A REFUGE BETWEEN EAST AND WEST
Lying at the crossroads of trade and of war, Kastellorizo has provided opportunity and safe haven for millennia. This stark silhouette of a structure originally built for defense exemplifies the protection this island provided and needed. Today, however, the building plays a cultural role; it’s home to the island’s fascinating Archaeological Museum.
POWERFUL SYMBOLS
This opulent but fragile banner survives as another reminder of the island’s turbulent political and social history. The stone city was destroyed over decades of mayhem, yet symbolic ephemera were carefully protected. Meanwhile, this elaborate door knocker (right) in the shape of an elegant hand continues to represent the island’s time-honored and renowned hospitality.
BRILLIANT AND ABUNDANT
Color distinguished and distinguishes Kastellorizo. The rich palette of old continues to spill onto walls today in the eye-pleasing exteriors that draw travelers. The characteristic “loulaki” blue of old still finds its place in the indulgent use of color that plays with the island’s light.
THE MASTERS OF ALL THEY SURVEY
Closed shutters and empty chairs signal the quiet calm of the afternoon siesta, when the well-managed cat population asserts its place as a key element of the island’s charm. Meanwhile, the disparate array of outdoor furniture in lanes and along the waterfront reflects the relaxed al fresco life that’s embraced by locals and visitors alike.
OPULENCE THROUGH TRADE
From all directions, the island’s wealthy traders brought lavish goods which they used to adorn their homes and their families. Chains of gold coins nestled against the rich silks of a woman’s “kavadi” or kaftan, shown here. Children were protected and blessed with amulets adorned with the gold coins of trade.
AN EYE TO HEAVEN
This interplay of lines in the ceiling of the cathedral of Kastellorizo does more than reflect light. Architecturally, it reflects the influence on the island’s churches of the European Gothic style, yet another manifestation of Kastellorizo’s position as a cultural crossroads. Beneath the simple strength of the lines, richly carved and painted stone embellishes the cathedral’s sumptuous interior.
