Flerio Gardens (1) | | |
Believe it or not, these panoramas were shot mid-October, when all of the Cyclades have been completely burnt by the summer sun! Naxos, unlike other islands, is rich in water and very fertile... |
Flerio Gardens (2) | | |
Believe it or not, these panoramas were shot mid-October, when all of the Cyclades have been completely burnt by the summer sun! Naxos, unlike other islands, is rich in water and very fertile... |
Flerio Gardens (3) | | |
Believe it or not, these panoramas were shot mid-October, when all of the Cyclades have been completely burnt by the summer sun! Naxos, unlike other islands, is rich in water and very fertile... |
Flerio Sanctuary (1) | | |
This rather mysterious archaeological site was dedicated to a goddess of fertility and two giants, the twin brothers Otos and Ephialtes, who were worshipped by the workers of the nearby marble quarries. |
Flerio Sanctuary (2) | | |
In Greek mythology, Otos and Ephialtes ("Night Bird" and "Nightmare") are the Aloads, evil twin brothers who ended up tied by Zeus to a column in Tartarus, bound by snakes. But the stonemasons of Flerio believed that they were protecting them, who knows why... |
Flerio Sanctuary (3) | | |
The archaeological site is unfortunately completely abandoned and the didactic panels have been erased by time. Only the ruins with their aura of mystery remain... |
Flerio Sanctuary (4) | | |
The marble layers of the neighbouring quarries were of good quality and close to the surface. Some of the most beautiful sculptures found in Naxos, Delos and elsewhere in Greece are made of white marble extracted from Flerio. |
Flerio Sanctuary (5) | | |
Even if the old stones don't make you dream, go for a stroll in this sanctuary planted with olive trees, the landscape is superb and you won't regret the walk! |
Flerio Sanctuary (6) | | |
From the entrance of the sanctuary, we will jump directly to the shady path that crosses the fertile region of the springs of Flerio, from where we will discover the lush gardens where one of the kouroï rests. |
Kouros of Melanes (1) | | |
A kouros is a statue of a young man from the Archaic period (7th-6th century BC), usually carved in marble. Sometimes, during transportation, the rough draft of the statue would break and it would be abandoned on the spot, near the quarry. This is what happened to this kouros of white marble, roughly sketched and resting for more than 26 centuries in a lush garden. |
Kouros of Melanes (2) | | |
We have not yet taken panoramic shots of the other two broken kouros in Naxos. One of them, that of Potamia (or Faranga), lies nearby, near the old marble quarries. The other, the largest and most famous, is above Apollonas, in the north of the island. |
Springs of Flerio path (1) | | |
The springs of Flerio are in the vicinity of this path and you may see a few trickles of water, or even a small spring surrounded by jerrycans that the locals use to get their supplies. |
Springs of Flerio path (2) | | |
One of the kouroï is in a garden somewhere along these paths, not far away... Discover it! |