Kythira ( ; ), also transliterated as Cythera, Kythera and Kithira, is an island in Greece lying opposite the south-eastern tip of the

Peloponnese The Peloponnese ( ), Peloponnesus ( ; , ) or Morea (; ) is a peninsula and geographic region in Southern Greece, and the southernmost region of the Balkans. It is connected to the central part of the country by the Isthmus of Corinth land bridg ...

peninsula. It is traditionally listed as one of the seven main

Ionian Islands The Ionian Islands (Modern Greek: , ; Ancient Greek, Katharevousa: , ) are a archipelago, group of islands in the Ionian Sea, west of mainland Greece. They are traditionally called the Heptanese ("Seven Islands"; , ''Heptanēsa'' or , ''Heptanē ...

, although it is distant from the main group. Administratively, it belongs to the

Islands This is a list of the lists of islands in the world grouped by country, by continent, by body of water, and by other classifications. For rank-order lists, see the #Other lists of islands, other lists of islands below. Lists of islands by count ...

regional unit, which is part of the

Attica Attica (, ''Attikḗ'' (Ancient Greek) or , or ), or the Attic Peninsula, is a historical region that encompasses the entire Athens metropolitan area, which consists of the city of Athens, the capital city, capital of Greece and the core cit ...

region, despite its distance from the Saronic Islands, around which the rest of Attica is centered. As a municipality, it includes the island of

Antikythera Antikythera ( , ; , ) or Anticythera, known in antiquity as Aigilia (), is a Greek island lying on the edge of the Aegean Sea, between Crete and Peloponnese. Since the 2011 local government reform, it is part of the municipality of Kythira isl ...

to the south. The island is strategically located between the Greek mainland and

Crete Crete ( ; , Modern Greek, Modern: , Ancient Greek, Ancient: ) is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the List of islands by area, 88th largest island in the world and the List of islands in the Mediterranean#By area, fifth la ...

, and from ancient times until the mid-19th century was a crossroads of merchants, sailors, and conquerors. As such, it has had a long and varied history and has been influenced by many civilizations and cultures. This is reflected in its architecture (a blend of traditional, Aegean and Venetian elements), as well as the traditions and customs, influenced by centuries of coexistence of the Greek, and Venetian cultures.

Administration

Kythira and the nearby island of Antikythira were separate municipalities until they were merged at the 2011 local government reform; the two islands are now municipal units of Kythira municipality. The municipality has an area of 300.023 km², the municipal unit 279.593 km². The province of Kythira () was one of the

provinces A province is an administrative division within a country or state. The term derives from the ancient Roman , which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire's territorial possessions outside Italy. The term ''provi ...

of Lakonia, then of Argolis and Korinthia, then of Attica Prefecture from 1929 to 1964. Then from 1964 to 1972 Kythira became part of the newly establishment Piraeus Prefecture and after dissolution of Piraeus prefecture returned to Attica Prefecture as part of Piraeus prefecture (Νομαρχία). It was abolished in 2006. From 2011 it is part of the

regional unit of Attica region.

History

Pre-classical and ancient

There are archaeological remains from the

Helladic period Helladic chronology is a relative dating system used in archaeology and art history. It complements the Minoan chronology scheme devised by Sir Arthur Evans for the categorisation of Bronze Age artefacts from the Minoan civilization within a his ...

, contemporary with the Minoans. There is archaeological evidence of Kythiran trade as far as Egypt and Mesopotamia. Kythira had a

Phoenicia Phoenicians were an Ancient Semitic-speaking peoples, ancient Semitic group of people who lived in the Phoenician city-states along a coastal strip in the Levant region of the eastern Mediterranean, primarily modern Lebanon and the Syria, Syrian ...

n colony in the early archaic age; the sea-snail which produces Tyrian purple is native to the island. Xenophon refers to a Phoenician Bay in Kythira ('' Hellenica'' 4.8.7, probably Avlemonas Bay on the eastern side of the island). The archaic Greek city of Kythira was at Scandea on Avlemonas; its ruins have been excavated. Its acropolis, now Palicastro (Palaeocastron, "Old Fort"), has the temple of Aphrodite Ourania, who may well represent a Phoenician cult of Astarte. In classical times, Kythira was part of the territory of several larger city-states. Sparta took the island from Argos early in the sixth century BC, and ruled it under a ''kytherodíkes'' (kυθηροδίκης, "judge on Kythira"), in Thucydides' time ,53,3 Athens occupied it three times when at war with Sparta (in 456 BC during her first war with Sparta and the Peloponnesians; from 424 to 410 BC, through most of the great

Peloponnesian War The Second Peloponnesian War (431–404 BC), often called simply the Peloponnesian War (), was an Ancient Greece, ancient Greek war fought between Classical Athens, Athens and Sparta and their respective allies for the hegemony of the Ancien ...

; and from 393 to 387/386BC, during the

Corinthian War The Corinthian War (395–387 BC) was a conflict in ancient Greece which pitted Sparta against a coalition of city-states comprising Thebes, Greece, Thebes, Classical Athens, Athens, Ancient Corinth, Corinth and Argos, Peloponnese, Argos, backe ...

against Spartan dominance) and used it both to support her trade and to raid Laconia. Kythira was independent, and issued her own coins in 195 BC after the Achaean defeat of Sparta. In Augustus' time, it was again subject to Sparta, being the property of Gaius Julius Eurycles, who was both a Spartan magnate and a Roman citizen. By this time, the Greek cities were in practice subject to the

Roman Empire The Roman Empire ruled the Mediterranean and much of Europe, Western Asia and North Africa. The Roman people, Romans conquered most of this during the Roman Republic, Republic, and it was ruled by emperors following Octavian's assumption of ...

. Kythira continued to exist under the Roman Empire and its Byzantine successor state for centuries. Christianity is attested from the fourth century AD, the time of Constantine; according to her legend, Saint Elessa came from Laconia to convert the island.

Medieval and modern

Kythira is not mentioned in the literary sources for centuries after its conversion; in the period of Byzantine weakness at the end of the seventh century, it might have been exposed to attacks from both the Slavic tribes who raided the mainland and from Arab pirates from the sea. Archaeological evidence suggests the island was abandoned about 700 AD. When Saint Theodore of Cythera led a resettlement after the Byzantine reconquest of Crete in 962, he found the island occupied only by wandering bands of hunters. He established a great monastery at Paliochora; a town grew up around it, largely populated from Laconia. When the Byzantine Empire was divided among the conquerors of the

Fourth Crusade The Fourth Crusade (1202–1204) was a Latin Christian armed expedition called by Pope Innocent III. The stated intent of the expedition was to recapture the Muslim-controlled city of Jerusalem, by first defeating the powerful Egyptian Ayyubid S ...

, the

Republic of Venice The Republic of Venice, officially the Most Serene Republic of Venice and traditionally known as La Serenissima, was a sovereign state and Maritime republics, maritime republic with its capital in Venice. Founded, according to tradition, in 697 ...

took her share, three eighths of the whole, as the Greek islands, Kythira among them. She established a coast patrol on Kythira and Antikythera to protect her trade route to Constantinople; Kythira was one of the islands Venice continued to hold despite the Greek reconquest of Constantinople and the Turkish presence all over the Near East. During the Venetian domination the island was known as Cerigo. Kythirans still talk about the destruction and looting of Paliochora by

Barbarossa Barbarossa, a name meaning "red beard" in Italian, primarily refers to: * Frederick Barbarossa (1122–1190), Holy Roman Emperor * Hayreddin Barbarossa (c. 1478–1546), Ottoman admiral * Operation Barbarossa, the Axis invasion of the Soviet Uni ...

; it has become an intrinsic part of the Kytherian folklore. One can easily accept the stories of locals by noticing the number of monasteries embedded in the rocky hillsides to avoid destruction by the

pirate Piracy is an act of robbery or criminal violence by ship or boat-borne attackers upon another ship or a coastal area, typically with the goal of stealing cargo and valuable goods, or taking hostages. Those who conduct acts of piracy are call ...

s. Barbary pirates ranged across the Mediterranean waters, raiding ships, coasts and islands, taking booty and slaves for the Barbary slave trade. Kythira was at the mercy of Barbary pirates due to its strategic location in the Mediterranean. In order to intercept merchant vessels, islands along the trade routes were of course more interesting for pirates. In the 17th century the small islands like Sapientza (Kalamatas) south of Messinia (district in south-western part of the Peloponnese), Cerigo (Kythira) south of the south-eastern tip of the Peloponnese, and along the coast of Asia minor, the then deserted islands of Fourni southwest of Samos, and the island of Psara, west of Chios, were all pirate bases. When

Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French general and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led Military career ...

put an end to the Venetian Republic in 1797, Kythira was among the islands incorporated in that most distant department of France, called

Mer-Égée Mer-Égée (; French for "Aegean Sea") was one of three short-lived French departments of Greece. It came into existence after Napoleon's conquest in 1797 of the Republic of Venice, when Venetian Greek possessions such as the Ionian islands fel ...

. Kythira shared a common destiny with the other

Ionian islands The Ionian Islands (Modern Greek: , ; Ancient Greek, Katharevousa: , ) are a archipelago, group of islands in the Ionian Sea, west of mainland Greece. They are traditionally called the Heptanese ("Seven Islands"; , ''Heptanēsa'' or , ''Heptanē ...

during the turbulent Napoleonic era, and is still regarded as one of them; it was counted as one of the

Cyclades The CYCLADES computer network () was a French research network created in the early 1970s. It was one of the pioneering networks experimenting with the concept of packet switching and, unlike the ARPANET, was explicitly designed to facilitate i ...

in antiquity. In 1799, the Ionian islands became the Septinsular Republic, nominally under Ottoman

suzerainty A suzerain (, from Old French "above" + "supreme, chief") is a person, state (polity)">state or polity who has supremacy and dominant influence over the foreign policy">polity.html" ;"title="state (polity)">state or polity">state (polity)">st ...

, but in practice dominated by

Imperial Russia Imperial is that which relates to an empire, emperor/empress, or imperialism. Imperial or The Imperial may also refer to: Places United States * Imperial, California * Imperial, Missouri * Imperial, Nebraska * Imperial, Pennsylvania * ...

. In 1807, the French recaptured the islands, before they were captured again by the

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. * British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...

in 1809, who set up the United States of the Ionian Islands, a British protectorate. The British ruled over the islands for nearly half a century; under British rule, they were governed by a High Commissioner who was granted both legislative and executive powers. During the period of British rule, the city was known as Carigo or Cerigo, a name it had been acquired under Venetian control. After a long period of turbulence in the colony, which even eminent Commissioners as

William Ewart Gladstone William Ewart Gladstone ( ; 29 December 1809 – 19 May 1898) was a British politican, starting as Conservative MP for Newark and later becoming the leader of the Liberal Party (UK), Liberal Party. In a career lasting over 60 years, he ...

who served in the role for three weeks in the winter of 1859 failed to resolve, the British discussion whether they were a waste of money or a vital overseas possession ended with the cession of the Ionian Islands, including Kythira, to the new

King George I of Greece George I (Greek language, Greek: Γεώργιος Α΄, Romanization, romanized: ''Geórgios I''; 24 December 1845 – 18 March 1913) was King of Greece from 30 March 1863 until Assassination of George I of Greece, his assassination on 18 March ...

, who was brother-in-law to the Prince of Wales. The chief town of the island, Kythira (or Chora, "village"), houses the Historical Archives of Kythira, the second largest in the Ionian islands, after

Corfu Corfu ( , ) or Kerkyra (, ) is a Greece, Greek island in the Ionian Sea, of the Ionian Islands; including its Greek islands, small satellite islands, it forms the margin of Greece's northwestern frontier. The island is part of the Corfu (regio ...

Geography

Kythira has a land area of ; it is located at the southwestern exit from the

Aegean Sea The Aegean Sea is an elongated embayment of the Mediterranean Sea between Europe and Asia. It is located between the Balkans and Anatolia, and covers an area of some . In the north, the Aegean is connected to the Marmara Sea, which in turn con ...

, behind Cape Malea. The rugged terrain is a result of prevailing winds from the surrounding seas which have shaped its shores into steep rocky cliffs with deep bays. The island has many beaches, of various composition and size; only half of them can be reached by road through the mountainous terrain of the island. The Kythirian Straits are nearby. Kythira is close to the Hellenic arc plate boundary zone, and thus highly prone to

earthquake An earthquakealso called a quake, tremor, or tembloris the shaking of the Earth's surface resulting from a sudden release of energy in the lithosphere that creates seismic waves. Earthquakes can range in intensity, from those so weak they ...

s. Many earthquakes in recorded history have had their epicentres near or on the island. Probably the largest in recent times is the 1903 earthquake near at the village of Mitata, that caused significant damage as well as limited loss of life. It has had two major earthquakes in the 21st century: that of November 5, 2004, measuring between 5.6 and 5.8 on the Richter scale and the earthquake of January 8, 2006, measuring 6.9 on the Richter scale. The epicenter of the latter was in the sea about to the east of Kythira, with a focus at a depth of approximately . Many buildings were damaged, particularly old ones, mostly in the village of Mitata, but with no loss of life. It was felt as far as

Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...

Egypt Egypt ( , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country spanning the Northeast Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to northe ...

Malta Malta, officially the Republic of Malta, is an island country in Southern Europe located in the Mediterranean Sea, between Sicily and North Africa. It consists of an archipelago south of Italy, east of Tunisia, and north of Libya. The two ...

and

Jordan Jordan, officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, is a country in the Southern Levant region of West Asia. Jordan is bordered by Syria to the north, Iraq to the east, Saudi Arabia to the south, and Israel and the occupied Palestinian ter ...

Communities and villages

The municipal unit Kythira is subdivided into 13 communities (constituent settlements in parentheses): * Kythira or Chora (Kythira, Kalamos, Kapsali, Manitochori, Pourko, Strapodi) * Aroniadika (Aroniadika, Pitsinades) * Karavas (Karavas, Vouno, Gerakari, Kryoneri, Petrouni, Plateia Ammos, Progki) * Karvounades (Karvounades, Agios Ilias, Alexandrades, Keramoto, Pitsinianika, Stathianika) * Kontolianika (Kontolianika, Goudianika, Tsikalaria, Fatsadika) * Livadi (Livadi, Ano Livadi, Katsouni, Lourantianika, Travasarianika) * Logothetianika (Logothetianika, Kominianika, Lianianika, Perlegkianika) * Mitata (Mitata, Avlemonas, Agia Moni, Viaradika, Palaiopoli) * Mylopotamos (Mylopotamos, Araioi, Kato Chora, Piso Pigadi) * Myrtidia (Drymon, Kalisperianika, Kalokairines, Moni Myrtidion) * Potamos (Potamos, Agia Anastasia, Agia Pelagia, Kampos) * Fratsia (Fratsia, Dokana) * Friligkianika (Friligkianika, Aloizianika, Diakofti, Drymonari, Kampos Palaiopoleos, Kastrisianika)

Climate

Kythira has a hot-summer

Mediterranean climate A Mediterranean climate ( ), also called a dry summer climate, described by Köppen and Trewartha as ''Cs'', is a temperate climate type that occurs in the lower mid-latitudes (normally 30 to 44 north and south latitude). Such climates typic ...

(

Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...

: ''Csa'') with mild, rainy winters and warm to hot dry summers.

Mythology

In Ancient

Greek mythology Greek mythology is the body of myths originally told by the Ancient Greece, ancient Greeks, and a genre of ancient Greek folklore, today absorbed alongside Roman mythology into the broader designation of classical mythology. These stories conc ...

, Kythira was considered to be the island of celestial

Aphrodite Aphrodite (, ) is an Greek mythology, ancient Greek goddess associated with love, lust, beauty, pleasure, passion, procreation, and as her syncretism, syncretised Roman counterpart , desire, Sexual intercourse, sex, fertility, prosperity, and ...

, the Goddess of love (cf.

Cyprus Cyprus (), officially the Republic of Cyprus, is an island country in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Situated in West Asia, its cultural identity and geopolitical orientation are overwhelmingly Southeast European. Cyprus is the List of isl ...

, another island devoted to the Goddess of Love).

is said to have been birthed from sea foam near the island. Early astronomers were wary of using "venerean" or "aphrodisian" as the

adjectival form An adjective (abbreviations, abbreviated ) is a word that describes or defines a noun or noun phrase. Its semantic role is to change information given by the noun. Traditionally, adjectives are considered one of the main part of speech, parts of ...

Venus Venus is the second planet from the Sun. It is often called Earth's "twin" or "sister" planet for having almost the same size and mass, and the closest orbit to Earth's. While both are rocky planets, Venus has an atmosphere much thicker ...

because of their resemblance to veneral disease and aphrodisiacs. Accordingly, "cytherean" was often used based on this mythology until overtaken by "venusian".

Demographics

Like many of the smaller Aegean islands, Kythira's population is decreasing. While the island had reached a peak population of about 14,500 in 1864, that has steadily declined mostly due to emigration, both internal (to major urban centres of Greece) and external (to Australia, the United States, Germany) in the first half of the 20th century. Today its population hovers around 3,650 people (2021 census).

Economy

Since the late 20th century, the Kythirean economy has largely focused and, in the process, has become dependent on

tourism Tourism is travel for pleasure, and the Commerce, commercial activity of providing and supporting such travel. World Tourism Organization, UN Tourism defines tourism more generally, in terms which go "beyond the common perception of tourism as ...

, which provides the majority of the island's income, despite the fact that Kythira is not one of the most popular tourist destinations in Greece. The popular season usually begins with the Greek holiday of

Pentecost Pentecost (also called Whit Sunday, Whitsunday or Whitsun) is a Christianity, Christian holiday which takes place on the 49th day (50th day when inclusive counting is used) after Easter Day, Easter. It commemorates the descent of the Holy Spiri ...

at the end of May, and lasts until the middle of September. During this time, primarily during August, the island's population will often triple due to the tourists and natives returning for vacation. Dependence on tourism has resulted in increased building activity in many of the island's villages, mostly for commercial purposes (hotels and hospitality facilities, shops etc.), but also secondary homes; prominent examples are Agia Pelagia and Livadi, both of which having witnessed significant growth in their size since the early 1990s. Minor sources of revenue are thyme honey, famous within Greece for its rich flavor, as well as some small-scale cultivation of vegetables and fruit and animal husbandry that is, nevertheless, increasingly restricted to local consumption. Only five of the island's villages are on the coast (Platia Amos, Agia Pelagia, Diakofti, Avlemonas, & Kapsali). During July and August, several traditional dances will be held in various villages. These dances usually attract the majority of the island's population, the biggest of which are the festival of 'Panagia' in Potamos on 15 August, and the wine festival in Mitata on the first Friday and Saturday of August.

Infrastructure

The Trifylleion Hospital of Kythera is the only

hospital A hospital is a healthcare institution providing patient treatment with specialized Medical Science, health science and auxiliary healthcare staff and medical equipment. The best-known type of hospital is the general hospital, which typically ...

on the island. The hospital's construction was made possible through the contributions of Greek Americans, including Mixalis Semitekolos, also known as Mike Semet, who was a prominent figure in the New York City restaurant industry in the early 20th century. Semitekolos, an immigrant from Kythera, raised funds for the hospital by participating in a pan-Kytherian fundraising campaign in the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

in the early 1950s. His significant monetary contributions earned him recognition from King Paul of Greece with the Order of the Phoenix. The groundbreaking for the hospital was on May 21, 1953, in Potamos, making it the first hospital on the island. It remains the only hospital on the island to this day, providing essential medical services to the residents of Kythira and the surrounding areas. The charitable organization responsible for the hospital evolved to become the Trifylleion Foundation of Kytherians and is still active today.

Kythira (town)

The capital, Chora, is located on the southern part of the island having no ports connected to the southern Peloponnese or Vatika. Kythira's port for Vatika was previously situated at Agia Pelagia, although in recent years this port has been decommissioned and has been replaced by a new port at the coastal town of Diakofti, Kythira. Most of the over 60 village names end with "-anika" and a few end with -athika, -iana and -wades. This is due to the villages being named after influential families that settled first in that region. For Example, 'Logothetianika' is derived from the Greek last name of 'Logothetis'. Officially, Greek is Kythira's main language. Despite popular belief, most places such as public services and local administrations, will be able to oblige to an individual's needs in English as well. In specific areas, some of Kythira's population is fluent in Italian.

Transportation

The island in the past has been plagued by a poor infrastructure, exacerbated by the effect of weather on transportation during the winter months. However the construction of the new port in Diakofti along with the renovation of the island's airport have significantly reduced these effects. A new road from the island's most populated town of Potamos in the north to the island's capital of Chora in the south is currently in the planning and development stage.

Port

Despite the fact that the island has been a trade route for centuries, construction of a modern port was postponed several times until the latter half of the 20th century. In 1933, efforts were made to construct a port in the village of Agia Pelagia, yet financial and governmental problems meant that it was only decades later that one was built. That small port of Agia Pelagia (currently being renovated from a ferry dock to a tourist/recreational boat dock) was the island's main port until the mid-1990s. Around that time the new port of Diakofti, the site originally chosen by the British colonial administration in the 19th century, was constructed along with a modern wider road, aiming to support larger cargo and passenger vessels. The port of Diakofti currently serves scheduled routes to/from Gythion, Kalamata,

Piraeus Piraeus ( ; ; , Ancient: , Katharevousa: ) is a port city within the Athens urban area ("Greater Athens"), in the Attica region of Greece. It is located southwest of Athens city centre along the east coast of the Saronic Gulf in the Ath ...

' Athens port, Crete & Neapolis - Vatika. Proposals have been made to attach a marina to the south side of the port, however no plans or timetables have been produced. Additionally, the harbour of Agia Patrikia (north of Agia Pelagia) is the primary fishing boat harbour, housing two wide boatramps and a boat repair facility.

Airport

The island's primary airport is the Alexander S. Onassis Airport also known as Kithira Island National Airport, located in the region between the village of Friligiannika and Diakofti, about from the capital. The airport was revamped and extended at the turn of the 21st century, largely by private funds provided by the local population. The island is served by Olympic Air and Aegean Airlines flights.

Notable people

* Henry Ernest Gascoyne Bulwer, British colonial administrator and diplomat * Athanassio Comino, oyster merchant and businessman *

Juliette de Baïracli Levy Juliette de Baïracli Levy (11 November 1912 – 28 May 2009) was an English Herbalism, herbalist and author noted for her pioneering work in Holistic#Holism in medicine, holistic medicine. After studying veterinary medicine at the Universities ...

(1912–2009), herbalist and author * George B. Dertilis, historian * Alex Freeleagus, Australian lawyer and former Consul-General to Greece in Queensland * Lafcadio Hearn, writer and translator * Tess Mallos, Australian food and cooking writer * Mitchell Notaras, Australian surgeon and philanthropist. * John Panaretos, educator and statistician * Zoë Paul, sculptor and painter * Philoxenus (435-380 BC), dithyrambic poet * Nick Politis, Australian businessman * Serapheim Savvaitis, Igumen * John Stathatos, photographer and writer * Spyridon Stais, politician * Valerios Stais (1857–1923), archaeologist * Peter V'landys, Australian horse racing and rugby league administrator * Gian Berto Vanni, Italian painter * Marco Venier, Lord of Cerigo (– 1311) was a Lord of Cerigo * Yianis Vilaras (1771–1823), poet and author

In popular culture

* Mentioned in Horace's '' Odes'' 3.12 * Named as a destination of the galley carrying Judah Ben-Hur in '' Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ'' by Lew Wallace. *

Botticelli Alessandro di Mariano di Vanni Filipepi ( – May 17, 1510), better known as Sandro Botticelli ( ; ) or simply known as Botticelli, was an Italian painter of the Early Renaissance. Botticelli's posthumous reputation suffered until the late 1 ...

's '' The Birth of Venus'' and other similarly themed paintings show the goddess

arriving either at the shore of Kythira or

, as classical mythology identifies both islands as her birthplace. * In the 1499 text '' Hypnerotomachia Polifili'' the protagonists Polia and Polifilo travel to Cythera to explore their love and find the fountain of Venus. * The island's status as the birthplace of the goddess is also referenced in the title and subject of the

Antoine Watteau Jean-Antoine Watteau (, , ; baptised 10 October 1684died 18 July 1721) Alsavailablevia Oxford Art Online (subscription needed). was a French Painting, painter and Drawing, draughtsman whose brief career spurred the revival of interest in colour ...

painting '' Embarkation for Cythera''. *

François Couperin François Couperin (; 10 November 1668 – 11 September 1733) was a French Baroque music, Baroque composer, organist and harpsichordist. He was known as ''Couperin le Grand'' ("Couperin the Great") to distinguish him from other members of the musi ...

wrote ''Le Carillon de Cythere'' for

harpsichord A harpsichord is a musical instrument played by means of a musical keyboard, keyboard. Depressing a key raises its back end within the instrument, which in turn raises a mechanism with a small plectrum made from quill or plastic that plucks one ...

. * Watteau represents the island in his painting ''Embarquement pour Cythère'' *

Charles Baudelaire Charles Pierre Baudelaire (, ; ; 9 April 1821 – 31 August 1867) was a French poet, essayist, translator and art critic. His poems are described as exhibiting mastery of rhythm and rhyme, containing an exoticism inherited from the Romantics ...

, in the poem "A Voyage to Cythera", called the island a "banal Eldorado". * The Baudelaire poem is quoted and the island is referenced in Anthony Powell's '' The Kindly Ones'' (1962), part of '' A Dance to the Music of Time''. * A stanza from the Baudelaire poem is quoted as an allusion to Haiti by young Philippot in

Graham Greene Henry Graham Greene (2 October 1904 – 3 April 1991) was an English writer and journalist regarded by many as one of the leading novelists of the 20th century. Combining literary acclaim with widespread popularity, Greene acquired a re ...

's '' The Comedians''. * "A Voyage to Cythera" is the title of a short story (1967) by Margaret Drabble. * ''Taxidi sta Kythira (Voyage to Cythera)'' is the title of a movie (1984) directed by

Theo Angelopoulos Theodoros "Theo" Angelopoulos (; (27 April 1935 – 24 January 2012) was a Greek filmmaker, screenwriter and film producer. He dominated the Greek art film industry from 1975 on, and Angelopoulos was one of the most influential and widely respect ...

. * The song "In Cythera" was released by alternative rock group Killing Joke on their 2012 album '' MMXII''. * Cythera is mentioned in the song "J'ai volé le lit de la mer" by French pop singer-songwriter Nolwenn Leroy, released on her 2012 ocean and mermaid-themed album ''Ô Filles de l'eau'' ("Vers Cythère j'ai vogué"). * '' Adventures on Kythera'' is an Australian children's TV show set here.

Gallery

File:Kythira - Kapsali.jpg, View on Kapsali File:Kythira - Moni Agia Elesos.jpg, Church of Agios Georgios File:Steno Kythira.jpg, View of the Kytherian Straits File:Kythira1.jpg, West coast File:Kythira - Soutwestern Coast.jpg, Avlemonas at southeastern coast File:Paleopoli Beach.jpg, Paleopoli Beach File:Mertidiotisa.jpg, Monastery of Panagia Myrtidiotissa File:Panagia Mertidiotisa Icon.jpg, Gold Icon of Panagia Myrtidiotissa File:Church of Agia Despoina.jpg, Church of Agia Despoina File:Castle of Kythira by night.jpg, The castle of Kythira by night File:Winery kithyra.JPG, Winery in Martesakia (Pitsinianika) showing neoclassical architecture File:Cave hytra kythera.JPG, Cave in islet Hytra File:Diakofti-port-200408.jpg, Kythira's main port, Diakofti File:Cythera shipwreck.jpg, The shipwreck File:Melidoni.jpg, Melidoni beach File:Kaladi.jpg, Kaladi beach File:Hytra.jpg, Hytra view from the castle File:KythiraLionArchaeologicalMuseum.jpg, Lion from the Kythira Archaeological museum. File:KytheraLandscape.jpg, Dry landscape in Kythera.

Notes

References

External links

Visit Kythera
Travel Guide
Kythera
Travel Guide
The Kythera Island Project
—an archaeological, ecological, and historic research project of the island and its peoples.
Kythera-Family.net
��A cultural archive for the island of Kythira, with over 15,000 heritage entries from people of Kytherian descent from all over the world.
Kythira island
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