Chios ( el, Χίος) is the main

town A town is a human settlement. Towns are generally larger than villages and smaller than cities, though the criteria to distinguish between them vary considerably in different parts of the world. Origin and use The word "town" shares an o ...

and a former municipality on the island of

Chios Chios (; el, Χίος, Chíos , traditionally known as Scio in English) is the fifth largest Greek island, situated in the northern Aegean Sea. The island is separated from Turkey by the Chios Strait. Chios is notable for its exports of mast ...

North Aegean The North Aegean Region ( el, Περιφέρεια Βορείου Αιγαίου, translit=Periféria Voríou Eyéou, ) is one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece, and the smallest of the thirteen by population. It comprises the isl ...

Greece Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders wi ...

. Since the 2011 local government reform, it is part of the municipality Chios, of which it is a municipal unit. The municipal unit has an area of 22.823 km². It is located on the eastern

coast The coast, also known as the coastline or seashore, is defined as the area where land meets the ocean, or as a line that forms the boundary between the land and the coastline. The Earth has around of coastline. Coasts are important zones in n ...

of the island facing the Turkish coastal town of

Çeşme Çeşme () is a coastal town and the administrative centre of the district of the same name in Turkey's westernmost end, on a promontory on the tip of the peninsula that also carries the same name and that extends inland to form a whole with th ...

. The town has a population of 26,850 (2011) and is the administrative

capital Capital may refer to: Common uses * Capital city, a municipality of primary status ** List of national capital cities * Capital letter, an upper-case letter Economics and social sciences * Capital (economics), the durable produced goods used fo ...

and main port of both the island and of the

regional unit The 74 regional units of Greece ( el, περιφερειακές ενότητες, ; sing. , ) are the country's Seventy-four second-level administrative units. They are divisions of the country's 13 regions, and are further divided into munici ...

of Chios. Chios town is one of eight municipal units on the island. The city is often locally referred to as "''Chora''" (Χώρα; literally meaning "''country''") or "''Kastro''" (Κάστρο; "castle") to distinguish it from the entirety of the island with which it shares the name. North of Chios lies the suburb of

Vrontados Vrontados ( el, Βροντάδος) is a small coastal town located at the eastern part of the island of Chios in Greece. With a population of about 5,300 the town hosts the seat of the municipality of Omiroupoli. Information The town has a st ...

, while the

Chios Island National Airport Chios Island National Airport ( el, Κρατικός Αερολιμένας Χίου) is an airport on the island of Chios in Greece. It is also known as Chios National Airport, "Omiros" or Chios Airport located at the region of Kampos, south of ...

and town of

Karfas Karfas ( el, Καρφάς), is a small town on the island of Chios, Greece. Located 7 kilometers south of Chios (town) Chios ( el, Χίος) is the main town and a former municipality on the island of Chios, North Aegean, Greece. Since the 20 ...

lie a few kilometres south of the centre.

History

Originally the site of an ancient settlement, the town was first built at the north side of a natural harbour. By the 16th century, the Byzantine walled town had been further fortified by the Genoese rulers into a massive medieval castle, the "Kastro". The current town has expanded out from the ''Kastro'', and the port in the last 200 years. After the devastating earthquake of 1881, the town was substantially rebuilt in neoclassical style, although much of the quayside and outskirts are more modern. The promenade and buildings on it, architechnically were influenced by the nearby

Smyrna Smyrna ( ; grc, Σμύρνη, Smýrnē, or , ) was a Greek city located at a strategic point on the Aegean coast of Anatolia. Due to its advantageous port conditions, its ease of defence, and its good inland connections, Smyrna rose to prom ...

on Asia minor coast. In 1885 the population was circa 13.000. Although the population is relatively stable, the town continues to expand with suburbs being built to the north and south. Nevertheless, the centre of the town is still concentrated between the port and castle where the administration, several museums, the main shopping street "Aplotaria", and the municipal gardens lie.

Districts

* Aplotariá (Aplotaria Street) * Agia Marina * Bella Vista (promenade) * Bournias * Kastro * Neapoli (Tabakika) * Fragoparikia * Vounaki (Vounakiou Square) * Varvasi

Landmarks

* Archaeological Museum of Chios * Byzantine Museum of Chios * Castle of Chios * Korais Library *

Palace of Giustiniani A palace is a grand residence, especially a royal residence, or the home of a head of state or some other high-ranking dignitary, such as a bishop or archbishop. The word is derived from the Latin name palātium, for Palatine Hill in Rome which ...

Maritime Museum of Chios Maritime may refer to: Geography * Maritime Alps, a mountain range in the southwestern part of the Alps * Maritime Region, a region in Togo * Maritime Southeast Asia * The Maritimes, the Canadian provinces of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Princ ...

Metropolitan Church of Chios Metropolitan may refer to: * Metropolitan area, a region consisting of a densely populated urban core and its less-populated surrounding territories * Metropolitan borough, a form of local government district in England * Metropolitan county, a typ ...

(Agion Viktoron) *

Osmaniye Mosque Osmaniye Mosque ( el, Τζαμί Οσμανιγιέ, tr, Osmaniye Camii), also locally called Frangomachala Mosque (Τζαμί του Φραγκομαχαλά, "Mosque of the Frankish Quarter") is one of the three remaining mosques on the island o ...

* Saint Nicholas Catholic Church

Gallery

File:Citta di Scio - Camocio Giovanni Francesco - 1574.jpg, Map of Chios town, 1574 File:Gios-stêd, wynmûnen.jpg, Windmills at the port File:Koraes Public Library in Chios.jpg, ''

Adamantios Korais Adamantios Korais or Koraïs ( el, Ἀδαμάντιος Κοραῆς ; la, Adamantius Coraes; french: Adamance Coray; 27 April 17486 April 1833) was a Greek scholar credited with laying the foundations of modern Greek literature and a major ...

'' public library File:Chiostownpark.jpg, Municipal park, with a statue of

Konstantinos Kanaris Konstantinos Kanaris ( el, Κωνσταντίνος Κανάρης, ; c. 17901877), also anglicised as Constantine Kanaris or Canaris, was a Greek admiral, Prime Minister, and a hero of the Greek War of Independence.Woodhouse, p. 129. Biog ...

File:Chios, Cathedral or the Church of Agion Victoron.jpg, Metropolitan Cathedral of the town File:Chios Byzantine Museum, Mecidiye Mosque, Chios, Greece.jpg, Mecidiye mosque File:Abdul Hamid Fountain, Chios, Abdülhamid Cesmesi, Sakiz.jpg, Abdul Hamid Ottoman fountain

References

External links

Official website
Populated places in Chios Greek prefectural capitals Port cities of the Aegean Sea Greek city-states Populated places in the ancient Aegean islands {{NorthAegean-geo-stub