Firopotamos

Plakes, the small village with the white houses and alleys, is situated between Plaka and Triovasalos. It was built at the foot of the Castle and is name originated from the fact that the region was level (“Plakes” means straightening). Should you go to Plakes, you can visit the island’s church dedicated to Saint Haralabos, where you will see the icon of Panaghia Akradiotissa, one of the island’s oldest icons. Finally, from Plakes you can go easily and quickly to the amazing beach of Plathiena.
 
 

Messa Panaghia or Panaghia Skiniotissa
On the top of the Castle, there is the small arched church of Panaghia Skiniotissa or Messa Panaghia. Today, the church building is preserved in a very good condition, as it is a postwar building. The older chapel was blown up during the German occupation so that an anti-aircraft cantilever would be built in its place and thus the church was rebuilt after 1944.

It is said that the church was named “Skiniotissa” after the icon of the Virgin Mary (Panaghia) that was found on a lentisk (skino in Greek), on the top of the Castle.

Saint Haralampos
On the foot of Plaka, in the village called Plaka, stands the fourth biggest church of the island, the church of Saint Haralampos. It was built in 1853 (in the place of an old chapel), thanks to the efforts and the donations of the few villagers.

In the church you can see modern frescos (the fresco of Pantocrator in the dome, the fresco of Saint Haralampos in the left side and in the opposite side the fresco of Saint Vlasios) and many interesting icons such as the one of the Archangel Michael, of Jesus Christ, of Saint John the Baptist, of the Lady of the Angels, of Saint Jacob, of Saint Catherine and of the Virgin Mary of Akradiotissa, which the oldest icon of the village. This is an icon of a great value and it has been transferred from the ruined monastery that existed in Mikri Akradia.

The great hagiographer Fotis Kontoglou said about the icon of Panaghia Akradiotissa: “It is painted on a oblong board, hollow like a skiff, as in the most ancient icons. The head of the Virgin Mary is standing up, just like in the other old icons of “Panaghia Odigitria” (i.e. the Virgin Mary leading us, the Leader), and the head of our Lord Jesus Christ is seen from the side. The eyes, the nose, the mouth are indicated with siena a bit darker than proplasmos. The soft light is put with loose and fleeting strokes of brush, just like in ancient letters, whereas in the newest icons the lightened parts have been worked with straight lines, the one next to the other, painted carefully. The proplasmos is red siena , the look of the Virgin Mary seems old and unsmiling, totally different from the usual type of “Panaghia Odigitria”.

Triovasalos and Pera Triovasalos

Setting out from the port and before we reach Plaka, the first villages we find are Triovasalos and Pera Triovasalos.
These two almost continuing villages have been created on two neighboring hills, they are densely populated and amphitheatrically built, whereas they have a considerable commercial activity. In Triovasalos, ‘’Karavodromos’’ constitutes the island’s focal point, where banks, public services, cafeterias and commercial shops are located. Lastly, in Triovasalos and in Pera Triovasalos, you can visit the two significant churches of these villages: the church of Saint Spryindon and the church of Saint Georgerespectively.

The Castle was built in the 13th century on the hill of Prophitis Ilias, on the northwest edge of the island (today’s Plaka).
Nowadays it is not inhabited, but  its visitors can  admire a view of incomparable beauty of the entire island bay and of the magic sunset that is worth enjoying when you decide to climb all the way to the top. Also, ascending to the Castle, you will have the chance to see the church of The Assumption of the Virgin Mary or Panaghia Skiniotissa and the church of Panaghia Thalassitra.

This Venetian Castle was not surrounded by walls, as it was the case with most of the Cycladic castles, but it was protected by the houses. Practically, the castle was used to protect the local population against the attacks of pirates (a frequent phenomenon of the era), and also for the control of the ships’ movements in  Adamantas bay. On  its top, the “Mesa Kastro”, the Tower of the Governor was located, the so called Palace and around the tower there were a few houses. It was established by the first duke of Naxos, Marcus Sanoudos and in the Mesa Kastro there were mainly the residencies of the Duke’s manors and deputies, as well as of other relatives and  Franks.
 
 
 

A seaside settlement with a small, yet organized beach, appropriate for swimming and fishing.
It is full of tamarisks and a creek surrounded by “syrmata”. At its edge, after the fishing houses, you will see the deserted ladder used for loading and the Church of Saint Nikolaos.
 
 

Ypapanti of Christ or Panaghia Thalassitra
 The church of Ypapanti of Christ or Panaghia Thalassitra is the patron saint of sailors and it is the most multi-photographed church of the island. It is located in one of the island’s nicest spots and you will see it on your way up to the Castle. This church used to be a chapel in 1739 which was demolished in 1839 so that this magnificent bigger church would be built instead, incorporating also as a south aisle the neighboring Frankish Church dedicated to the Virgin Mary (Panaghia Eleousa).

 In the church of Panaghia Thalassitra, you can see works of the 17th century made in the famous hagiographic workshop of the Skordilides, and specifically the important icons of Saint Eleftherios, the Virgin Mary and Jesus Christ, painted by Emmanuel Skordilis. Also, you can admire the woodcut icon screen with its amazing cross, whereas in the lintel of the church’s west gate you can see the coat of arms of Krispi, who was the duke of Naxos.