Rhodes island greece history of Rhodes

                                                Municipality of Petaloudes

Municipality of Petaloudes is situated on the North West of the Island and is constituted from the villages of
Kremasti, Paradeisi, Maritsa, Theologos, Pastida and Damatria. The municipality has a population of 11.858
habitanys and covers 893 sq.Km of land. Finally it has 12 Km of coast. It's borders are with Munipalities of
Ialysos, Kallithea and Kameiros.

In Petaloudes there are 35 Hotels with 2896 beds. The average size of the Hotels is 83 beds each. 37% of the
hotels are high class. Most of the hotels are situated on the coast of Theologos. The main reason for the
development of Theologos village is the coast. The other beaches of Kremasti and Paradeisi have the
disadvantage that are close to the airport and the noise is a ig problem.

Schools

Municipality of Petaloudes has 8 schools. 1 Lycium, 1 highschool and 5 elementary schools.

Public Transportation

Public transportation on this side of the island is being done with RO.DA buses. The frequency of buses specially
for Paradeisi where the airport Diagoras is situated is very high.

Villages of Petaloudes

Kremasti is a big and beatyful village of the west side of the island. The white church of the village is built on an
older church. In the church is sheltered a miraculous Icon of Holly Mary.

The festival of Kremasti whi is done on the 15th of August is a main attraction of the island. Thousands of
christians and non go to the festival to bow Panagia and be a part of the clebration.

On the hill that is situated in the center of the village there are remains of a small Knights castle.

Paradeisi

During medieval age there were paradeisioi gardens in the village and that is why the village is called Paradeisi.
Pardeisi =Paradeisos=Paradise.

On the foothill it was built the old village of Paradeisi, there the Great Magistre Vilvev built fortified walls and the
village was named Vilanova. The habitants of Rhodes made a town with this name is Spain.

In Paradeisi is situated the airport of Rhodes. In 2006 another part was uilt equally sized as the old part.
Paradeisi has 1766 habitants according to the demographics of 2001. It is approximately 18 Km away from
Rhodes city and it's borders are with Kremasti, Pastida, Damatria and Theologos.

Maritsa

The village that is built on the foothills of the Koumouli mountain is named Maritsa and has taken it's name
probably from an Officer that his name was Maritzas and he was settled in the area. A local tradition on the other
hand says that the village took it's name from a Queen named MAritsa who administer the village for the first time.
She was staying in Filerimos and she was the first who brought this rare kind of deers on the island. Around the
viullage of Maritsa there are signs that the village was habited from the archeohellenic and hellenstic period.
People from Maritsa thein tourism industry, techinicians and farmers. Last few years the village met a great
development due to the attitude of the habitants.

In Maritsa there are alo of churches built since 13th,17th and 18th century. Such monasteries and churches are
Agios Nikolaos, Agioi Anargyroi , Agios ioannis , Agios Andreas,Agia Anna and the church of Holly Taxirhes. The
Church of The Metamorphosis of Jesus was built on the 17th century in a byzantine rythm and was errected
recently, it is situated 2 Km northeast of Maritsa on Koumouli village.

In Maritsa there are also the farming uninon of Iraklis and the local football team Iraklis.During Christams it is
organized from the locals a crib in the church of Sotiras into a natural cave. The previous Mayor of Maritsa has
done a lot of work in order to develop the area and he has succeeded.


Pastida

Pastida is one of the inland village of Rhodes with close proximity to Rhodes city. Is is built on the foothills of
Filerimos mountain and the name in latin means fortress.

Damatria

The village took it's name fro anceint Goddess Demetra who was probably worhiped from the locals. Near the
area of Damatria were found the remains of the Apollon temple. On the mountain of Paradeisi is stuated the
monastery of The Rood.

Sights of Petaloudes

Near the settlement there were found the remains of the most important sanctuary of ancient Ialysia the temple of
Apollon the Erethimios(4th century). Apoollon was worshiped from the locals as the protector of farming since the
prodoriean years.

       In the surrounded area of the village there is a monastery of The Rood and digged on the rock on the
mountain of Paradeisi is situated the royal church of Agia Paraskevi or Agios Nikitas (12th century. It is decorated
with frescos from the 13th century.

The valley of Petaloudes is situated in municipality and basically this is where it took it's name from. The biotope
is a wonderful place that attracts thousands of visitors all year long. Very well organized, with gifts shop,
restaurant and the museum of the Natural history of the biotope and Rhodes.

Specialized personnel is working in the biotope as full time personnel in order to improve the biotope and
promote it to the rest of the world. University of Athens also helps on that project.

The effort for saving water supplies and the facing of drought the last few years had as a result the application of
higly developed systems for recycling water with the use of small slices.

.

Beaches

Kremasti Beach

Theologos Beach

Pardeisi beach