Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Zákynthos Town
The town, like the island, is known as
both
ZÁKYNTHOS
and Zante. This
former “Venice of the East” (
Zante,
Fior di Levante
, “Flower of the
Levant”, in an Italian jingle), rebuilt
on the old plan after the 1953
earthquake, has bravely tried to
re-create some of its style, though
reinforced concrete can only do so
much.
he town stretches beyond the
length of the wide and busy harbour,
its main section bookended by the
grand
Platía Solomoú
at the north,
and the church of
Áyios Dhionýsios
,
patron saint of the island, at the south.
Zákynthos is a working town with
limited concessions to tourism,
although there are sufficient facilities
and it's the only place to stay if you
want to see the island by public
transport.
ZÁKYNTHOS
Cape
Skinári
Shipwreck Bay
Volímes
Blue
Caves
Mt Astéri
(583m)
Anafonítria
Áyios Nikólaos
Anafonítria
Makrýs Yialós
Xygiá
Skinári
Vnómi
Bay
Mariés
Stenítis
Bay
Mt
Vrahiónas
(756m)
Alykés
Kambí
Éxo
Hóra
Katastári
Alikanás
Pigadhákia
Dhrossiá
Yerakári
Ayía Marína
Pahiá
Ámmos
11
Tragáki
Áyios Léon
Mt
Athéras
Tsiliví
Limniónas
Plános
Kiliómeno
Maherádho
Vanáto
Bóhali
ZÁKYNTHOS
TOWN
Megálo
Vounó
Argási
Laganás
Mount
Skopós
(492m)
Áyios Dhionýsios
Church
Daily 8am-1pm & 5-10pm
Museum
Daily May-
Sept 8am-11pm, Oct-April 9am-noon & 5-8pm • €2
The church of
Áyios Dhionýsios
is well
worth a visit for the dazzling giltwork
and fine modern murals inside, which
were completely repainted at the turn
of the millennium. Behind the church
there is also a
museum
, which has
some fine paintings and icons.
Límni Kerioú
Kalamáki
Kerí
Mt Kakavakia
(413m)
Marathoníssi
Kamínia
Marathiá
Caves
Pórto
Zóro
Dháfni
Áno
Vassilikós
Peloúzo
Banana
Áyios Nikólaos
Yé ra ka s
0
25
Pórto
Róma
kilometres
Platía Solomoú
Platía Solomoú
is named after the island's most famous son, the poet Dhionysios
Solomos, the father of modernism in Greek literature, who was responsible for
establishing demotic Greek (as opposed to the elitist
katharévousa
form) as a literary
idiom. He is also the author of the lyrics to the national anthem, an excerpt from
which adorns the statue of Liberty in the square.
Platía Solomoú is home to the town's
library
, which has a small collection of
pre- and post-quake photography, and the massive
Byzantine Museum
, sometimes
referred to as the Zákynthos Museum. On the seaward corner of the square stands
the squat restored church of
Áyios Nikólaos tou Mólou
, where the vestments of St
Dhionysios are kept.
Byzantine Museum
Platía Solomoú • Tues-Sun 8.30am-3pm • €3 •
T
26950 42714
he
Byzantine Museum
is most notable for its collection of artworks from the Ionian
School (see box, p.711), the region's post-Renaissance art movement, spearheaded by
Zakynthian painter Panayiotis Doxaras. The movement was given impetus by Cretan
refugees, unable to practise their art under Turkish rule. It also houses some secular
painting and a fine model of the town before the earthquake.
