view from Taxiarchis church (Megalo chorio)
Tilos Today
Tilos is situated between the islands of Nisyros and Halki. It has an area of 64 square kms, a coastline of 63 kms and a distance of 290 nautical miles form the port of Piraeus. The ground is rocky with the only exception being a small fertile valley found almost in the center of the island and which ends up on the idyllic, one kilometer long, sandy beach of Eristos.
General view of mikro chorio
Today Tilos has 300 inhabitants. The island has two basic settlements – Livadia , which is the island's port, and Megalo Chorio. Megalo Chorio is the capital and quite an impressive settlement built as it is at the foot of a rocky hill with the Castle, which built by the Knights of St. John, poised above it. Until early in the 18th century, the entire village resided within the castle walls.
The houses of the settlement are stone build and they preserve the local architectural elements.In Megalo Chorio you will visit the Church of Taxiarchis and admire its wood carved iconostasis - the saints celebration is on Nov 8th and on July 28th when an old custom "the dance of the koupa" revives every year. From the Castle one can see the picturesque little port of St. Antonis with the ancient church of Taxiarchis within which are some
more frescoes from the 16th century. In the past years Tilos had more inhabitants and more districts, from which only Megalo Chorio, which is the island's capital and Livadia, the island's port are still inhabited today. At a 2,5 km distance west of Megalo Chorio you can visit the monastery of St. Antonis whlie 6,5 kms NW is the monastery of St. Pandeleimon - the most important monastery of the island. It is estimated that it took its current appearance during the second half of the 15th century and it flourished around the 18th century. It has many frescoes and a pebbled yard.
general view of Tilos port town
Another settlement of the island, deserted today but while worth visiting is Mikro Chorio. It is postulated that it was built during the Knights era but its inhabitants started leaving it during the 1930 decade.
Tilos in history
Tilos was first inhabited during the neolithic period. It was invaded and ruled by various tribes such as the Pelasgic and Mycenean people. Concerning its name it is thought that it preserves up to date its ancient name. According to mythology, Tilos took its name from Tilo, the youngest son of Telchinidas Aleas and Helios. On this island Tilo gathered therapeutic plants for his ill wife and later built a
Frescoes from panteleimon monastery
temple of which he became the priest. Athough the myth has a charm, the truth about the name like most other islands' names, is that it has an unknown pre-Hellenic origin.
Tilos sites
View of megalo chorio
On Tilos was born and lived the tender poet Irinna, thught to be equal to the famous Sapfo - she died at a very early age.
dwarf elephants (Unique finding worldwide)
During Hellenistic times Tilos was subject to the influence of the mighty state of Rhodes and was finally incorporated into it. In 1310 the Knights of St. John invaded Tilos. The Turks capture the island in 1522 till 1922 that Italians take control. Tilos was incorporated to mother Greece in 1948.
Of special interest are the paleontological findings which are of worldwide importance. In November 1971 a paleontological excavation in the cave of Harkadio, brought to day many ancient relics: bones of dwarf elephants which lived on the island some 50,000 years ago up until 3-4,000 years ago; bones of deer which lived 140,000 years ago and Neolithic ceramics and stone tools. One can amire dwarf elephant sceletons at the archaelogical museum in Megalo Chorio. Other sites of Tilos worth visiting are:
- Taxiarchis Church-Meg. Chorio
- St. Pandeleimonas Monastery
- Pre-christian church in Livadia
- St. Nicolas church - Livadia
- Old settlement of "Gera"
- Mikro Chorio with its churches that have frescoes from the 18th and 15th centuries.
- There are around 20 chapels all over the island worth visiting that contain 13th and 16th century frescoes.