  hen
you are getting to know the island, first of all, you have to pay a visit
to the city of Kos. The city of Kos
is the capital and chief port of the island. It is a very attractive city
with an abudance of trees, flower gardens, avenues lined with palm trees
and marvellous beaches which stretch for miles to the right and left of
the harbour. During the day, you can admire a lot of monuments like the
large Venetian castle of the Knights of St John,
or the world famous tree of Hippocrates, or to walk around the
harbour with its coffee shops and confectioners, its yachts and small
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 he castle of the Knights of St John, built in the 15th century, stands like a great dam in front of the harbour with only a narrow passageway to the north for small vessels. South of the castle, a bridge, crossing over the beautiful Avenue of Palms, links the castle with the square where the plane tree of Hippocrates stands. Tradition says, that was planted by Hippocrates himself and that he taught medicine in its shade.
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 n the city of Kos you can admire very important archaeological sites and monuments like the "Hellenistic Gymnasium", the " Nymphaeum", the "Roman House", the "Temple and alter of Dionysos", the "Harbour Baths", the "Ancient Stadium", the "Hellenistic wall", the"Stoa", the "Ancient Agora",
the "Hellenistic Sanctuary", the "Sanctuary of Hercules" and the "Sanctuary of Aphrodite Pandemos".
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 nd for nightlife the city of Kos has everything. Along the streets of the new city, north of the harbour, are countless bars and clubs. There are even bars which are specially designed for customers of a particular nationality, as indicated by the little flags which fly outside. Here the fun ends early in the morning!
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most heavily visited and the most important monument on the island is
the world famous Asklepeion. About
3 km from the town, a turning to our left allows us to visit this unique
place. The site of the sanctuary is very beautiful, and there is a wonderful
view across Kos town and the coast of Asia Minor beyond. The ancient
Koans made creative use of the folds in the terrain of a little hill
to erect the various buildings on three different levels. |
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Asklepeion became particularly famous in ancient greece thanks to the
skill and wisdom of its Asklepiads (doctors)
and in particular of the most eminent of them all, Hippocrates. The Asklepeion
whose ruins can be seen was actually built after the death of Hippocrates,
but it's safe to assume the methods used and taught here were still his.
Both a temple to Asklepios (son of Apollo, god of medicine) and a renowned
centre of healing, it's magnificent setting on terraces levelled from
a hillside overlooking the Asian mainland reflects early doctor's recognition
of the importance of the therapeutic environment! |
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beyond this cultural affluence, in Kos you can enjoy swimming in one of
the countless sandy beaches of the island, or to enjoy the atmosphere
of resorts like Kardamena, Tigaki, Marmari, Mastichari, Kefalos, Asfendiou,
Antimacheia. On Kos, one can live as one pleases.
One can join the colourful, carefree and noisy throng of visitors from
all over the world. One can retire to secluded spots in the mountains
or by the sea. One can enjoy one's swim on any of a vast number of beaches,
some of them crowded and others empty. One can live the simple and traditional
life on the island and one can be busy only by studying the world importance
monuments of the island. The island of Hippocrates promises will heal
your body and your soul forever! |
| Photos and text taken from "Kos - History-Art-Folklore-Routes" (Toubis Editions) |  |
