Monolithos village

MONOLITHOS VILLAGE

is welcoming you to the other side of Rhodes.

Monolithos is a secret paradise in Rhodes and certificated one of the 10th places all over the world for calm & meditation.

Dear Guest in our Village you can join every day of 365 of the year with new choices every day.

Monolithos offer Summer & Winter pleasure, activities, agriculture & real quality of life for all the people who live in the village.

Visit & be one of the villages by walk at the small streets around Monolithos.

Klime to the historical Castle of Monolithos, swim to Fournoi beach and feel the beauty of nature

& of course, hiking at the mountain Akramitis will make you feel the real quality of life.

ARMENISTIS

The imposing bay of Armenistis is located southwest of Monolithos, just opposite, and on the right side, of the castle, as pictured in the photo. In front of Armenistis there is a rocky islet (known as ‘the island’ in Monolithos) and opposite Armenistis lies the island of Halki.

There is another one, Alimia, with its sole inhabitants being shepherds herding their goats free-range all about the island. Armenistis took its name from the verb ‘armenizo’, meaning ‘I travel’ or ‘I overlook you imposingly (my Armenistis).

VASSILIKOS (or VASSILIKA)

"Vassilikos" is located Southeast of the bay of Kerameni with its remains of an early Christian royal settlement.

A slew of marble architecture relics are preserved at the village of Vassiliki, as shown in the photographs. The area around of what nowadays is the Vassilikos plains is strewn with top quality vineyards, producing fine grapes and table wines.

There is also the monastery of Prophet Avvakum, celebrated on Easter Friday along with Zoodochos Pigi. A distinct trait of the monastery is that besides using its main entrance, one can enter by either window flanked on its sidewalls, each featuring a flight of stairs, to climb in, cross the temple and climb down out the opposite window.

A symbolic custom is to offer the saint a piece of children’s garment as a keepsake of protection, gone the following day.

DRAKOS OR DRAKOSPILIA

At Paradisia (garden of paradise) of Monolithos, just past Mylogi Mountain, where the mill is located too, there is a cliff with a cave at its center. Folklore says there was a dragon roaming the surrounding areas, terrifying the folk.

One day a woman from Monolithos, while herding her sheep nearby, lost one of her lambs. In her attempt to look for it she entered the dragon’s turf.

As soon as the dragon saw the woman, grabbed her and took her to its cave. The dragon held her captive for about a year in the cave without eating her.

Her kin at the village realized that the dragon had taken her and lamented her untimely loss. Every morning the dragon would leave the cave with the help of a big ladder, which it hid away after. In the evenings, coming back, he’d pull down the ladder and climb in the cave.

One day, on the eve of the Elevation of the Holy Cross celebration, the dragon fell asleep without pulling the ladder back in, so the girl prayed: "Graced be the Holy Cross, and glorified be Saint Nikitas, for how I wish I was back home on this holy day of ours.”

As the dragon napped away, the girl took her chances and slowly climbed to the top.

She made her way back to the village right on the day of the celebration of the Holy Cross and her folks have rejoiced.

But before she could even tell anyone of her ordeal, she suddenly fell dead. One can imagine how all the fear that had crept up in her soul deprived her of celebrating her freedom.

KERAMENI OR KYRAMENI

At a distance of about 8 km from the village of "Kyrameni", the beach of a small bay, a mere natural harbor, reveals the foundation and parts of the ancient settlement, namely buildings, walls, roof tiles, clay shells, marble ruins.

According to Mr. Ioannis Volonakis, the bay enabled communication with the island of Halki, opposite cape Monolithos.

The Halkites traveled to Monolithos on the backs of animals for there were no roads. Nowadays there is a rugged trail accessible only via 4X4 vehicles. There used to be a settlement with a chapel dedicated to Panagia Skiadeni, its patron saint, but the land subsided hundreds of years ago, and the icon of Panagia was later found on the mountain opposite, where a new chapel was built to commemorate the Birth of the Virgin Mary on September 8.

The name Kyrameni (from ‘Kyra’ = Lady and ‘meni’ = dwells) was given because "The Virgin Mary" lived there. It is called Skiadeni ( = in the shadow) for it was situated between two rocky hills casting their shadow on it, bereft of sunlight.

Skiadeni came from Monolithos and was sister to Thomas the Apostle, whose memory is celebrated on October 6 as well as on the second Easter Sunday, the Antipascha.

For this reason, Monolithos holds a three-day procession of the icon of the Virgin Mary, whereas all other villages just one.

KYMARASSI

Kymarassi was a very old settlement made up of sheds used by the area’s villagers during sowing or cropping seasons, before and after the war.

Nowadays, the two sheds left standing are used by shepherds, as the rainwater accumulated in a well waters their goats. The rest of the sheds are in a state of near collapse as they are no longer inhabited and left to ruin.

There were also threshing floors to thresh our grain, which we hid in casks, buried underground, to evade our conqueror's taxes.

KYMISALA

The name Kymisala stems from the ancient ‘kymísala’, the center of the Municipality of Kymisaleis. The center of the ancient Municipality is located west of the village of Monolithos, where many ancient ruins and monuments were excavated.

The Kymisaleis were citizens of the Municipality of Kameiros. Other municipalities of Kameiros included Pelioi, Rogidae, Eronchidae, Sipyrioi, Erieska.

There is a rich variety of grapes growing in the Kymisala plains: Athiri – Rosaki, Acouno Sultanina, Nychaki – Rosa – Pambala amongst others. There is a wide variety of Aegina pistachios too. Also, large lakes with no vineyards but easy boiled chickpeas and watermelons, melons, green beans, tomatoes, etc.

Ancient inscriptions / resolutions referring to the Kymisaleis:

ΚΥΜΙΣΑΛΗ ΘΑΛΛΟΥ ΣΤΕΦΑΝΩ ΑΡΕΤΑΣ ΕΝΕΚΑ ΚΑΙ ΦΙΛΟΤΙΜΙΑΣ Ο ΔΕ ΕΠΙΣΤΑΤΑΣ ΚΑΙ ΤΟΙ ΚΑΡΥΚΕΣ ΕΦ ΩΝ ΚΑ ΤΟΔΕ ΤΟ ΨΗΦΙΣΜΑ ΚΥΡΩΘΗ ΕΠΙΜΕΛΗΘΕΝΤΩΝ ΤΑΣ ΣΤΕΦΑΝΩΣΙΟΣ ΟΠΩΣ ΓΙΝΗΤΑΙ ΝΟΜΙΜΩΣ ΑΥΤΟ

ΑΓΗΣΙΔΑΜΟΥ

ΤΟΥ ΑΓΗΣΙΔΑΜΟΥ ΚΥΜΙΣΑΛΕΩΣ

LIMERI

Limeri lies high on the southwest part of the Akramitis mountain, about a 17-minute walk, via a rather rugged path, but nevertheless highly visited by many.

At Limeri there is a cave that housed Greek spies for two years (1943-1945) during the Second World War, never discovered by enemies because of its natural formation, we're going in and out was only possible by crawling, as shown in the photo. Inside, there was room for at least four people.

It was a base used to observe all enemy moves while it influenced the outcome of the war. The heroes of this era are honored with a national holiday, the Sunday after Easter, Thomas Sunday, in all the glory of our country’s legacy.

MYLOGGI

Myloggi is located directly opposite the settlement of Monolithos, exactly where, many years ago and up to 1950-52, there had been a windmill used to grind grain into flour.

Since then there has been a modernization of grinding using diesel engines. The Mill is still standing, imposing but visit-ready. You can admire it, along with the view from it, by hiking on the hill overlooking the passage of time. It was built in 1820.

PYRGOS

The name, originally in plural "Pyrgoi” ( = Towers), was made singular "Pyrgos" or "Paliopyrgos" ( = Old Tower). The building is called "Pyrgos" and stands only a few meters away from the sea. It is about 10 meters high.

It was built by the Venetians to monitor the passage of ships but also to store food and ammunition, as well as to protect themselves from the pirates. Built-in 1479 with the help of the villagers, about 8-10 km from the village.

Nowadays it remains unused. It’s been fighting the salty sea and storms for centuries, standing brave, this grand Lighthouse of Monolithos.

FOURNI

About 5 km southwest of the village lies the coastal area of Fourni Monolithou. It is a small strip of land that darts into the sea to form a peninsula.

The name obviously comes from the cavernous caves awash on the natural rocky landscape which resembles ovens. At its end lie the circular foundations of an ancient lighthouse.

Various remains of ancient buildings and other structures can be found along the peninsula. Among others, there is a water tank of rectangular shape, made of flint. Rainwater spouts, tombs, pottery artifacts, etc. Symbols and a number of inscriptions have been carved on the walls, such as invocations like "Lord Help".

There is also a place, within the walls, with carved steps leading into the sea called the queen's bath, like a swimming pool without waves but with a natural flow towards this point. At the center of the peninsula, there is a building resembling an oven for baking bread!

See whats around at Limeri Village