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'{{short description|A volcanic island in the southern Aegean Sea}} {{other uses}} {{redirect|Thera}} {{Infobox Greek Dimos |name = Santorini / Thera|name_local = {{lang|el|Σαντορίνη}} / {{lang|el|Θήρα}} |image_skyline = [[File:Ia Santorini-2009-1.JPG|325px|center]] |caption_skyline = June 2009 view with the collapsed caldera on the right |image_map = 2011 Dimos Thiras.png |city_seal =[[File:Emblem of Thira.svg|90px]] |coordinates = {{coord|36|25|N|25|26|E|format=dms|display=inline,title}} |elevation_min = |elevation_max = |periph = [[South Aegean]] |periphunit = [[Thira (regional unit)|Thira]] |pop_municipality = 15550 |area_municipality = 90.69 |pop_municunit = 14005 |area_municunit = |pop_community = 1857 |mayor = |party = |since = |population_as_of = 2011 |postal_code = 847 00, 847 02 |area_code = 22860 |licence = EM |website = [http://www.thira.gr www.thira.gr] }} '''Santorini''' ({{lang-el|Σαντορίνη}}, {{IPA-el|sandoˈrini|pron}}), classically '''Thera''' ([[English language|English]] pronunciation {{IPAc-en|ˈ|θ|ɪər|ə}}), and officially '''Thira''' ([[Greek language|Greek]]: Θήρα {{IPA-el|ˈθira|}}), is an island in the southern [[Aegean Sea]], about 200&nbsp;km (120&nbsp;mi) southeast of [[Greece]]'s mainland. It is the largest island of a small, circular [[archipelago]], which bears the same name and is the remnant of a [[volcano|volcanic]] [[caldera]]. It forms the southernmost member of the [[Cyclades]] group of islands, with an area of approximately 73&nbsp;km² (28&nbsp;sq&nbsp;mi) and a 2011 census population of 15,550. The municipality of Santorini includes the inhabited islands of Santorini and [[Therasia]] and the uninhabited islands of [[Nea Kameni]], [[Palaia Kameni]], [[Aspronisi]], and [[Christiana Island|Christiana]]. The total land area is 90.623&nbsp;km² (34.990&nbsp;sq&nbsp;mi).<ref name=stat01>{{cite web|url=http://dlib.statistics.gr/Book/GRESYE_02_0101_00098%20.pdf|publisher=National Statistical Service of Greece|title=Population & housing census 2001 (incl. area and average elevation)|language=el|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150921212047/http://dlib.statistics.gr/Book/GRESYE_02_0101_00098%20.pdf|archivedate=2015-09-21|df=}}</ref> Santorini is part of the [[Thira (regional unit)|Thira regional unit]].<ref name=Kallikratis>[http://www.kedke.gr/uploads2010/FEKB129211082010_kallikratis.pdf Kallikratis law] Greece Ministry of Interior {{el icon}}</ref> The island was the site of one of the largest [[volcanic eruption]]s in recorded history: the [[Minoan eruption]] (sometimes called the Thera eruption), which occurred about 3,600 years ago at the height of the [[Minoan civilization]].<ref name="readersnatural" /> The eruption left a large caldera surrounded by [[volcanic ash]] deposits hundreds of metres deep. It may have led indirectly to the collapse of the Minoan civilization on the island of [[Crete]], {{convert|110|km|abbr=on}} to the south, through a gigantic [[tsunami]]. Another popular theory holds that the Thera eruption is the source of the legend of [[Atlantis]].<ref name=pell>Charles Pellegrino, ''Unearthing Atlantis – An Archaeological Odyssey'' Vintage Books, 1991</ref> It is the most active volcanic centre in the [[South Aegean Volcanic Arc]], though what remains today is chiefly a water-filled caldera. The volcanic arc is approximately {{convert|500|km|mi|abbr=on}} long and {{convert|20|to|40|km|mi|abbr=on}} wide. The region first became volcanically active around 3–4 million years ago{{fact|date=December 2018}}, though volcanism on Thera began around 2 million years ago with the extrusion of dacitic lavas from vents around the [[Akrotiri (Santorini)|Akrotiri]]. ==Names== [[File:Fira town.jpg|thumb|325px|left|[[Fira]], main town of Santorini]] Santorini was named by the [[Latin Empire]] in the thirteenth century, and is a reference to [[Agape, Chionia, and Irene|Saint Irene]], from the name of the old [[cathedral]] in the village of [[Perissa, Santorini|Perissa]] – the name '''Santorini''' is a contraction of the name '''Santa Irini'''.<ref name="readersnatural">{{Cite book|title=Natural Wonders of the World|publisher=Reader's Digest Association, Inc|year=1980|isbn=0-89577-087-3|editor-last=Scheffel|editor-first=Richard L.|location=United States of America|pages=336–337|quote=|editor-last2=Wernet|editor-first2=Susan J.|via=}}</ref> Before then, it was known as '''Kallístē''' (Καλλίστη, ''"the most beautiful one"''), '''Strongýlē''' ({{lang-el|Στρογγύλη}}, ''"the circular one"''),<ref>C. Doumas (editor). ''Thera and the Aegean world: papers presented at the second international scientific congress, Santorini, Greece, August 1978''. London, 1978. {{ISBN|0-9506133-0-4}}</ref>{{full citation needed|date=September 2017}} or '''Thēra'''. The name ''Thera'' was revived in the nineteenth century as the official name of the island and its main city, but the colloquial name ''Santorini'' is still in popular use. ==Municipality== The present municipality of Thera (officially: ''"Thira"'', {{lang-el|Δήμος Θήρας}}),<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thira.gov.gr |title=Δήμος Θήρας, the official municipal government website |language=Greek |accessdate=2011-04-17}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thira.gov.gr/portal/page/portal/thira/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120727171013/http://www.thira.gov.gr/portal/page/portal/thira/ |dead-url=yes |archive-date=2012-07-27 |title=Municipality of Thira, English language version of the official municipal government website |accessdate=2011-04-17 }}</ref> which covers all settlements on the islands of Santorini and [[Therasia]], was formed at the 2011 local government reform, by the merger of the former [[Oia, Greece|Oia]] and Thera municipalities.<ref name=Kallikratis/> Oia is now called a {{lang|el|Κοινότητα}} (community), within the municipality of Thera, and it consists of the local subdivisions ({{lang-el|τοπικό διαμέρισμα}}) of Therasia and [[Oia, Greece|Oia]]. The municipality of Thera includes an additional 12 local subdivisions on Santorini island: Akrotiri, Emporio, Episkopis Gonia, Exo Gonia, [[Imerovigli]], Karterados, Megalohori, Mesaria, Pyrgos Kallistis, Thera (the seat of the municipality), Vothon, and Vourvoulos.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ypes.gr/UserFiles/f0ff9297-f516-40ff-a70e-eca84e2ec9b9/D_diairesi.xls |title=Spreadsheet table of all administrative subdivisions in Greece, and their population as of the 18 March 2001 census. |format=Excel |publisher=Hellenic Republic, Ministry of Interior, Decentralization and E-government |accessdate=2011-04-17}}</ref> [[File:Santorini Landsat.jpg|thumb|upright=1.25|Satellite image of [[Santorini caldera]]. The large island to the east is Thera, with Aspronisi and [[Therasia]] making up the rest of the caldera ring, clockwise. In the centre is the larger [[Nea Kameni]] and the smaller [[Palea Kameni]].]] == Economy == Santorini's primary industry is tourism. The two main sources of wealth in Santorini are agriculture and tourism. In recent years, Santorini has been voted one of the world's most beautiful islands ([https://www.tripadvisor.in/TravelersChoice-Islands-cTop-g4 2015 Travelers” Choice Awards] [http://www.cntraveler.com/galleries/2014-10-20/top-30-islands-in-the-world-readers-choice-awards-2014 Reader's Choice Awards], amongst others). Santorini remains the home of a small, but flourishing wine industry, based on the indigenous [[Assyrtiko]] grape variety. White varieties also include Athiri and Aidani, whereas red varieties include mavrotragano and mandilaria. ==Geology== {{main|Santorini caldera}} ===Geological setting=== The Cyclades are part of a [[Metamorphism|metamorphic]] complex that is known as the [[Cycladic Massif]]. The complex formed during the [[Miocene]] and was folded and metamorphosed during the [[Alpine orogeny]] around 60 million years ago. Thera is built upon a small, non-volcanic [[Basement rock|basement]] that represents the former non-volcanic island, which was approximately {{convert|9|by|6|km|mi|abbr=on}}. The basement rock is primarily composed of metamorphosed [[limestone]] and [[schist]], which date from the Alpine Orogeny. These non-volcanic rocks are exposed at [[Mikro Profititis Ilias]], Mesa Vouno, the Gavrillos ridge, [[Pyrgos Kallistis|Pyrgos]], [[Monolithos, Greece|Monolithos]], and the inner side of the caldera wall between Cape Plaka and Athinios. The metamorphic grade is a [[blueschist]] [[Metamorphic facies|facies]], which results from tectonic deformation by the [[subduction]] of the [[African Plate]] beneath the [[Eurasian Plate]]. Subduction occurred between the [[Oligocene]] and the [[Miocene]], and the metamorphic grade represents the southernmost extent of the Cycladic blueschist belt. ===Volcanism=== Volcanism on Santorini is due to the [[Hellenic Trench]] [[subduction zone]] southwest of Crete. The [[oceanic crust]] of the northern margin of the [[African Plate]] is being subducted under Greece and the Aegean Sea, which is thinned [[continental crust]]. The subduction compels the formation of the [[Hellenic arc]], which includes Santorini and other volcanic centres, such as [[Methana Volcano|Methana]], [[Milos]], and [[Kos]].<ref name=druitt>{{Cite book | publisher = Geological Society | isbn = 978-1-86239-048-5 | volume = 19 | last = Druitt | first = Timothy H. |author2=L. Edwards |author3=R.M. Mellors |author4=D.M. Pyle |author5=R.S.J. Sparks |author6=M. Lanphere |author7=M. Davies |author8=B. Barriero | title = Santorini Volcano | location = London | series = Geological Society Memoir | year = 1999 }}</ref> [[File:Santorini 3D version 1.gif|thumb|upright=1.1|left|Three-dimensional [[Computer-generated imagery|CGI]] [[aerial view|aerial spinning view]] of Santorini island]] [[File:Santorini NeaKameni tango7174.jpg|thumb|Volcanic craters at Santorini (2011 photo)]] The island is the result of repeated sequences of [[shield volcano]] construction followed by [[caldera|caldera collapse]].<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.decadevolcano.net/santorini/santorini_volcanism.htm | title=Geology of Santorini|work= Volcano Discovery}}</ref> The inner coast around the caldera is a sheer precipice of more than {{convert|300|m}} drop at its highest, and exhibits the various layers of solidified lava on top of each other, and the main towns perched on the crest. The ground then slopes outwards and downwards towards the outer perimeter, and the outer beaches are smooth and shallow. Beach sand colour depends on which geological layer is exposed; there are beaches with sand or pebbles made of solidified lava of various colours: such as the Red Beach, the Black Beach and the White Beach. The water at the darker coloured beaches is significantly warmer because the lava acts as a heat absorber. The area of Santorini incorporates a group of islands created by volcanoes, spanning across Thera, Thirasia, Aspronisi, Palea, and Nea Kameni. [[File:Viewing Fira from Nea Kameni.JPG|thumb|Fira from [[Nea Kameni]] volcanic Island]] Santorini has erupted many times, with varying degrees of explosivity. There have been at least twelve large explosive eruptions, of which at least four were [[caldera]]-forming.<ref name="druitt" /> The most famous eruption is the [[Minoan eruption]], detailed below. Eruptive products range from [[basalt]] all the way to [[rhyolite]], and the rhyolitic products are associated with the most explosive eruptions. The earliest eruptions, many of which were [[submarine eruption|submarine]], were on the Akrotiri Peninsula, and active between 650,000 and 550,000 years ago.<ref name="druitt" /> These are [[geochemistry|geochemically]] distinct from the later volcanism, as they contain [[amphibole]]s. Over the past 360,000 years there have been two major cycles, each culminating with two caldera-forming eruptions. The cycles end when the magma evolves to a rhyolitic composition, causing the most explosive eruptions. In between the caldera-forming eruptions are a series of sub-cycles. Lava flows and small explosive eruptions build up [[volcanic cone|cones]], which are thought to impede the flow of magma to the surface.<ref name="druitt" /> This allows the formation of large magma chambers, in which the magma can evolve to more [[silicic]] compositions. Once this happens, a large explosive eruption destroys the cone. The Kameni islands in the centre of the lagoon are the most recent example of a cone built by this volcano, with much of them hidden beneath the water. [[File:ISS017-E-5037 lrg.jpg|thumb|Recent aerial image of the volcano crater]] ====Minoan eruption==== {{Main|Minoan eruption}} The devastating volcanic eruption of Thera has become the most famous single event in the Aegean before the fall of [[Troy]]. It may have been one of the largest volcanic eruptions on Earth in the last few thousand years, with an estimated VEI ([[volcanic explosivity index]]) of 6 according to the last studies published in 2006, confirming the prior values. The violent eruption was centred on a small island just north of the existing island of Nea Kameni in the centre of the caldera; the caldera itself was formed several hundred thousand years ago by the collapse of the centre of a circular island, caused by the emptying of the magma chamber during an eruption. It has been filled several times by [[ignimbrite]] since then, and the process repeated itself, most recently 21,000 years ago. The northern part of the caldera was refilled by the volcano, then collapsed once more during the Minoan eruption. Before the Minoan eruption, the caldera formed a nearly continuous ring with the only entrance between the tiny island of Aspronisi and Thera; the eruption destroyed the sections of the ring between Aspronisi and Therasia, and between Therasia and Thera, creating two new channels. On Santorini, a deposit of white [[tephra]] thrown from the eruption is found lying up to {{convert|60|m|ft|abbr=on}} thick, overlying the soil marking the ground level before the eruption, and forming a layer divided into three fairly distinct bands indicating different phases of the eruption. Archaeological discoveries in 2006 by a team of international scientists revealed that the Santorini event was much more massive than previously thought; it expelled {{convert|61|km3|cumi}} of magma and rock into the Earth's atmosphere, compared to previous estimates of only {{convert|39|km3|cumi}} in 1991,<ref name=":0">[http://www.uri.edu/news/releases/?id=3654 URI.edu<!-- Bot generated title -->], URI Department of Communications and Marketing</ref><ref name=":1">[http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/08/060823-thera-volcano.html NationalGeographic.com<!-- Bot generated title -->], "Atlantis" Eruption Twice as Big as Previously Believed, Study Suggests.</ref> producing an estimated {{convert|100|km3|cumi}} of tephra. Only the [[Mount Tambora]] volcanic eruption of 1815, the [[Hatepe eruption|181 AD eruption]] of [[Lake Taupo]], and possibly [[Baekdu Mountain]]'s 969 AD eruption have released more material into the atmosphere during the past 5,000 years. [[File:SantoriniPartialPano.jpg|thumb|upright=4|center|<center>Panoramic view of the [[Santorini caldera]], taken from Oia.</center>]] =====Speculation on an Exodus connection===== <!-- This section is linked to from the [[Passage of the Red Sea]] and the [[Reed Sea]] articles. Please update these links if the section title changes. --> In ''The Parting of the Sea: How Volcanoes, Earthquakes, and Plagues Shaped the Exodus Story'',<ref name=":2">{{Cite book|last = Sivertsen|first = Barbara J|title = The Parting of the Sea: How Volcanoes, Earthquakes, and Plagues Shaped the Story of the Exodus|publisher = [[Princeton University Press]]|year = 2009|isbn = 978-0-691-13770-4}}</ref> geologist [[Barbara J. Sivertsen]] seeks to establish a link between the eruption of Santorini (c. 1600 BC) and the [[The Exodus|Exodus]] of the [[Israelites]] from [[Egypt]] in the [[Bible]]. A 2006 [[documentary film]] by [[Simcha Jacobovici]], ''[[The Exodus Decoded]]'',<ref name=":3">{{cite web|url=http://www.theexodusdecoded.net/ |title=The Exodus Decoded Office Website |publisher=Theexodusdecoded.net |accessdate=2010-10-24}}</ref> postulates that the eruption of the Santorini Island [[volcano]] (referred to as c. 1500 BC) caused all the [[Plagues of Egypt|biblical plagues described against Egypt]]. The documentary presents this date as corresponding to the time of the Biblical [[Moses]]. The film asserts that the [[Hyksos]] were the Israelites and that some of them may have originally been from [[Mycenaean Greece|Mycenae]]. The film also suggests that these original Mycenaean Israelites fled Egypt (which they had in fact ruled for some time) after the eruption, and went back to Mycenae. The [[Pharaoh of the Exodus]] is identified with [[Ahmose I]]. Rather than crossing the [[Red Sea]], Jacobovici argues a marshy area in northern Egypt known as the [[Reed Sea]] would have been alternately drained and flooded by [[tsunami]]s caused by the caldera collapse, and could have been [[Passage of the Red Sea|crossed during the Exodus]]. Jacobovici's assertions in ''The Exodus Decoded'' have been extensively criticized by religious and other scholars.<ref name=":4">{{cite web|title= Debunking "The Exodus Decoded" |url=http://www.biblearchaeology.org/post/2006/09/Debunking-The-Exodus-Decoded.aspx|date= September 20, 2006 |work= |publisher= |accessdate=8 August 2009}}</ref><ref name=":5">{{cite web|title= The Exodus Decoded: An Extended Review |url= http://www.heardworld.com/higgaion/?p=459|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20071012083435/http://www.heardworld.com/higgaion/?p=459|dead-url= yes|archive-date= 12 October 2007|date= 19 Dec 2006 |work= |publisher= |accessdate=8 August 2009}}</ref> In a 2013 book on this connection, ''Thera and the Exodus'', a dissident from the consensus [[Riaan Booysen]], tries to support Jacobovici's theory and claims the pharaoh of the Exodus to be [[Amenhotep III]] and the biblical Moses as [[Crown Prince Thutmose]], Amenhotep’s first-born son and heir to his throne.<ref name=":6">Booysen, Riaan (2013), ''Thera and the Exodus'', O Books, {{ISBN|978-1-78099-449-9}}.</ref> =====Speculation on an Atlantis connection===== {{Main|Location hypotheses of Atlantis}} [[archeology|Archaeological]], [[seismology|seismological]], and [[vulcanology|vulcanological]] evidence<ref name=":7">{{cite web|title=Santorini Eruption (~1630 BC) and the legend of Atlantis |url=http://www.geology.sdsu.edu/how_volcanoes_work/santorini.html |accessdate=2008-03-09}}</ref><ref name=":8">{{cite web|title=Ye gods! Ancient volcano could have blasted Atlantis myth |last=Vergano |first=Dan |date=2006-08-27 |publisher= USA Today |url=https://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/columnist/vergano/2006-08-27-ancient-volcano_x.htm |accessdate=2008-03-09}}</ref><ref name=":9">{{cite news|last=Lilley |first=Harvey |date=20 April 2007 |title=The wave that destroyed Atlantis |publisher= BBC Timewatch |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/6568053.stm |accessdate=2008-03-09}}</ref> has been presented linking the [[Atlantis]] myth to Santorini. Speculation suggesting that Thera/Santorini was the inspiration for [[Plato]]'s Atlantis began with the excavation of Akrotiri in the 1960s, and gained increased currency as reconstructions of the island's pre-eruption shape and landscape frescos located under the ash both strongly resembled Plato's description. The possibility has been more recently popularized by television documentaries such as [[History (U.S. TV channel)|The History Channel]] programme ''Lost Worlds'' (episode "Atlantis"), the [[Discovery Channel]]'s ''[[Solving History with Olly Steeds]]'', and the BBC's ''Atlantis, The Evidence'', which suggests that Thera is Plato's Atlantis.<ref name=":10">[http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00sl29f ''Atlantis – The Evidence'' by Bettany Hughes] BBC.co.uk, Timewatch</ref>{{Primary source inline|date=September 2017}} ====Post-Minoan volcanism==== {{Decade Volcanoes Map}} Post-Minoan eruptive activity is concentrated on the Kameni islands, in the centre of the lagoon. They have been formed since the Minoan eruption, and the first of them broke the surface of the sea in 197 BC<ref name="druitt" /> Nine subaerial eruptions are recorded in the historical record since that time, with the most recent ending in 1950. In 1707 an undersea volcano breached the sea surface, forming the current centre of activity at Nea Kameni in the centre of the lagoon, and eruptions centred on it continue—the twentieth century saw three such, the last in 1950. Santorini was also struck by a devastating earthquake in 1956. Although the volcano is dormant at the present time, at the current active crater (there are several former craters on Nea Kameni), steam and [[carbon dioxide]] are given off. Small tremors and reports of strange gaseous odours over the course of 2011 and 2012 prompted satellite radar technological analyses and these revealed the source of the symptoms; the magma chamber under the volcano was swelled by a rush of molten rock by 10 to 20 million cubic metres between January 2011 and April 2012, which also caused parts of the island’s surface to rise out of the water by a reported 8 to 14 centimetres.<ref name="NG">{{cite web| title= Santorini Bulges as Magma Balloons Underneath | author= Brian Handwerk | publisher=[[National Geographic Society]]| url= http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2012/09/120912-magma-balloon-lava-santorini-volcano-science/ | date=12 September 2012}}</ref> Scientists say that the injection of molten rock was equivalent to 20 years’ worth of regular activity.<ref name="NG" />{{clear left}} ==Climate== Santorini has a [[semi-arid climate]] (''Bsh'' in the [[Köppen climate classification]]) with [[Hot-summer Mediterranean climate|Mediterranean]] characteristics.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.santorini.net/information/weather/|title=Weather – Santorini.net|publisher=}}</ref> Total rainfall averages about 38&nbsp;cm (15&nbsp;inches) per year. In the summer season, strong winds can also be observed.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Santorini information, traditional products, beaches, volcano and villages, Attractions, Events – Santorini holidays 2014|url = http://www.greektouristguides.com/santorinihotelsbooking-en.html|website = www.greektouristguides.com|accessdate = 2015-10-23}}</ref> {{Weather box | location = Santorini (1981–2010) | metric first = Y | single line = Y | Jan high C = 14 | Feb high C = 14 | Mar high C = 16 | Apr high C = 18 | May high C = 23 | Jun high C = 27 | Jul high C = 29 | Aug high C = 29 | Sep high C = 26 | Oct high C = 23 | Nov high C = 19 | Dec high C = 15 | year high C = | Jan mean C = 12 | Feb mean C = 12 | Mar mean C = 14 | Apr mean C = 16 | May mean C = 20 | Jun mean C = 24 | Jul mean C = 26 | Aug mean C = 26 | Sep mean C = 24 | Oct mean C = 21 | Nov mean C = 17 | Dec mean C = 13 | year mean C = | Jan low C = 10 | Feb low C = 10 | Mar low C = 11 | Apr low C = 13 | May low C = 17 | Jun low C = 21 | Jul low C = 23 | Aug low C = 23 | Sep low C = 21 | Oct low C = 18 | Nov low C = 14 | Dec low C = 11 | year low C = |Jan precipitation mm = 71 |Feb precipitation mm = 43 |Mar precipitation mm = 40 |Apr precipitation mm = 16 |May precipitation mm = 11 |Jun precipitation mm = 0 |Jul precipitation mm = 7 |Aug precipitation mm = 0 |Sep precipitation mm = 11 |Oct precipitation mm = 38 |Nov precipitation mm = 59 |Dec precipitation mm = 75 |year precipitation mm = |unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm |Jan precipitation days = 10 |Feb precipitation days = 9 |Mar precipitation days = 7 |Apr precipitation days = 4 |May precipitation days = 3 |Jun precipitation days = 0 |Jul precipitation days = 1 |Aug precipitation days = 0 |Sep precipitation days = 2 |Oct precipitation days = 4 |Nov precipitation days = 8 |Dec precipitation days = 11 |year precipitation days = | Jand sun = 7 | Febd sun = 7 | Mard sun = 9 | Aprd sun = 11 | Mayd sun = 12 | Jund sun = 13 | Juld sun = 14 | Augd sun = 13 | Sepd sun = 11 | Octd sun = 9 | Novd sun = 8 | Decd sun = 6 | yeard sun = | source 1 = holiday-weather.com<ref name="holiday-weather.com">{{cite web | url = http://www.holiday-weather.com/santorini/averages/ | title = Weather Averages for Santorini, Greece | publisher = holiday-weather.com | accessdate = 2016-09-26}}</ref> }} ==History== ===Minoan Akrotiri=== [[File:Fresque du printemps, Akrotiri, Grèce.jpg|thumb|Springtime landscape in a [[Fresco]] from the [[Bronze Age]], Akrotiri]] [[File:Saffron gatherersSantorini-3.jpg|thumb|The "[[saffron]]-gatherers"]] Excavations starting in 1967 at the [[Akrotiri (Santorini)|Akrotiri]] site under the late Professor [[Spyridon Marinatos]] have made Thera the best-known [[Minoan civilization|Minoan]] site outside of [[Crete]], homeland of the culture. The island was not known as Thera at this time. Only the southern tip of a large town has been uncovered, yet it has revealed complexes of multi-level buildings, streets, and squares with remains of walls standing as high as eight metres, all entombed in the solidified ash of the famous eruption of Thera. The site was not a palace-complex as found in [[Crete]], but neither was it a conglomeration of merchants' warehousing, as its excellent masonry and fine wall-paintings show. A loom-workshop suggests organized [[textile]] [[weaving]] for export. This [[Bronze Age]] civilization thrived between 3000 and 2000 BC, reaching its peak in the period between 2000 and 1630 BC.<ref>[http://themodernantiquarian.com/site/10846/akrotiri.html#fieldnotes TheModernAntiquarian.com], C. Michael Hogan, ''Akrotiri'', The Modern Antiquarian (2007).</ref> Many of the houses in Akrotiri are major structures, some of them three stories high. Its streets, squares, and walls were preserved in the layers of ejecta, sometimes as tall as eight metres, indicating this was a major town. In many houses stone staircases are still intact, and they contain huge ceramic storage jars ([[pithoi]]), mills, and pottery. Noted archaeological remains found in Akrotiri are wall paintings or [[fresco]]es, which have kept their original colour well, as they were preserved under many metres of volcanic ash. The town also had a highly developed drainage system and, judging from the fine artwork, its citizens were clearly sophisticated and relatively wealthy people. Pipes with running water and [[water closet]]s found at Akrotiri are the oldest such utilities discovered.{{Citation needed|date=April 2012}} The pipes run in twin systems, indicating that Therans used both hot and cold water supplies; the origin of the hot water probably was [[geothermal power|geothermic]], given the [[volcano]]'s proximity. The dual pipe system, the advanced architecture, and the apparent layout of the Akrotiri find resemble [[Plato]]'s description of the legendary lost city of [[Atlantis]], further indicating the Minoans as the culture which primarily inspired the Atlantis legend.<ref name=pell/> Fragmentary wall-paintings at Akrotiri lack the insistent religious or mythological content familiar in Classical Greek décor. Instead, the Minoan frescoes depict "[[Saffron]]-Gatherers", who offer their [[crocus]]-stamens to a seated lady, perhaps a [[goddess]]. Crocus has been discovered to have many medicinal values including the relief of menstrual pain. This has led many {{Who|date=June 2010}} archaeologists to believe that the fresco of the saffron/crocus gatherers is a coming of age fresco dealing with female pubescence. In another house are two [[antelopes]], painted with a kind of confident, flowing, decorative, calligraphic line, the famous fresco of a fisherman with his double strings of fish strung by their gills, and the flotilla of pleasure boats, accompanied by leaping [[dolphins]], where ladies take their ease in the shade of light canopies, among other frescoes. The well preserved ruins of the ancient town are often compared to the spectacular ruins at [[Pompeii]] in Italy. The canopy covering the ruins collapsed in an accident in September 2005, killing one tourist and injuring seven more. The site was closed for almost seven years while a new canopy was built. The site was re-opened in April 2012. The oldest signs of human settlement are Late [[Neolithic]] (4th millennium BC or earlier), but c. 2000–1650 BC Akrotiri developed into one of the Aegean's major [[Bronze Age]] ports, with recovered objects that came not just from [[Crete]], but also from [[Anatolia]], [[Cyprus]], [[Syria]], and [[Egypt]], as well as from the [[Dodecanese]] and the Greek mainland. ====Dating of the Bronze Age eruption==== [[File:Stoa Basilica.jpg|thumb|Stoa Basilica of ancient Thera]] [[File:Santorini - Grecia - Vista Aerea del promontorio di Ancient Thira - agosto 2018.jpg|thumb|Aerial view of the island of Santorini with detail of mount Profitis Illas and the ruins of ancient Thera (on the promontory on the left)]] The [[Minoan eruption]] provides a fixed point for the chronology of the second millennium BC in the Aegean, because evidence of the eruption occurs throughout the region and the site itself contains material culture from outside. The eruption occurred during the "Late Minoan&nbsp;IA" period at Crete and the "Late Cycladic&nbsp;I" period in the surrounding islands. Archaeological evidence, based on the established chronology of Bronze Age Mediterranean cultures, dates the eruption to around 1500 BC.<ref>{{Cite book|author=Warren, Peter M.|chapter=The Date of the Thera Eruption in Relation to Aegean-Egyptian Interconnections and the Egyptian Historical Chronology|title=Timelines: Studies in Honour of Manfred Bietak |editor1=Czerny E. |editor2=Hein I. |editor3=Hunger H. |editor4=Melman D. |editor5=Schwab A. |series=Orientalia Lovaniensia Analecta, 149 |publisher=Peeters |location=Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium |year=2006|pages=2: 305–21 |isbn=90-429-1730-X }}</ref> These dates, however, conflict with [[radiocarbon dating]] which indicates that the eruption occurred at about 1645–1600 BC.<ref>{{Cite journal| last=Manning |first=Stuart W. |authorlink= |author2=Ramsey, C.B. |author3=Kutschera, W. |author4=Higham, T. |author5=Kromer, B. |author6= Steier, P. and Wild, E.M. |title=Chronology for the Aegean Late Bronze Age 1700–1400 B.C. |journal=Science |volume=312 |issue=5773 |pages=565–69 |publisher=American Association for the Advancement of Science |year=2006 |url=http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/abstract/sci;312/5773/565|doi=10.1126/science.1125682|id=|accessdate=2007-03-10|pmid=16645092|bibcode = 2006Sci...312..565M }}</ref> For those, and other, reasons, the date of the eruption is disputed. For discussion, see [[Minoan eruption#Eruption dating]]. ===Ancient period=== [[File:Cultural Centre Megaro Gyzi 04.jpg|thumb|left|180px|Picture of a young girl of Santorini, Cultural Center Megaro Gyzi, [[Fira]]]] [[File:Skaros Rock.jpg|thumb|left|200px|[[Skaros Rock]], originally the location of medieval fortifications]] [[File:Oia-Santorini-Greece.jpg|thumb|[[Oia, Greece|Oia]] is considered the oldest settlement on the island.{{citation needed|date=December 2012}}]] [[File:Episkopi Gonias (2797558143).jpg|thumb|The Byzantine [[Panagia Episkopi|Church of Panagia Episkopi]]]] [[File:GR-santorini-pyrgos.jpg|thumb|[[Pyrgos Kallistis]] village]] [[File:Sunset in Fira.jpg|thumb|Sunset in Fira]] [[File:Santorini pyrgos kastellkirche 160707.jpg|thumb|''Presentation of the Theotokos'' church, [[Pyrgos Kallistis|Pyrgos]] village]] Santorini remained unoccupied throughout the rest of the Bronze Age, during which time the Greeks took over [[Crete]]. At [[Knossos]], in a LMIIIA context (14th century BC), seven [[Linear B]] texts while calling upon "all the gods" make sure to grant primacy to an elsewhere-unattested entity called ''qe-ra-si-ja'' and, once, ''qe-ra-si-jo''. If the endings ''-ia[s]'' and ''-ios'' represent an ethnic suffix, then this means "The One From Qeras[os]". If the initial consonant were aspirated, then *Qhera- would have become "Thera-" in later Greek. "Therasia" and its ethnikon "Therasios" are both attested in later Greek; and, since ''-sos'' was itself a genitive suffix in the Aegean [[Sprachbund]], *Qeras[os] could also shrink to *Qera. An alternate view takes ''qe-ra-si-ja'' and ''qe-ra-si-jo'' as proof of androgyny, and applies this name by similar arguments to the legendary seer, [[Teiresias|Tiresias]], but these views are not mutually exclusive. If ''qe-ra-si-ja'' was an ethnikon first, then in following him/her/it the Cretans also feared whence it came.<ref>[http://www.therafoundation.org/articles/religionmyths/minoanqerasijathereligiousimpactofthetheravolcanoonminoancrete TheraFoundation.org], Minoan Qe-Ra-Si-Ja. The Religious Impact of the Thera Volcano on Minoan Crete. {{dead link |date=September 2016}}</ref> Probably after what is called the [[Bronze Age collapse]], [[Phoenicians]] founded a site on Thera. [[Herodotus]] reports that they called the island Callista and lived on it for eight generations.<ref>[[Histories (Herodotus)|Hist.]] IV.147</ref> In the 9th century BC, [[Dorians]] founded the main Hellenic city on Mesa Vouno, {{convert|396|m|0|abbr=on}} [[Above mean sea level|above sea level]]. This group later claimed that they had named the city and the island after their leader, [[Theras]]. Today, that city is referred to as [[Ancient Thera]]. In his ''[[Argonautica]]'', written in Hellenistic Egypt in the 3rd century BC, [[Apollonius Rhodius]] includes an origin and sovereignty myth of Thera being given by [[Triton (mythology)|Triton]] in Libya to the Greek [[Argonauts|Argonaut]] [[Euphemus]], son of [[Poseidon]], in the form of a clod of dirt. After carrying the dirt next to his heart for several days, Euphemus dreamt that he nursed the dirt with milk from his breast, and that the dirt turned into a beautiful woman with whom he had sex. The woman then told him that she was a daughter of Triton named Kalliste, and that when he threw the dirt into the sea it would grow into an island for his descendants to live on. The poem goes on to claim that the island was named Thera after Euphemus' descendant [[Theras]], son of [[Autesion]], the leader of a group of refugee settlers from [[Lemnos]]. The Dorians have left a number of inscriptions incised in stone, in the vicinity of the temple of [[Apollo]], attesting to [[Pederasty in ancient Greece|pederastic relations]] between the authors and their lovers ([[eromenos|eromenoi]]). These inscriptions, found by [[:de:Friedrich Hiller von Gaertringen (Epigraphiker)|Friedrich Hiller von Gaertringen]], have been thought by some archaeologists to be of a ritual, celebratory nature, because of their large size, careful construction and&nbsp;– in some cases&nbsp;– execution by craftsmen other than the authors. According to [[Herodotus]],<ref>[[Histories (Herodotus)|Hist.]] IV.149–165</ref> following a drought of seven years, Thera sent out colonists who founded a number of cities in northern Africa, including [[Cyrene, Libya|Cyrene]]. In the 5th century BC, Dorian Thera did not join the [[Delian League]] with [[Athens]]; and during the [[Peloponnesian War]], Thera sided with Dorian Sparta, against Athens. The Athenians took the island during the war, but lost it again after the [[Battle of Aegospotami]]. During the Hellenistic period, the island was a major naval base for [[Ptolemaic Egypt]]. ===Medieval and Ottoman period=== As with other Greek territories, Thera then was ruled by the [[Ancient Rome|Romans]]. When the [[Roman Empire]] was divided, the island passed to the eastern side of the Empire which today is known as the [[Byzantine Empire]]. According to [[George Cedrenus]], the volcano erupted again in the summer of 727, the tenth year of the reign of [[Leo III the Isaurian]].<ref>George Cedrenus, Σύνοψις ἱστορίων, Vol I, p. 795.</ref> He writes: "In the same year, in the summer, a vapour like an oven's fire boiled up for days out of the middle of the islands of Thera and Therasia from the depths of the sea, and the whole place burned like fire, little by little thickening and turning to stone, and the air seemed to be a fiery torch." The name "Santorini" first appears {{circa|1153-1154}} in the work of the Muslim geographer [[al-Idrisi]], as "Santurin", from the island's patron saint, [[Saint Irene (disambiguation)|Saint Irene]].<ref name="EI2">{{EI2 | volume = 9 | title = Santurin Adasi̊ | page = 20 | last = Savvides | first = A. }}</ref> In 1318–1331 and 1345–1360 it was raided by the [[Anatolian beyliks|Turkish]] principalities of [[Menteshe]] and [[Aydınids|Aydın]], but did not suffer much damage.<ref name="EI2"/> From the 15th century on, the rule of the [[Republic of Venice]] under the leadership of Giacomo [[Barozzi family| Barozzi]], baron of Santorini and Thirasia, over the island was recognized in a series of treaties by the [[Ottoman Empire]], but this did not stop Ottoman raids, until it was captured by the Ottoman admiral [[Piyale Pasha]] in 1576, as part of a process of annexation of most remaining Latin possessions in the Aegean.<ref name="EI2"/> It became part of the semi-autonomous domain of the Sultan's Jewish favourite, [[Joseph Nasi]]. Santorini retained its privileged position in the 17th century, but suffered in turn from Venetian raids during the frequent [[Ottoman–Venetian wars]] of the period, even though there were no Muslims on the island.<ref name="EI2"/> Santorini was captured briefly by the [[Russian Empire|Russians]] under [[Alexei Grigoryevich Orlov|Alexey Orlov]] during the [[Russo-Turkish War of 1768–1774]], but returned to Ottoman control after. Following the outbreak of the [[Greek War of Independence]] on the Greek mainland in March 1821, in May Santorini followed suit, although the local Catholic population had its reservations. The island became part of the fledgling Greek state, rebelled against Governor [[Ioannis Kapodistrias]] in 1831, and became definitively part of the independent [[Kingdom of Greece (Wittelsbach)|Kingdom of Greece]] in 1832, with the [[Treaty of Constantinople (1832)|Treaty of Constantinople]].<ref name="EI2"/> The island is still home to a Catholic community and the seat of a [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Santorini|Catholic bishopric]]. === World War II === During the [[World War II|Second World War]], Santorini was occupied in 1941 by Italian forces, and in 1943 by those of the Germans. In 1944, the German and Italian garrison on Santorini was [[Raid on Santorini|raided]] by a group of British [[Special Boat Service]] Commandos, killing most of its men. Five locals were later shot in reprisal, including the mayor.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Axis occupation of Greece during World War II|url = http://www.mlahanas.de/Greece/History/AxisOccupationWorldWarII.html|website = www.mlahanas.de|accessdate = 2015-11-02}}</ref> ==Modern Santorini== ===Tourism=== The [[1956 Amorgos earthquake]] resulted in the demolition of many buildings in the north of Santorini, leading to the desertion of many of its villages. The expansion of [[tourism]] has resulted in the growth of the economy and population. The major settlements include [[Fira|Fira (Phira)]], [[Oia, Greece|Oia]], [[Emporeio|Emporio]], [[Kamari]], [[Perissa, Santorini|Perissa]], [[Imerovigli]], [[Pyrgos Kallistis|Pyrgos]], and [[Therasia]]. [[Akrotiri (Santorini)|Akrotiri]] is a major archaeological site, with ruins from the Minoan era. Santorini's primary industry is [[tourism]], particularly in the summer months. In 2007, the cruise ship ''[[MS Sea Diamond]]'' ran aground and sank inside the [[caldera]]. The island's [[pumice]] quarries have been closed since 1986, in order to preserve the caldera. Santorini was ranked the world's top island for many magazines and travel sites, including the ''Travel+Leisure Magazine'',<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.travelandleisure.com/worldsbest/2011/islands/top-10-islands/237 | work = Travel+Leisure | title = 2011 World's Best Awards | accessdate = 2011-07-16 | deadurl = yes | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20110712204603/http://www.travelandleisure.com/worldsbest/2011/islands/top-10-islands/237 | archivedate = 2011-07-12 | df = }}</ref> the ''BBC'',<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.bbc.com/travel/slideshow/20111123-worlds-best-islands | publisher = BBC | accessdate = 2011-12-01 | title = World's Best Islands }}</ref> as well as the ''US News''.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://travel.usnews.com/Rankings/Best_Islands_in_the_World/ | publisher = US News | accessdate = 2014-04-01 | title = World's Best Island }}</ref> An estimated 2 million tourists visit annually.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Smith|first1=Helena|title=Santorini's popularity soars but locals say it has hit saturation point|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/aug/28/santorini-popularity-soars-but-locals-say-it-has-hit-saturation-point|accessdate=28 August 2017|work=[[The Guardian]]|date=28 August 2017}}</ref> [[File:Santorini-20070808-058248-panorama-small.jpg|thumb|upright=4|center|<center>Panoramic view of Santorini's principal city, Fira.</center>]] ===Aridity=== [[File:Firostefani.jpg|thumb|Firostefani village]] [[File:Streets of Firostefani, Santorini island (Thira), Greece-2.jpg|thumb|Street of Firostefani]] Santorini has no rivers, and water is scarce. Until the early 1990s locals filled water cisterns from the rain that fell on roofs and courts, from small springs, and with imported assistance from other areas of Greece. In recent years a [[desalination]] plant has provided running, yet non-potable, water to most houses. Since rain is rare on the island from mid-spring till mid-autumn, many plants depend on the scant moisture provided by the common, early morning fog condensing on the ground as [[dew]]. ===Agriculture=== [[File:Fava (3711746562).jpg|thumb|[[Fava Santorinis]]]] Because of its unique ecology and climate, and especially its volcanic ash soil, Santorini is home to unique and prized produce. [[Santorini tomato]]es are renowned; they are [[cherry tomato]]es that are extremely tasty and sweet, and with an intensely red, staining colour. [[Fava Santorinis|Santorini "fava"]] is a purée made of the hulled, then sun-dried, then boiled [[legume]] [[Lathyrus clymenum]] – ''not'' from the yellow [[split pea]] as in the rest of Greece. The white [[eggplant]]s of Santorini are very sweet, with very few seeds, and can be eaten raw. The ''katsoúni'' is a unique local variety of large [[cucumber]] which, if left unpicked when green, turn yellow and acquire a sweet taste almost indistinguishable from that of [[melon]].<ref name="GREECE SANTORINI HISTORY">{{Cite web|title = Greece Santorini History|url = http://www.greecesantorini.com/santorinihistory2.htm|website = www.greecesantorini.com|accessdate = 2015-11-03}}</ref> [[Caper]]s with their unique flavor are used in Greek salads and other local dishes. ===Cuisine=== Local specialties: *''Brantada'' – A local Santorinian fish dish. Cod fillet coated in a mixture of flour, water, salt and sometimes beer, normally served with garlic salad. The best place to try it is in some less touristic villages, like Exo Gonia.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Santorini Restaurants {{!}} Santorini Local Food {{!}} Santorini Wine Tasting|url = http://www.destsetters.com/en/gastronomy-greece/santorini|website = Destsetters {{!}} Travel by Interest|accessdate = 2015-10-24}}</ref> *''Koskosela'' (local [[Strapatsada]]) *''Santorinio Sfougato'' – A traditional Santorini dish. Ingredients: small zucchini, onions, extra virgin olive oil, flour, eggs, rosemary leaves or spearmint tea leaves or dill, xinomyzithra or other sour milk cheese or soft feta, naxos sweet gruyère, salt and fresh ground pepper, sweet peppers, sesame seeds.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Sfougato Santorini souffle|url = http://www.luxuryoliveoil.gr/2014/10/sfougato-santorini-souffle.html|website = www.luxuryoliveoil.gr|accessdate = 2015-10-24}}</ref> *''Tsounisti'' ([[Orzo (pasta)|Manestra]]) *''Fava'' – A local Santorini dish, originally made with the broad bean. Later on, the broad bean was replaced with an easier version, the yellow shelled lentil. Its name originates from the word "favus" which is the Latin word for broad beans. *''Melitinia'' (dessert) – Melitinia are cookies that are made for weddings, engagements and festivals. They are made of unsalted mitzithra cheese and yogurt and they also have a beautiful smell of mastic. They can be found in the traditional bakeries of Santorini.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Recipe of Melitinia Cookies from Santorini |url = http://www.greeka.com/cyclades/santorini/recipes/melitinia-cookies.htm|website = Greeka.com|accessdate = 2015-11-02}}</ref> *''Tomatokeftdes'' – also known as tomato fritters, are made with Santorini cherry sized tomatoes. They are cooked in olive oil with onions, peppers, mint and other herbs. ===Wine industry=== {{Main|Santorini (wine)}} The island remains the home of a small, but flourishing, [[wine]] industry, based on the indigenous [[grape]] variety, [[Assyrtiko]], with auxiliary cultivations of two other Aegean varietals, ''[[Athiri]]'' and ''[[Aidani]]''. The vines are extremely old and resistant to [[phylloxera]] (attributed by local winemakers to the well-drained volcanic soil and its chemistry), so the vines needed no replacement during the great [[phylloxera epidemic]] of the late 19th century. In their adaptation to their habitat, such vines are planted far apart, as their principal source of moisture is dew, and they often are [[trained (vine)|trained]] in the shape of low-spiralling baskets, with the grapes hanging inside to protect them from the winds. The viticultural pride of the island is the sweet and strong ''Vinsanto'' ({{lang-it|"holy wine"}}), a dessert wine made from the best sun-dried ''Assyrtiko'', ''Athiri'', and ''Aidani'' grapes, and undergoing long barrel aging (up to twenty or twenty-five years for the top ''cuvées''). It matures to a sweet, dark amber-orange, unctuous dessert wine that has achieved worldwide fame, possessing the standard Assyrtiko aromas of citrus and minerals, layered with overtones of nuts, raisins, figs, honey and tea. [[File:Santorini, Oia windmill.jpg|thumbnail|Oia]] [[File:Houses on the caldera, Santorini.jpg|thumb|left|180px|Houses built on the edge of the [[Santorini caldera|caldera]]]] [[File:Imerovigli 02.jpg|thumb|View of [[Imerovigli]], example of [[Cycladic architecture]]]] White wines from the island are extremely dry with a strong, citrus scent and mineral and iodide salt aromas contributed by the ashy volcanic soil, whereas barrel aging gives to some of the white wines a slight [[frankincense]] aroma, much like Vinsanto. It is not easy to be a winegrower in Santorini; the hot and dry conditions give the soil a very low productivity. The yield per acre is only 10 to 20% of the yields that are common in [[France]] or [[California]]. The island's wines are standardised and protected by the "Vinsanto" and "Santorini" [[Protected designation of origin#Wines|OPAP]] designations of origin.<ref name="GREECE SANTORINI HISTORY"/> A brewery, the [[Santorini Brewing Company]], began operating out of Santorini in 2011, based in the island's wine region.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://greece.greekreporter.com/2018/01/16/greeces-handcrafted-beers-hit-the-spot/|title=Greece's Handcrafted Beers Hit the Spot {{!}} GreekReporter.com|website=greece.greekreporter.com|language=en-US|access-date=2018-08-22}}</ref> ===Architecture=== The traditional architecture of Santorini is similar to that of the other [[Cyclades]], with low-lying cubical houses, made of local stone and [[whitewash]]ed or limewashed with various volcanic ashes used as colours. The unique characteristic is the common utilisation of the ''hypóskapha'': extensions of houses dug sideways or downwards into the surrounding [[pumice]]. These rooms are prized because of the high insulation provided by the air-filled pumice, and are used as living quarters of unique coolness in the summer and warmth in the winter. These are premium storage space for produce, especially for wine cellaring: the ''Kánava'' wineries of Santorini. When strong earthquakes struck the island in 1956, half the buildings were completely destroyed and a large number suffered repairable damage. The underground dwellings along the ridge overlooking the caldera, where the instability of the soil was responsible for the great extent of the damage, needed to be evacuated. Most of the population of Santorini had to emigrate to Piraeus and Athens.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://users.ntua.gr/kamy/istanbul.pdf|title=Restoration, Reconstruction and Simulacra|publisher=}}</ref>{{clear left}} == Notable people == *[[Themison of Thera]] *[[Spyros Markezinis]], politician *[[Mariza Koch]], singer *[[Giannis Alafouzos]], former president of [[Panathinaikos F.C.]] *[[Yanni|Yiannis Chryssomallis]] (also known as Yanni), [[composer]], [[keyboardist]], [[pianist]], and [[Record producer|music producer]] ==Transport== [[File:Santorini cruise ships in caldera.jpg|thumbnail|Ferry and cruise ship in the caldera 2013]] ===Land=== Bus services link Fira to most parts of the island.<ref>http://www.ktel-santorini.gr</ref> ===Ports=== Santorini has two ports: [[Athinios (Santorini)|Athinios]] (Ferry Port) and Skala (Old Port).<ref>Santorini Port Authority http://www.santorini-port.com</ref> Cruise ships anchor off Skala and passengers are transferred by local boatmen to shore at Skala where Fira is accessed by cable car, on foot or by donkey. Tour boats depart from Skala for Nea Kameni and other Santorini destinations.<ref>Santorini Port Authority http://www.santoriniport.com</ref> ===Airport=== {{see also|Santorini (Thira) International Airport}} [[File:Santorini Airport.JPG|right|Santorini airport viewed from ancient Thera.|thumb]] Santorini is one of the few [[Cyclades]] Islands with a major airport, which lies about {{convert|6|km|0|abbr=on}} southeast of downtown Thera. The main asphalt runway (16L-34R) is {{convert|2125|m|0|abbr=off}} in length, and the parallel taxiway was built to runway specification (16R-34L). It can accommodate [[Boeing 757]], [[Boeing 737]], [[Airbus 320]] series, [[Avro RJ]], [[Fokker 70]], and [[ATR 72]] aircraft. Scheduled airlines include the new [[Olympic Air]], [[Aegean Airlines]], and [[Ryanair]], with chartered flights from other airlines during the summer, and with transportation to and from the air terminal available through buses, taxis, hotel car-pickups and rental cars. ==Towns and villages== [[File:Kamari Thiras.jpg|thumb|[[Kamari]]]] {{Div col}} * [[Akrotiri, Santorini|Akrotiri]] * [[Ammoudi, (Santorini)|Ammoudi]] * [[Athinios (Santorini)|Athinios]] * [[Emporio (Santorini)|Emporio]] * [[Finikia (Santorini)|Finika]] * [[Fira]] * [[Firostefani (Santorini)|Firostefani]] * [[Imerovigli]] * [[Kamari]] * [[Karterados (Santorini)|Karterados]] * [[Messaria (Santorini)|Messaria]] * [[Monolithos (Santorini)|Monolithos]] * [[Oia, Greece|Oia]] * [[Perissa, Santorini|Perissa]] * [[Pyrgos Kallistis]] * [[Vothonas (Santorini)|Vothonas]] * [[Vourvoulos (Santorini)|Vourvoulos]] {{div col end}} == Gallery == <gallery class="center" widths="225px" heights="200px"> File:Fresco_of_a_fisherman,_Akrotiri,_Greece.jpg|Fresco of "fisherman", [[Akrotiri (Santorini)|Akrotiri]] File:Old map of Santorini.jpg|Map of Santorini, 1703 File:Santorini red beach.jpg|The red beach File:Fira santorini.jpg|Fira, Santorini File:Panoramic view of the Catholic quarter of Fira, Fira, Santorini island (Thira), Greece.jpg|Panoramic view of the Catholic quarter of Fira File:Katholische Kathedrale Fira 03.jpg|The [[St. John the Baptist Cathedral, Santorini|Catholic Cathedral of Fira]] File:Cyclades Mill.jpg|Windmill File:KoimisiTisTheotokouAkrotiri.jpg|Dormition of the Theotokos church at Akrotiri File:Perissa seen from ancient Thera - Santorini - Greece - 05.jpg|Perissa village File:Kasteli001.jpg|Emporeio village File:Amoudi Bay at Dusk.jpg|[[Amoudi Bay]] at dusk File:PanagiaMesani004.jpg|Belltower of "Panagia Messani" church, Emporeio File:Street of Megalochori.jpg|Street of Megalochori File:Bell tower in Megalochori 01.jpg|Belltower of Virgin Mary Church, Megalochori File:Seilbahn Fira Santorin 03.jpg|Cable car of Santorini File:Donkey trail - Fira - Thira - to Mesa Gialos port - Santorini - Greece - 02.jpg|Donkey trail between Fira and Skala port </gallery> ==See also== *[[List of volcanoes in Greece]] *[[Mykonos]] *[[Santorini (wine)]] *[[Santorini cable car]] *[[Barozzi family]] ==References== '''Notes''' {{Reflist|30em}} '''Bibliography''' *Forsyth, Phyllis Y.: ''Thera in the Bronze Age'', Peter Lang Pub Inc, New York 1997. {{ISBN|0-8204-4889-3}} *Friedrich, W., ''Fire in the Sea: the Santorini Volcano: Natural History and the Legend of Atlantis'', translated by Alexander R. McBirney, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2000. *History Channel's "Lost Worlds: Atlantis" archeology series. Features scientists Dr. J. Alexander MacGillivray (archeologist), Dr. Colin F. MacDonald (archaeologist), Professor Floyd McCoy (vulcanologist), Professor Clairy Palyvou (architect), Nahid Humbetli (geologist) and Dr. Gerassimos Papadopoulos ([[seismologist]]) '''Further reading''' *Bond, A. and Sparks, R. S. J. (1976). "The Minoan eruption of Santorini, Greece". ''Journal of the Geological Society of London'', Vol. 132, 1–16. *Doumas, C. (1983). ''Thera: Pompeii of the ancient Aegean''. London: Thames and Hudson. *Pichler, H. and Friedrich, W.L. (1980). "Mechanism of the Minoan eruption of Santorini". Doumas, C. ''Papers and Proceedings of the Second International Scientific Congress on Thera and the Aegean World II.'' ==External links== {{Sister project links|Santorini|voy=Santorini}} *[http://www.therafoundation.org/articles/chronololy/theeruptionoftheradateandimplications TheraFoundation.org], The Eruption of Thera: Date and Implications *[http://www.santorini.gr/ Santorini.gr], Thira (Santorini) Municipality Official WebSite *[https://web.archive.org/web/20100629121640/http://cgs.illinois.edu/resources/webvideo/was-bronze-age-volcanic-eruption-thira-santorini-a-megacatastrophe-a-geologicalar CGS.Illinois.edu ], Was the Bronze Age Volcanic Eruption of Thira (Santorini) a Megacatastrophe? A Geological/Archeological Detective Story, Grant Heiken, Independent consultant, author, geologist (retired) [[Los Alamos National Laboratory]]; lecture presented at [[University of Illinois]] at Urbana-Champaign, sponsored by [http://cgs.illinois.edu/ CGS.Illinois.edu], Center for Global Studies and [http://www.cas.uiuc.edu/ CAS.UIUC.edu], Center for Advanced Study *[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/14629a.htm NewAdvent.org], Thera (Santorin) – Catholic Encyclopedia article *[http://www.volcano.si.edu/world/volcano.ccm?vnum=0102-04= Volcano.SI.edu: Global Volcanism]{{dead link|date=May 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} *[http://www.uri.edu/news/releases/?id=3654 URI.edu: Santorini Eruption much larger than previously thought] *[http://www.movingpostcards.tv/santorini/ Moving Postcards: Santorini] *[https://www.volcanodiscovery.com/santorini_eruptions.html Older eruption history at Santorini] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20160613133246/http://santoriniplus.net/blog/santorini-in-movies-and-games Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants and Bang Bang: Santorini In Pop Culture] *[http://www.travel-zone-greece.com/blog/castles-santorini-enjoy-fortified-beauty/ The castles of Santorini] <!--spacing--> {{Navboxes |title=Articles and topics related to Santorini |state=collapsed |list1= {{The Cyclades}} {{Kallikratis-South Aegean}} {{Santorini div}} {{Aegean Sea}} }} {{Authority control}} [[Category:Santorini| ]] [[Category:Wine regions of Greece]] [[Category:Supervolcanoes]] [[Category:Municipalities of the South Aegean]] [[Category:Landforms of Thira (regional unit)]] [[Category:Islands of the South Aegean]] [[Category:Volcanoes of Greece]] [[Category:VEI-7 volcanoes]] [[Category:Members of the Delian League]]'