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Tilos

The island was first inhabited in the early Neolithic period 8000-7000 B.C. as finds in the cave of Harcadio show. There was contact both with the Minoans and the Mycaeneans who seem to have settled on the island. From excavations carried out Pelasgian walls were also found. However the island's most important period was 7th century B.C., when the Tilians together with the Lindians settled in Sicily and built the well-known city of Gelas. The tyrants Gelon and Ieron were from Tilos. The island flourished during the classical era also having its own coinage and being famous for clothing and perfumes. Thereafter, the history of Tilos followed that of Rhodes to which the island was united. In Byzantine times, together with Nisyros, Kos, and Samos it constituted the Samos Issue. The Knights of St John who either reconstructed or built three of the island’s castles, inhabited it. In 1522 the Turks occupied Tilos until 1948, when it was reunited with Greece.

The Castle. This is where the Acropolis of the ancient city used to be and where the sanctuary of Pythios Apollo and Pallas Athina stood. In the ruins of this sanctuary the church of Archangel Michael with wall paintings from the 16th century AD now stands. The best time to visit the castle is in the afternoon, when the view and the sunset are unique. The Knights of St John repaired the castle.

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