the rural settlement with the houses being at a distance from each other and creating the so-called "Themonies". Smaller settlements are Petousis and the port of the island which is Karavostasis, at its southeastern tip, which is 102 miles from Piraeus and 32 miles from Naxos.

The inhabitants of the island are called Folegandrites or Folegandrinoi, and especially of Chora (capital), Choraites - Choraitisses.

History of Folegandros

The history of Folegandros begins in very old times and usually follows the common history of the Cyclades.

The first reference to the island is made in Greek mythology, where it is mentioned that it was first inhabited by shepherds of Western Greece who were looking for pastures. And of course, because these shepherds were men, the island was named Polyandros. An echo of this ancient name is the name of the island among the sailors as Polykandro.

Then, according to mythology, the Minoan Cretans came to the island, led by the son of the king of Crete Minos Folegandros, after whom the island was named in later times. It is known from historical texts that the island was a refuge for persecuted people from Crete. Scholars also speculate that Folegandros owes its name to the Phoenicians. The Phoenicians, famous merchants in the first years of the 1st millennium BC, used the island as an anchorage and a station on their commercial expeditions throughout the Mediterranean and called it "phelekgundari", a name meaning "rocky land" in their language. which accurately reflects the morphology of the island. Besides, the ancient writer Aratos calls it "iron land", due to the roughness of its soil.

From inscriptions found on the island, the inhabitants during the historical period must have been Dorians from Santorini of the genus Aigides.

In 425 BC. It is said that he had already been possessed and was a subject of the Athenians, paying an annual tax of 2.000 drachmas, according to an inscription found on the Acropolis of Athens. The second historical report comes from an inscription found in Delphi despite the treasure of Sifnia, of the 4th - 3rd century BC. which Folegandros is said to have contributed financially to the repair of the temple of Apollo, or to have been a colony founded by order of the Oracle.

The Romans used the island as a place of exile. During the Frankish rule, Folegandros belonged to the Duchy of the Aegean. It was conquered by the founder of the Duchy, Markos Sanoudos, in 1212 and he built a large fortress at the highest point of Chora, where the ancient city is. The island remained under Venetian rule until 1566, when it was deserted by Turkish pirates. In 1617 the Turks occupied and ruled the island permanently until 1821, while in 1715 Folegandros was looted and deserted by Pasha Janum Hoxha who enslaved its inhabitants.

Source: Wikipedia https://el.wikipedia.org/wiki/Φολέγανδρος

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