Aegina is a beautiful island in the Saronic Gulf, where there are about 13 thousand inhabitants and much more people come to the island annually to relax and enjoy the beauty of nature. The island surround myths and legends. For example, the locals are confident that the first settlers of the island - Mirmidonean were turned by Zeus from ants in people and in general they were the first submitted son Zeus Eak. Beautiful myths, yes. Well, the archaeological excavations argue that life on the island there is many centuries, and the main occupations of the locals were industry and trade. There are a lot of churches on the island. Traditions argue that there were once 365 temples on the island, so his inhabitants each day was the prestituted holiday. Today there are only 40 churches on the island, but it is a lot, especially since the island is not very big.
Today, the alar is a painful island area of 87km², and that's what you can see during your trip.
Church Ayiya Triad (Church Ayiya Triad)
From the Greek language, the name of the Church is translated as the Church of the Holy Trinity. The temple was erected at this place in the 19th century. The temple in the Byzantine style can be found next to the fish market, well, and the main entrance of the temple is facing the main harbor. The temple is impressive by unusual architecture and a clock tower-bell tower. The church is located on the western part of the island.
Church of St. Nicholas)
This church is right on the pier of the island, perhaps one of the most interesting and unusual on the aet. And the first thing they see the tourists swimming towards the island is the only preserved column of the temple of Apollo and this is this white beautiful church in the Cycladic style. The name of the church with two "humps" sounds in Greek very beautifully "Agnios-Nikolaos-Talassinos". The temple belongs to the post -anzantine period and built in honor of St. Nicholas of the Sea, the patron saint of all sailors, and erected the temple exclusively to donate local fishermen and navigators. And another interesting fact: all local sailors have an old ritual before entering the sea - they say to each other partific words: "Let the saint be at the helm." There is a church in the northern part of the island.
Eggin Embankment
It is a beautiful Boulevard-Bulgarian (a mooring of a thin vertical wall and anchor devices) in a neoclassical style. You can find a number of cozy taverns, restaurants and bars. And the shore shake moored yachts and boats. In general, it is the most crowded and lively part of the city, especially in the evenings, when all tourists are selected to walk and relax. In the afternoon, the "planned" movement - ferries and courts on come on and sail from the port more often and sailed from the port, new happy tourists arrive and galdyat, fishermen traded. The embankment is beautiful and offers a beautiful view of the Saronic Bay and Peloponnese Mountains. The embankment is located on the northern coast in the western part of the island.
Kolonna (Kolonna ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE)
You can also meet the writing of this monument with one "H" - Kolona. This Acropolis of the ancient city of Azhagin is located next to the modern Aiginio. And the name is due to the fact that the only column on the site of the once prosperous beautiful temple of Apollo remained on the territory of Acropolis. And the place is very beautiful! The found items of antiquity on this territory are dated a neolithic period. The ruins of the bronze century fortress walls are very interesting (3-2 millennium BC). The Apollo Temple was built in the period from late 6 to the beginning of the 5th centuries to our era. This means that in those days the city flourished. On the western side of the building, you can see a monument of attalides, which dates from 210 a year before our era, when on the island rules of the Dynasty of the Kingdom of Pergam. In the Roman period, these shrines were destroyed, to great regret. In the Byzantine era, a defensive fortress was found on this territory (the strengthening of the eleventh century were found).
Saint Nektarios Monastery (Monastery Of Saint Nektarios)
This female monastery, which is a place of pilgrimage, was built by Saint Nectarium at the beginning of the last century. The temple became the largest construction of the twentieth century in all Greece. By the way, at first nectarians gave the name of the monastery - the church of the Holy Trinity, but after the death of the elder the building was assigned to his name. Thus, nectaries became the first holy, canonized by the Greek Orthodox Church in our time. And this is an extremely beautiful and majestic building. As for the saint, they say that he had a gift to heal patients with cancer, drug addiction and alcoholism. The fame of nectarial abilities spread far beyond the limits of the island, so people who need treatment and help began to be tightened. True, not a lot. Now, people continue to come to this temple from all over the world to worship the relics of the elder and ask for help. On November 9, the monastery celebrates a holiday dedicated to Nectarius, who died on November 8, and on this day there are many pilgrims in the city. By the way, this is not the only temple in Greece, which is dedicated to nectaria. Getting to the monastery is not difficult. From the port of Piraeus (Athens) to Egina there are daily transfers (ferry or rocket) all year round. On the island, take a taxi, or sit on the bus. The path will take no more than 15 minutes (from Aya Marina, buses go every day).
Afiai Temple (Temple of APHAIA)
On the top of the hill near the town of Aiaia Marina on the island there is an ancient Doric Temple of Afiai, which was erected at the beginning of the 5th century BC. It can be seen from afar, in particular, 24 columns of the first and second tier are noted. Interesting architectural solution: The angular columns are noticeably thickened, which allows you to feel the power of the design and gives the optical effect of the refinement of other columns. Inside the old temple, you can see the sculpture of the goddess, unfortunately, a fairly pitched time, as well as a pool with olive oil for sacrificial videos. At the beginning of the 19th century, elegant frontones with structures between mythological characters were found at the site of the temple. Today, these parts of the construction can be seen on the expositions of Munich Glipotki.