Nisyros, also spelled Nisiros (; ), is a

volcanic A volcano is commonly defined as a vent or fissure in the crust of a planetary-mass object, such as Earth, that allows hot lava, volcanic ash, and gases to escape from a magma chamber below the surface. On Earth, volcanoes are most often fo ...

Greek Greek may refer to: Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor of all kno ...

island and

municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having municipal corporation, corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality' ...

located in 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 ...

. It is part of the

Dodecanese The Dodecanese (, ; , ''Dodekánisa'' , ) are a group of 15 larger and 150 smaller Greek islands in the southeastern Aegean Sea and Eastern Mediterranean, off the coast of Anatolia, of which 26 are inhabited. This island group generally define ...

group of islands, situated between the islands of

Kos Kos or Cos (; ) is a Greek island, which is part of the Dodecanese island chain in the southeastern Aegean Sea. Kos is the third largest island of the Dodecanese, after Rhodes and Karpathos; it has a population of 37,089 (2021 census), making ...

and

Tilos Tílos (; ) is a small Greek island and municipality located in the Aegean Sea. It is part of the Dodecanese group of islands, and lies midway between Kos and Rhodes. In 2021, the island had a population of 746 people. Along with the uninhabited ...

. Its shape is approximately round, with a diameter of about , and an area of . Several other islets are in the direct vicinity of Nisyros, the largest of which is Gyali, with a population of 22 citizens. The Municipality of Nisyros includes Gyalí, as well as uninhabited Pacheiá, Pergoússa, Kandelioussa, Ágios Antónios, and Strongýli. It has a total land area of and a total population of 1,048 inhabitants (2021).

Geology

Wulkan - Nissiros - krater Stefanos - panoramio

The island has a

caldera A caldera ( ) is a large cauldron-like hollow that forms shortly after the emptying of a magma chamber in a volcanic eruption. An eruption that ejects large volumes of magma over a short period of time can cause significant detriment to the str ...

, and was formed within the past 150,000 years, with three separate eruptive stages, ranging from

explosive An explosive (or explosive material) is a reactive substance that contains a great amount of potential energy that can produce an explosion if released suddenly, usually accompanied by the production of light, heat, sound, and pressure. An ex ...

and effusive

andesitic Andesite () is a volcanic rock of intermediate composition. In a general sense, it is the intermediate type between silica-poor basalt and silica-rich rhyolite. It is fine-grained (aphanitic) to porphyritic in texture, and is composed predomina ...

eruptions to explosive and effusive dacitic and

rhyolitic Rhyolite ( ) is the most silica-rich of volcanic rocks. It is generally glassy or fine-grained (aphanitic) in texture, but may be porphyritic, containing larger mineral crystals ( phenocrysts) in an otherwise fine-grained groundmass. The miner ...

activity. Its coasts are generally rocky or pebbled, but there are also a few sandy beaches (mainly in the northeastern part). The volcano is currently active but not erupting, and

fumarole A fumarole (or fumerole) is a vent in the surface of the Earth or another rocky planet from which hot volcanic gases and vapors are emitted, without any accompanying liquids or solids. Fumaroles are characteristic of the late stages of volcani ...

s are found at the craters. It has had four historical eruptions, all of which had a VEI of 2. Almost all of its eruptions involved

phreatic ''Phreatic'' is a term used in hydrology to refer to aquifers, in speleology to refer to cave passages, and in volcanology to refer to a type of volcanic eruption. Hydrology The term phreatic (the word originates from the Greek , meaning "well" ...

activity. The latest eruptive activity was a

steam Steam is water vapor, often mixed with air or an aerosol of liquid water droplets. This may occur due to evaporation or due to boiling, where heat is applied until water reaches the enthalpy of vaporization. Saturated or superheated steam is inv ...

explosion in 1888, after small ash eruptions in 1871 and 1873, and earthquakes are frequent. A period of seismic unrest in 1996–1997 led an international team of scientists to initiate monitoring of the volcanic unrest, as part of the EU-sponsored Geowarn project. The entire volcanic complex includes the seafloor between Nisyros and

, the island of Gyali, and a part of

island.

Geography

Nisyros can experience the Meltemi

Etesian The etesians ( or ; ; sometimes found in the Latin form etesiae), meltemia (; pl. of meltemi), or meltem ( Turkish) are the strong, dry north winds of the Aegean Sea, which blow periodically from about mid-May to mid-September. The Etesian winds a ...

wind through June–August. This is most obvious on the eastern and western flanks of the volcano, where trees are bent towards the south from the force of the winds. The wind may be especially strong on the island due to jet effects as it passes over Kos.

Climate

According to the station of the

National Observatory of Athens The National Observatory of Athens (NOA; ) is a research institute in Athens, Greece. Founded in 1842, it is the oldest List of research institutes in Greece, research foundation in Greece. The Observatory was the first scientific research insti ...

, Nisyros has a

hot semi-arid climate A semi-arid climate, semi-desert climate, or steppe climate is a dry climate sub-type. It is located on regions that receive precipitation below potential evapotranspiration, but not as low as a desert climate. There are different kinds of sem ...

(

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 ...

: ''BSh'') with mild winters and hot summers. Nisyros has an average annual temperature of around 20.0°C and an average annual precipitation of around 350 mm (May 2017 – Mar 2023).

Geothermal energy

Nisyros has one of the most important, high-enthalpy geothermal fields in Greece, with a fluid temperature of over 350°C and a high pressure of 18bar; based on feasibility studies, the geothermal potential of the island is at least 50MW. Over time, efforts have been made by the operator, PPC Renewables, to exploit geothermal energy in the area for energy production. The most recent plan was to gradually create and operate a geothermal plant with a capacity of 20 to 25MW in cooperation with international specialized institutions. Given the estimated energy needs of Nisyros (1–2MW), it was considered possible to supply electricity to the neighbouring islands of Kos, Tilos, Kalymnos, and Leros. However, long-lasting protests by the local community of Nisyros have blocked any plans to exploit the geothermal field for years. Indeed, in 1997 the Municipality of Nisyros held a referendum on the issue, with the result being 87% against the plans of the PPC. Entities of Nisyros, such as the Nisyros Studies Company, some municipal authorities, and many scientists of the sector, have expressed their objections to the plans of PPC Renewables, raising safety issues due to the particular danger of the volcano of Nisyros, the seismic activity that often follows similar drilling, and the management of toxic waste. A point of friction was the fact that the local community felt that it had been ignored in the decision-making process and in the planning of the project.

Settlements

The island is reachable by ship from

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 ...

Rhodes Rhodes (; ) is the largest of the Dodecanese islands of Greece and is their historical capital; it is the List of islands in the Mediterranean#By area, ninth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Administratively, the island forms a separ ...

, and Kos, and in summer, there are many daily trips from the village of Kardamena on Kos. There is also a

heliport A heliport is a small airport which has a helipad, suitable for use by helicopters, powered lift, and various types of vertical lift aircraft. Designated heliports typically contain one or more touchdown and liftoff areas and may also hav ...

. The main town and port of the island is Mandraki (pop. 660). Other villages are Paloi (239), Nikia (61), and Emporeios (27). According to the 2011 census, the municipality's resident population is 1,008 (including 21 on Gyali), although in summer it is augmented by many tourists as well as expatriate Nisyrians who visit the island for their vacations. Tourism is not so heavily developed as on other

islands. Deposits of

perlite Perlite is an amorphous volcanic glass that has a relatively high water content, typically formed by the Hydrate, hydration of obsidian. It occurs naturally and has the unusual property of greatly expanding when heated sufficiently. It is an indu ...

and

pumice Pumice (), called pumicite in its powdered or dust form, is a volcanic rock that consists of extremely vesicular rough-textured volcanic glass, which may or may not contain crystals. It is typically light-colored. Scoria is another vesicula ...

on Gyali provide much of the wealth of the island. The island used to be self-sufficient, and many crops were grown on its terraced slopes. Today, though, they are cultivated on a smaller scale.

History

According to

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 ...

, the island was formed when

Poseidon Poseidon (; ) is one of the twelve Olympians in ancient Greek religion and mythology, presiding over the sea, storms, earthquakes and horses.Burkert 1985pp. 136–139 He was the protector of seafarers and the guardian of many Hellenic cit ...

cut off a part of

and threw it onto the giant Polybotes to stop him from escaping. The ancient name of the Nisyros was ''Porphyris''. The island is mentioned by

Homer Homer (; , ; possibly born ) was an Ancient Greece, Ancient Greek poet who is credited as the author of the ''Iliad'' and the ''Odyssey'', two epic poems that are foundational works of ancient Greek literature. Despite doubts about his autho ...

in the ''

Iliad The ''Iliad'' (; , ; ) is one of two major Ancient Greek epic poems attributed to Homer. It is one of the oldest extant works of literature still widely read by modern audiences. As with the ''Odyssey'', the poem is divided into 24 books and ...

''.

Satrapy of Caria

Ancient walls, dating from the 5th century BC, part of the

acropolis An acropolis was the settlement of an upper part of an ancient Greek city, especially a citadel, and frequently a hill with precipitous sides, mainly chosen for purposes of defense. The term is typically used to refer to the Acropolis of Athens ...

of the island, are found near Mandraki. It was apparently also a source of

millstone Millstones or mill stones are stones used in gristmills, used for triturating, crushing or, more specifically, grinding wheat or other grains. They are sometimes referred to as grindstones or grinding stones. Millstones come in pairs: a s ...

s used in some of the earliest

watermills A watermill or water mill is a mill that uses hydropower. It is a structure that uses a water wheel or water turbine to drive a mechanical process such as milling (grinding), rolling, or hammering. Such processes are needed in the production of ...

, being referred to by epigrammatist Antipater of Thessalonica in the 1st century BC.M. J. T. Lewis, ''Millstone and Hammer: the origins of water power'' (University of Hull Press 1997), pp. vii 66-7.

Roman period

In Roman times it became part of the Insulae province. In the 10th and 11th centuries, Genoese captains and adventurers who had a private fleet organized in clans united by family ties, exercised sovereignty and maritime control on behalf of the

Byzantine The Byzantine Empire, also known as the Eastern Roman Empire, was the continuation of the Roman Empire centred on Constantinople during late antiquity and the Middle Ages. Having survived the events that caused the fall of the Western Roman E ...

s, and these clans in exchange for the protection of the seas were given a concession to exploit raw materials, rights of trade, and collection of customs duties. The

Knights Hospitaller The Order of Knights of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem, commonly known as the Knights Hospitaller (), is a Catholic military order. It was founded in the crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem in the 12th century and had headquarters there ...

in 1315 were allowed to settle on the island upon payment of rent to the Genoese government ruled by the Vignolo family, and they built the crusader castle. In the following centuries there were clashes between Turks and Venetian crusaders, and with uncertain outcomes, the island passed to the

Ottomans Ottoman may refer to: * Osman I, historically known in English as "Ottoman I", founder of the Ottoman Empire * Osman II, historically known in English as "Ottoman II" * Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire (), also called the Turkish Empir ...

in 1566, then passed almost four centuries later from the Ottomans to the

Italians Italians (, ) are a European peoples, European ethnic group native to the Italian geographical region. Italians share a common Italian culture, culture, History of Italy, history, Cultural heritage, ancestry and Italian language, language. ...

in 1911 during the

Italo-Turkish War The Italo-Turkish (, "Tripolitanian War", , "War of Libya"), also known as the Turco-Italian War, was fought between the Kingdom of Italy and the Ottoman Empire from 29 September 1911 to 18 October 1912. As a result of this conflict, Italy captur ...

, along with the rest of the Dodecanese islands. It finally was annexed to the

Greek Kingdom The Kingdom of Greece (, Romanization, romanized: ''Vasíleion tis Elládos'', pronounced ) was the Greece, Greek Nation state, nation-state established in 1832 and was the successor state to the First Hellenic Republic. It was internationally ...

after the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, in 1947.

Christianity

The

patron saint A patron saint, patroness saint, patron hallow or heavenly protector is a saint who in Catholicism, Anglicanism, Eastern Orthodoxy or Oriental Orthodoxy is regarded as the heavenly advocate of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, fa ...

of the island is New Martyr Niketas of Nisyros. Many Orthodox Christian churches are found on the island, as well as four monasteries which are not inhabited by monks today, although various celebrations take place in them. The largest monastery is the one of ''Panagia Spiliani'' (Blessed Virgin Mary of the cave) at Mandraki; it is built beside the medieval castle erected by the

Diocese of Nisyrus

Nisyrus was a

suffragan A suffragan bishop is a type of bishop in some Christian denominations. In the Catholic Church, a suffragan bishop leads a diocese within an ecclesiastical province other than the principal diocese, the metropolitan archdiocese; the diocese led ...

of Rhodes, but the bishopric faded. Known bishops included Matthaeus de Cheselles (appointed 1436), Pierre Fridaricus (served from the 1480s),Catholic Hierarchy: "Bishop Pierre Fridaricus"
retrieved January 30, 2016 Pedro Xague (appointed 1560),Catholic Hierarchy: "Bishop Pedro Xague, O.P."
retrieved January 30, 2016 and Jerónimo Clavijo (appointed 1564).Catholic Hierarchy: "Bishop Jerónimo Clavijo, O.P."
retrieved January 30, 2016
retrieved January 30, 2016

Latin titular see

The diocese was nominally restored in 1927 as

titular see A titular see in various churches is an episcopal see of a former diocese that no longer functions, sometimes called a "dead diocese". The ordinary or hierarch of such a see may be styled a "titular metropolitan" (highest rank), "titular archbi ...

of the lowest (episcopal) rank, initially named Nysirus (Curiate Italian Nisiro), and renamed Nisyrus in 1928. It has been vacant for decades, having had the following incumbents: * Francesco Fellinger (26 February 1929 – 22 July 1940) * Augusto Osvaldo Salinas Fuenzalida,

Picpus Fathers The Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary () abbreviated SS.CC., is a Catholic clerical religious congregation of Pontifical Right for priests and brothers. The congregation is also known as the Picpus because their first house wa ...

(SS.CC.) (9 February 1941 – 3 August 1950) * Elizeu Simões Mendes (21 August 1950 – 19 September 1953) * Carlos Maria Jurgens Byrne,

Redemptorists The Redemptorists, officially named the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer (), abbreviated CSsR, is a Catholic clerical religious congregation of pontifical right for men (priests and brothers). It was founded by Alphonsus Liguori at Scala ...

(C.SS.R.) (7 February 1954 – 17 December 1956) (later Archbishop) * Augusto Trujillo Arango (25 April 1957 – 31 March 1960) (later Archbishop) * Auguste Joseph Gaudel (1 September 1960 – 8 August 1969)

Culture

A traditional product of Nisyros is '' soumada'', a non-alcoholic

almond The almond (''Prunus amygdalus'', Synonym (taxonomy)#Botany, syn. ''Prunus dulcis'') is a species of tree from the genus ''Prunus''. Along with the peach, it is classified in the subgenus ''Amygdalus'', distinguished from the other subgenera ...

-flavoured drink.

Twinning

Mandraki is twinned with the following municipalities: *

Lapithos Lapithos or Lapethos (; ) is a town in Cyprus. ''De facto'', it is under the control of Northern Cyprus. Archeologists claim that Lapithos was founded by the Achean brothers Praxandros and Cepheus. According to Strabo, the ancient settlement o ...

, Cyprus

Notable natives and residents

* John Catsimatidis,

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

owner of Gristedes

References

External links

Official website

Photoblog from bRandSboRg.CoM
{{Authority control Islands of Greece Dodecanese Municipalities of the South Aegean Volcanoes of Greece Volcanoes of the Aegean Active volcanoes Pleistocene stratovolcanoes Holocene stratovolcanoes Calderas of Greece VEI-2 volcanoes Populated places in Kos (regional unit) Landforms of Kos (regional unit) Islands of the South Aegean Members of the Delian League Greek city-states Places in the Iliad Populated places in the ancient Aegean islands Catholic titular sees in Europe