Skaros ( el, Σκάρος), also known as Skaros Rock, Fortress Skaros or Castle Skaros, is a rock formation and collection of ruins on the
Greek
Greek may refer to:
Greece
Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe:
*Greeks, an ethnic group.
*Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family.
**Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...
island of
Santorini
Santorini ( el, Σαντορίνη, ), officially Thira (Greek: Θήρα ) and classical Greek Thera (English pronunciation ), is an island in the southern Aegean Sea, about 200 km (120 mi) southeast from the Greek mainland. It is the ...
.
History
Skaros Rock is a large rock promontory on the Aegean island of Santorini. The formation was created through the volcanic activity (likely in an eruption dated to 68,000 B.C)
[http://volcano.si.edu/world/volcano.cfm?vnum=0102-04=] of the nearby
Santorini caldera
Santorini caldera is a large, mostly submerged caldera, located in the southern Aegean Sea, 120 kilometers north of Crete in Greece. Visible above water is the circular Santorini island group, consisting of Santorini (classic Greek Thera), the ma ...
, and has since been further shaped by erosion and earthquakes.
In a nautical context, the formation is referred to as Cape Skaros.
A prominent landmark, the elevated position of the rock made it a preferable location for defensive fortifications. The site was initially fortified in the early 13th century by the
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire, also referred to as the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantium, was the continuation of the Roman Empire primarily in its eastern provinces during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, when its capital city was Constantinopl ...
, which employed Venetian architect Giacomo Barozzi to construct a fortress around the promontory. The initial structure, known as "La Roka" ("Upper Castle" in Greek), was completed in 1207.
Upon the fortress' completion, Barozzi was given control of Santorini by fellow Venetian
Marco I Sanudo
Marco Sanudo (c. 1153 – between 1220 and 1230, most probably 1227) was the creator and first Duke of the Duchy of the Archipelago, after the Fourth Crusade.
Maternal nephew of Venetian doge Enrico Dandolo, he was a participant in the Fourth Cru ...
, who had recently coerced the Byzantines into surrendering their claim to the Aegean islands and had named himself
Duke of Naxos
The Duchy of the Archipelago ( el, Δουκάτο του Αρχιπελάγους, it, Ducato dell'arcipelago), also known as Duchy of Naxos or Duchy of the Aegean, was a maritime state created by Venetian interests in the Cyclades archipelago ...
. The settlement subsequently grew, with many homes, businesses, and further fortifications being built around the promontory. A church complex, the Chapel of Panagia Theoskepasti, was built at the base of the formation, as was a small harbor. By the time of the
Venetian Republic's takeover of Santorini in 1336, the settlement consisted of over 200 homes and had several hundred inhabitants.
As Skaros was the largest settlement on the island, the fortress became the de facto capitol of Venetian Santorini.
![Skaros Sketch (Thomas Hope)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0f/Skaros_Sketch_%28Thomas_Hope%29.jpg)
A series of escalating wars between the
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...
and Venice in the mid 16th century resulted in Santorini being the target of numerous raids by the Ottomans. While other settlements suffered, Skaros' fortifications and position high on the cliffs of Western Santorini protected the town from raiders. However, the island's trade-based economy suffered, resulting in the ruling families of Santorini severing ties with Venice and signing a non-aggression treaty with the Ottomans. This policy change angered Venice, which attempted to recover the island without success. In addition to Venetian incursions, some Ottoman captains continued to raid the island for slaves and supplies in violation of the Turko-Santorinian treaty, while the rise of the
Tunisia
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, image_map = Tunisia location (orthographic projection).svg
, map_caption = Location of Tunisia in northern Africa
, image_map2 =
, capital = Tunis
, largest_city = capital
, ...
-based
Barbary pirates
The Barbary pirates, or Barbary corsairs or Ottoman corsairs, were Muslim pirates and privateers who operated from North Africa, based primarily in the ports of Salé, Rabat, Algiers, Tunis and Tripoli, Libya, Tripoli. This area was known i ...
also proved to be a major threat to the island. Despite these risks, Santorini maintained its independence until 1566, when Ottoman admiral
Piali Pasha
Piali Pasha, ( tr, Piyale Paşa; hu, Piali pasa) (c. 1515–1578) was an Ottoman Grand Admiral (Kapudan Pasha) between 1553 and 1567, and a Vizier (minister) after 1568. He is also known as Piale Pasha in English.
Early life
His exact place ...
arrived off of the island with a large fleet, demanding the full annexation of the island into the Ottoman Empire.
[Bono, Salvatore: ''Corsari nel Mediterraneo'' (''Corsairs in the Mediterranean''), Oscar Storia Mondadori. Perugia, 1993.] All of the island's settlements, including Skaros, accepted these terms, and the island became an Ottoman possession.
The Ottomans left a garrison force in Skaros, and after the Ottoman takeover the threat posed by Muslim piracy abated.
Without the threat of raids to keep rival settlements in check, Skaros was eclipsed in importance by the towns of
Fira
Firá ( el, Φηρά, pronounced ) is the modern capital of the Greek Aegean island of Santorini (Thera). A traditional settlement,http://www.visitgreece.gr Greek National Tourism Organisation "Firá" derives its name from an alternative pron ...
(which became the new capital of the island) and
Oia.
[Savvides, A. (1997). "Santurin Adasi̊". In Bosworth, C. E.; van Donzel, E.; Heinrichs, W. P.; Lecomte, G. The Encyclopaedia of Islam, New Edition, Volume IX: San–Sze. Leiden: E. J. Brill. p. 20. .]
Though already in decline, Skaros remained a prominent settlement until the Santorini volcano became active and began to erupt in 1650. This eruption caused several strong earthquakes which collapsed part of the town into the sea. The volcano continued to go through periods of activity, erupting from 1701 to 1711 and again from 1866 to 1870.
The 18th century eruptions were notably impactful, as they caused most of Skaros' residents to move to Fira or the nearby village of Imerovigli. The old Venetian fortress subsequently fell into disuse, and by the early 19th century consisted of only a few weathered ruins.
Present day
The ruins of Skaros are currently a popular destination for hiking and photography; the promontory is accessible via the nearby village of
Imerovigli
Imerovigli ( el, Ημεροβίγλι) is a village on the island of Santorini, Greece, situated north of the island capital Fira. Imerovigli is built on the rim of the Santorini caldera and is crossed by narrow, paved paths.
Imerovigli's churc ...
.
A monastery, known as the Chapel of Panagia Theoskepasti, remains in use on the cliffs below the rock feature.
References
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Santorini