Rhodes island greece history of Rhodes

Municipality of Attavyros

Municipality of Attavyros the place where Empona belongs the village of wine , fresh delicious meat and a load of
centuries of tradition. The factory of Emery makes the best Ouzo and locals make sure to always have fresh meat
ready for the visitors. Empona and Attavyros are places taken out of a history book they seem like a living dream.
The place where ancient Gods used to have their syposium and after they were gone they left the recipe to the
locals to continue the tradition.

Municipaliy of attavyros contains the villages of Empona, Kritinia, Agios Isidoros, Monolithos, Sianna and
Mandriko. The municipality of Empona is a united part of Rhodes Country since 2nd century b.c. when Rhodes
was consisted from Lindos Kameiros and Ialysos. Most of the villages they existed since the medieval age when
Knights had Rhodes under their occupation, that outcome is due to the fact that there are many epigrapghs that
mention Magistre Orsini 1474. The only village that did not exist back then was Empona which was built later in
time from the inhabitants of Kitala in 1474.

The people of the specific geographical situation have adapted their natural surroundings.They are working as
farmers, shoe makers, produce honey, textile factory, ironmakers and candle makers.

Schools

Municipality of Attavyros has 7 schools.

1 junior highschool in Empona and 6 elementary schools, 1 in each village.

Public Transportation

The transportation in this part of the island is being done with RO. DA buses. Not very frequent. Although now a
new rhodes is being constructed that will connect the villages with haraki,lindos,Archaggelos,Malona e.t.c.

Exhibitions and celebrations

The local culture consitutes in the development of critique historical way of thinking. The local cultural
organizations try through their actions to keep their tradition, ethos nad morals unapproached and untouched
from the pass of time.

Easter Morals

During holly week housewives make bread rools. Great Sunday they bring the Icon of Virgin Mary in one of the
houses of the Village, Great Thrusday everybody goes to the church and they start a big fire to symbolize the burn
of Judas. The fire stays till easter Sunday.Great Friday all the kids go around the monasteries and they light the
candles. Great saturday the youth brings wood to keep the fire on. In the fire everybody throughs a bracelet that
they made in the first of march symbolizing the welcome of Spring.

Great saturday after the Church in the night time when the Priest of the village church announces that Christ was
ressurected everybody goes home and eats magiritsa a local traditional food. On Easter Sunday everybody eats
"Lampriati" lamb made with rice in the oven.

1st of March

That day everybody goes out picking up flowers to make a wreath to welcome the son of Spring. A group of
people walk through the allyes signing songs for spring.

What you are going to find :

Post office
Infirmary
Restaurants
Bars

Villages of Attavyros

Agios Isidoros

Agios Isidoros is built on the east side of Attavyros mountain which is 532 meters tall.The village is not developed
because of its position and that is why you can still find pure tradition and pure Rhodians.The morals they have is
the moral of Vourna, the court and the manalio.

The few citizens that still remain in that village work as farmers and honey production. they also produce suma
local strong alcoholic drink, honey, olive oil and lamb.

Empona

Emponas is built on the foothill of the tallest mountian of Rhodes which is Attavyros. They villagers produce wine
and meat. Empona is a traditional village. tourism is not developed only farming and wine production.

Kritinia

Kritinia is the new name that was given to the village of Kastelo to remind to the citizens the place were King
Althemenis stepped foot for the first time. The castle is built fro Sint John's Knights in 16th century to protect the
west side of the island. The village is built on Akramitis mountain.

Sianna

Sianna is built on the foohill of Akradimitis mountain the second tallest mountain of Rhodes. Sianna is
surrounded from ancient areas of great value. Most of the citizens of Sianna moved from the island to other
countries after the 2nd world war. Nowadays all the youth moves into Rhodes city. The inhabitants of sianna work
as farmers and as the rest of municipality they produce honey and olive oil.

Sights and Beaches of Attavyros

   The only organized annual ascension to the mountain of Attavyros is organized from the cultural organization of
Saint Isisdoros every May.

   They follow the path that starts from the village of Agios Isidoros the same path that was used in ancien years
from the religionist to Zeus to visit it's temple on the top of the mountain.The ascension is being done on foot or
using an animal such as dokneys and it lasts 2 and a half hours.

The streets that lead to the castles of Kritinia and Monolithos are daily visited from toursists. Only the castle of
Sianna is not accessible by car. Although there is a path that can be followed on foot and the sightseeing on the
way to the castle is truly amazing. The view is stunning and the visior shold always carry his camera.

Areas with natural beauty there uncontable. As an example we mention the area of Kameiro Skala, Stelies,
Monosyria, Glyfada,Ai sieri, Amartos, Dasos, Kapsi, Giergies, Artamitis and Agiopetra these are areas that
combine view between mountains and sea.

Municipality of Attavyros is an area stigmatic from the adventures of many centuries thats is hiding it's secrets
through the legends, medieval castles temples and ancient settlements. Memories kept alive through the
centuries through the ancient findings of the municipal of Kymmilsaleoys , the temple of Zeus the attavyrian, the
ancient center of Kitala near ampona the knights castle of monolithos and the small church of Saint
Pantelehmonas. The caslte of Kritinia is surrounded from towers and is situated on a huge rocky mountain near
the sea. There are three more blazons of the knights. The interior side of the castle has many rooms. There were
also underground reservoirs. Near Siana in the area Of Kerami several vessels were founded dated back in 7th-
8th century. One more ancient area is Kymisala it is habited from the ancient years during cllasic age and
mycenean age. The castle of Sianna is situated on the mountain of Akramitis whose age goes over 700 years. It
was built in 1300 during the occupation of the Frags.

  Kameiros is connected with Althemeni the Cretan. Till 1854 nobody knew where Kameiros was but in 1859-
1864wo foreign archaeologists as always disceovered a vast amount of graves statues and ancient coins. In the
area there is also a Lycian Grave lapidarian 7th century.

Monasteries- Churches

   The civil morphology of the people is delineated blistering on their worshiped beliefs, their actions and their
buildings. It is obvious thier try to approach God.

Church of Artamitis between Empona and Agios Isidoros, the church of Virgin Mary in Empona, in Monosyria the
monastery of Ag. Georgios, Ag. Tryfonas. Ag Fokas is a royal paleochristian church.

Monasteries

Ag. Georgios 1864 Amartos area

Ag. Ioannis

Ag. Parskeyi

Agiopetra

Kymisalla

Apakoys(kymisalla)

Agios Nektarios

Agios Thomas(Monolithos)

Agios Panteleimon(Sianna)

And a cave with stalactites where an Icon of Virgin Mary was found when the Cave was discovered.

The municipality of Attavyros tries to promote all the natural beauty of the area which is big in order to attract
visitors to view these adorable buildings and fingings. It is definetely the place to visit for people that love the
history the archaeology the roots of Christianity and the photos. Though these buildings you can understand how
difficult was for Rhodians to survive and keep their identity through the pass of the years because of the
Occupancy of different conquerors.

Museum

Laografiko Mueum of Empona

It is situated in ahouse that was built back in 1842. the owner of the house Professor Konstantakis after his
death he the house in his will to the village of Empona and the locals converted it into a museum.Contains
information of the way of living of the locals since the ancient ages. Contains handwritten books,tools to make
candles, rural tools, plates, vessels, looms,earthenware jars, clothes,siverwares, epigraphs and every kind of
clothing and houseware. There are also items that present the local cultural knowledge in technics that they
develop to bend the ecological system and the invention in order to create adorable objects.

Laografiko museum of Kritinia

   Contains information of the way of living of the locals since the ancient ages. Contains plates, vessels, looms,
earthenware jars, clothes,siverwares, epigraphs and every kind of clothing and houseware. There are also items
that present the local cultural knowledge in technics that they develop to bend the ecological system and the
invention in order to create adorable objects.

Beaches

    Municipality of Attavyros has a lot of caves under the surface of the sea and a very assymetric and wild coast.

Fournoi Beach   ( Monolithos)

Glyfada beach (Sianna)

Kameiro Skala Beach

Kopria Beach (Kritinia)

Amartoy Beach(Kritinia)

  These beaches are adorments of the undiscovered paradise. The access to those beaches can be done by car
but the roads are still not blacktopped. These beaches are there and if you visit them which you should they will
make you feel like being in a deserted island and it's just you and the nature, you can feel that you are part of it
feel free.