Kimolos
Encyclopedia
Kimolos is a Greek
island in the Aegean Sea
, belonging to the islands group of Cyclades
, located on the SW tip of them, near the bigger island of Milos
. It is considered as a middle class, rural island, not included in the tourist hotspots, thus, ferry connection is sometimes of bad quality. Kimolos is the administrative center of the municipality
of Kimolos which includes the uninhabited islands of Polyaigos
, Agios Efstathios and Agios Georgios (purchased by a local ship
owner family). The municipality's land area is 53.251 km², and it reported a population of 769 inhabitants in the 2001 census.
, the ruler of Milos
. In the Middle Ages
it was known as Argentiera , because of the silver-colored rocky lands of its southern coast. Since those times, these rocky lands was a trade good in the seas (Kimolia Gi-Kimolian Earth), making the island a major trade hub. Along with the rest of Greece
, it was ruled by the Ottoman Empire
, until 1829, when it was annexed by the Greek
state along with the rest Cyclades
.
.
On the island all vehicles are permitted, but during the summer months, the lack of parking space is the most important problem in populated areas, such as Horio Kimolou and Psathi. Common kinds of fuels are available at the local Fuels Station.
There are also public means of transport, such as bus (ticket price: around euro 1)and taxi (price from euro 4 to euro 9 dependent on the route), programming routes to popular beaches.
Kimolos belongs to the line of the Western Cyclades and it's connected to nearby islands and Piraeus
Port (Athens
) via ferry boat all-round year and catamaran ferry during the tourist season. Routes frequency varies with the year's season. During the tourist period, it usually has daily connection to Piraeus and other islands. The ticket price, without special offers, costs about euro 25, by ferry boat (Piraeus-Kimolos: 7h) and euro 36 by catamaran ferry (Piraeus-Kimolos: 4h). Also, transport via Milos is possible, because of the frequent connection of the two islands with local ferry boat. Finally, Kimolos is station for the local connections between Cyclades
islands.
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
island in the Aegean Sea
Aegean Sea
The Aegean Sea[p] is an elongated embayment of the Mediterranean Sea located between the southern Balkan and Anatolian peninsulas, i.e., between the mainlands of Greece and Turkey. In the north, it is connected to the Marmara Sea and Black Sea by the Dardanelles and Bosporus...
, belonging to the islands group of Cyclades
Cyclades
The Cyclades is a Greek island group in the Aegean Sea, south-east of the mainland of Greece; and a former administrative prefecture of Greece. They are one of the island groups which constitute the Aegean archipelago. The name refers to the islands around the sacred island of Delos...
, located on the SW tip of them, near the bigger island of Milos
Milos
Milos , is a volcanic Greek island in the Aegean Sea, just north of the Sea of Crete...
. It is considered as a middle class, rural island, not included in the tourist hotspots, thus, ferry connection is sometimes of bad quality. Kimolos is the administrative center of the municipality
Communities and Municipalities of Greece
For the new municipalities of Greece see the Kallikratis ProgrammeThe municipalities and communities of Greece are one of several levels of government within the organizational structure of that country. Thirteen regions called peripheries form the largest unit of government beneath the State. ...
of Kimolos which includes the uninhabited islands of Polyaigos
Polyaigos
Polýaigos is an uninhabited Greek island in the Cyclades near Milos and Kimolos. It is part of the community of Kimolos . Its name means "many goats", since it is inhabited only by goats....
, Agios Efstathios and Agios Georgios (purchased by a local ship
Ship
Since the end of the age of sail a ship has been any large buoyant marine vessel. Ships are generally distinguished from boats based on size and cargo or passenger capacity. Ships are used on lakes, seas, and rivers for a variety of activities, such as the transport of people or goods, fishing,...
owner family). The municipality's land area is 53.251 km², and it reported a population of 769 inhabitants in the 2001 census.
History
Kimolos is an island with rich history records. Its name comes from Kimolos, the very first resident of the island, according to the tradition. Echinousa is also a recorded name of the island, during the ancient times, probably because of the snake Echidna (viper), being common even today on the island. Since the ancient era, it was a battlefield between Ancient Athens, the ruler of the island, and SpartaSparta
Sparta or Lacedaemon, was a prominent city-state in ancient Greece, situated on the banks of the River Eurotas in Laconia, in south-eastern Peloponnese. It emerged as a political entity around the 10th century BC, when the invading Dorians subjugated the local, non-Dorian population. From c...
, the ruler of Milos
Milos
Milos , is a volcanic Greek island in the Aegean Sea, just north of the Sea of Crete...
. In the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
it was known as Argentiera , because of the silver-colored rocky lands of its southern coast. Since those times, these rocky lands was a trade good in the seas (Kimolia Gi-Kimolian Earth), making the island a major trade hub. Along with the rest of Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
, it was ruled by the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
, until 1829, when it was annexed by the Greek
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
state along with the rest Cyclades
Cyclades
The Cyclades is a Greek island group in the Aegean Sea, south-east of the mainland of Greece; and a former administrative prefecture of Greece. They are one of the island groups which constitute the Aegean archipelago. The name refers to the islands around the sacred island of Delos...
.
Residents
For more than 150 years, similarly with the rest of the Greek rural areas, it was a poor, agricultural island, until the early 1990s, where the first tourist development began, upgrading the living standard of its residents. Nevertheless, according to the last censuses, its population appears decreasing tensions, having left the island with no more than 600 residents (mostly pensioners) during the winter. The underage population is no more than 100, according to the school records. The most of the working population is involved with the elementary tourist industry of the island (hotels, restaurants) in combination with agriculture activities, mainly during winter.Local government
After the municipal/prefectural elections held in October 2006, the new mayor of the island for the period 2007-2010 is Theodoros-Gerasimos Maganiotis, who also publishes the only newspaper of the island, Kimoliaka Nea (Kimolian News). Kimolos has a local Police Department to keep the order. The Kimolos Port Authority is a department of Milos Coast Guard. Kimolos is part of the Milos peripheral unitMilos (peripheral unit)
Milos is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the region of South Aegean. The regional unit covers the islands of Kimolos, Milos, Serifos, Sifnos and several smaller islands in the Aegean Sea.-Administration:...
.
Transportation
- Internal:
On the island all vehicles are permitted, but during the summer months, the lack of parking space is the most important problem in populated areas, such as Horio Kimolou and Psathi. Common kinds of fuels are available at the local Fuels Station.
There are also public means of transport, such as bus (ticket price: around euro 1)and taxi (price from euro 4 to euro 9 dependent on the route), programming routes to popular beaches.
- External:
Kimolos belongs to the line of the Western Cyclades and it's connected to nearby islands and Piraeus
Piraeus
Piraeus is a city in the region of Attica, Greece. Piraeus is located within the Athens Urban Area, 12 km southwest from its city center , and lies along the east coast of the Saronic Gulf....
Port (Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
) via ferry boat all-round year and catamaran ferry during the tourist season. Routes frequency varies with the year's season. During the tourist period, it usually has daily connection to Piraeus and other islands. The ticket price, without special offers, costs about euro 25, by ferry boat (Piraeus-Kimolos: 7h) and euro 36 by catamaran ferry (Piraeus-Kimolos: 4h). Also, transport via Milos is possible, because of the frequent connection of the two islands with local ferry boat. Finally, Kimolos is station for the local connections between Cyclades
Cyclades
The Cyclades is a Greek island group in the Aegean Sea, south-east of the mainland of Greece; and a former administrative prefecture of Greece. They are one of the island groups which constitute the Aegean archipelago. The name refers to the islands around the sacred island of Delos...
islands.