History of Naxos Island

Naxos was inhabited since antiquity, with a long and continuous presence in the region of the Cyclades. Its marble quarries and emery mines not only supplied many neighboring islands with their valuable materials, they also presented an attraction for great artists; the intriguing “Kouroi”, marble statues of Apollo found in several spots around the island, the “Portara” marble gateway of the ancient temple of Apollo, the temple of Demeter and many more attest to that. Two highly significant ancient sanctuaries of antiquity are found in Naxos, the Sanctuary of Yria and the Sanctuary of Gyroula, whereas significant archaeological finds from excavations around the island are showcased in the Archaeological Museum. In later times, Naxos was a Byzantine province, inheriting an abundance of churches and monasteries that remain to this day, whereas Venetian castles and fortifications dominate the peaks of hilltops and mountains.