Aegina, Greece | Exploring Paleochora, The Medieval Capital Town of The Island for Almost 1000 Years

Aegina, Greece | Exploring Paleochora, The Medieval Capital Town of The Island for Almost 1000 Years - Part 1
On the steep hill, located opposite the Monastery of Agios Nektarios the traveler can find the ruins of Paleochora, the Byzantine Medieval Capital of Aegina for almost 1000 years. The Byzantine settlement of Paleochora dates from 896, when the people of Aegina moved here trying to avoid pirate raids. The city developed amphitheatrically on the slope of the hill, with small, densely built houses, and among them it is said that there were 365 churches, one for every day of the year. The Christian churches must have been there from the 5th-6th century inside the ancient city of Oie. Today, on the hill we can find the ruins of the castle, which was built by the Venetians in 1654, and the churches, from which only 38 still survive. The churches are open to visitors and some are still in good condition and many with wall paintings. The old churches and chapels are perched on the steep hill, offering the traveler spectacular views. Paleochora was the capital of the island of Aegina starting with the 9th century, when the inhabitants were forced to abandon their coastal villages and settle inland because of the frequent and disastrous attacks of the pirates, until 1826, when the pirate attacks became less frequent. The place is called the “old town” (Paleochora) and was completely abandoned. Only ruins remain from the medieval village since the inhabitants moved to the today capital of Aegina Town. Paleochora is a medieval gem, a ghost town hidden on the steep slopes of a hill. A marked path allows the visitor to hike the hill and to discover the beauty of the historic treasures preserved until now. In middle March, spring is in full swing, so we enjoyed the lush vegetation all around the pathway. The wild-orchids, forget-me-not and dozens of multicolored flowers delighted our eyes with a stunning color combination sprouted at every turn. As you climb the hill you can enjoy the legendary blue of the Mediterranean Sea. The beauty of the landscape and the charm of the old churches, dating back from 12th century, will make you wish to come back.
The island of Aegina is the closest island to Athens (only 16.5 nautical miles from the Port of Piraeus). From 1827 until 1829, Aegina town was the temporary capital of the newly founded Greek state. Aegina is one of the most popular tourist destinations as it has many archaeological monuments, picturesque villages and beautiful beaches. Aegina Island offers not only beautiful sea views and the cool Mediterranean breeze but also some of Greece’s best religious sites and unique tourist attractions.
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You can see the video Aegina, Greece | Exploring Paleochora, The Medieval Capital Town of The Island for Almost 1000 Years (Part 2), here:    • Aegina, Greece | Exploring Paleochora, The...  
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00:01 INTRO
01:27 Monastery of Agios Nektarios
08:09 Church of the Holy Cross
10:27 Church of Agia Barbara
11:01 Church of Agios Georgios Katholikos
15:04 Diocese of Agios Dionysios