Kós (Part 1)

Approaching Kós

When we left Kálimnos there was virtually no wind so we motored for an hour until, in the passage between Kálimnos and Pserimos the wind suddenly arrived blowing 14kts. I was trying to recalibrate the aft holding tank contents gauge, which, despite being brand new, does not want to maintain its calibration, so Nicky got the mainsail up and unrolled the genoa, and BV set off at the rush on a broad reach. We had a great sail for the remaining 10 or so miles to Kos, arriving to a harbour pretty empty of yachts – the definite advantage of turning up on the day the meltemi stops blowing!

BV moored on the town quay with a great view of the castle    

Most of the yacht moorings in the harbour are managed by Kos Marina (the marina proper is a mile further east along the coast) but there are a few public moorings just inside the west side of the entrance that visitors can use more economically. If the wind is in the north or northeast there is quite a lot movement here and the area can also be affected by wash from visiting cruise ships and ferries. We made sure that BV was pulled well off the quay and her mast and rigging deconflicted from those of the boats alongside and had no particular problems during our stay.

Churches, mosques and Knights of St John fortifications    

The site of Kos town has been inhabited for millennia but during the late Bronze Age and early Hellenistic period the main island city-state was on the southwest tip of the island. However, after a major earthquake the population relocated to the northern town. The basic structures of this city remained pretty much unchanged up until the 6^th century AD, though when the island became a major stronghold of the Knights of St John the town was walled and a large defensive fortress built.

In 1933 most of Kos town was devastated by another huge earthquake (6.6 on the Richter Scale). This gave the Italians, who owned the island at the time, a perfect excuse for some archaeological excavation. Large areas of the town’s centre remain an archaeological park through which locals and visitors alike are permitted to freely wander.

Agora

The eastern archaeological site dates primarily from the Hellenistic period and comprises the ancient town’s agora, several temples, areas of fortification and housing. Kos’ agora, one of the largest in the ancient world, was about 350m long and lay at the centre of the city.

Construction of the agora began in around 400BC with stoa around the central square and shops on one side. Over the centuries it was further developed and upgraded, marble columns were added, as well as temples and sanctuaries.

Fortifications

The fortified walls of the ancient city came right up to the harbour and the agora. Little remains today, partly because the Knights of St John raided the ancient sites for suitable construction materials when they built their fortress to the north of the harbour.

Harbour quarter

The Harbour Quarter contained sanctuaries and public buildings as well, more interestingly, as houses and shops for the local population. The bases of now broken amphorae remain where they would have stood in merchants’ shops and there are clear outlines of streets and houses. There are also a few beautiful mosaic floors on display, which, in any other site, would be protected from the sun by a roof on stilts.

Sanctuary of Aphrodite

The Sanctuary of Aphrodite, high on a podium in the Harbour Quarter, was founded in around 300BC. With its own stoas, shops and temples, it was almost like a mini-agora in its own right. Aphrodite had two forms: Pandemos, the goddess of love and harmony; and Pontia, the goddess of sailors. According to ancient inscriptions found near the sanctuary newly weds were obliged, during their first year of marriage, to sacrifice at the temple. Similar inscriptions also laid down the offering requirements for seamen, fisherman, merchants and captains on completion of voyages or as a form of tax on vessels owned. The earthquake of 462AD destroyed the sanctuary and the space was later used by the Knights of St John for a church.

Hippocrates’ plane tree

Leaving the eastern archaeological site but remaining in a Hellenistic frame of mind we went in search of the plane tree under which Hippocrates was said to have taught 2500 years ago. The plane tree is certainly not that ancient but it is very old and its branches are now all supported by scaffolding. Elsewhere there is a bronze statue of Hippocrates teaching his students and the healing theme is also in evidence in the plaques with the staff and snake which are mounted around the town on public buildings, the example above being on the Town Hall.

Walking to the castle we moved into a more modern era. Like that on Rhodes, it was built by the Knights of St John when they ran the Dodecanese island but unlike Rhodes’ castle, the one in Kos was built purely for defence; there was no housing inside. The castle was built in 2 stages: the inner fort dates from the mid-15^th century with the outer one completed in 1514.

The Knights of St John pillaged all the ancient buildings on Kos (including the Asklepion a couple of miles southwest of the town) for suitable material from which to construct the fort. Some, like the pillars from the Temple of Aphrodite(shown right) remain incorporated into the castle’s structure. Other ancient masonry, now ruined from the castle as well as their original ancient buildings, are displayed in the castle’s courtyards and on its battlements.

BV moored on the western side of the harbour

Despite the castle’s military role, there were still many decorative carvings and coats of arms. The latter, presumably, were those of the castle’s commanders and those of the men who helped to pay for its construction.

Cannon balls and WW2 helmets

Tucked away under a tower there was also a casual display of rusting cannon, cannon balls and WWII helmets – an interesting mix!

Having packed quite a lot of sightseeing into our first day on Kos, we hatched a plan to visit the Asklepion and the remainder of the archaeological sites in the town itself.

Kós, Greece