 Halki island | Chalki lies 16 km from Rhodes and 302 nautical miles from Piraeus. One of Greece's
smallest islands it has 28 sq. km of land mass and 34 km of coastline. It has a
population of under 300. No cars are allowed on the island. The capital and port of
Nimborio is built ampitheatrically on the SE side of the island and on the Bay of
Nimborio. Many of the inhabitants have immigrated to Tarpon Springs, Florida and
established a sponge fishing enterprise there. Thats why the road from the main
town and port is called Tarpon Springs Blvd., in honor of the immigrants who financed
its construction. Beaches on both the north and south coasts are reached from the
capital on foot or by caique of which Kania, Areta, Giali and Trachia are the nicest. 15
minutes walk along the 'blvd.' brings you to sandy Pondamos Beach with its taverna
and umbrellas. Nimborio's Church of St. Nicolas with its important wall paintings and
magnificent pebble mosais courtyard is the islands main attraction. The former
capital Hora was inland to escape marauding pirates and is now deserted. In its
heyday there were some 4000 residents. The ruined medeival castle was built on
the site of the ancient acropolis. There are 3 monasteries on the island: Taxiarch
Michael of St. John, Holy Trinity and Holy Cross.
Chorio, the old settlement of Halki (up till early 19th C), now mainly ruined, is
situated on the slopes below the hill top Kastro, a position concealed from view from
the sea, and high above the initial maraudings of pirates. It is about 35 minutes walk
up the concrete road, which winds up the valley. It is on August 14th that the population
ascends to Chorio for the Festival of the Virgin Mary, the beautiful church is opened,
and the church hall compound is full with feasting and dancing.
Kastro – The remnants of this castle of the Knights of St John
(ie Medieval, not from the Crusades) top the smaller peak behind Emborio.
The panoramic views are spectacular. Once at Chorio, it takes a further 10-15 minutes
to ascend to the Kastro. Access and safety underfoot have been greatly improved by
the archaeological team whose work began in 2001.
Panormitis - Restoration work has greatly improved the aspect of this small monastery,
some 15 minutes above Chorio, up a bulldozed track to the right. The ancient Byzantine
church and the main buildings are undergoing refurbishment.
Monastery of St John (the Far). The Monastery is situated on the high plateau almost
at the Western end of the island. It is at least 2 hours 15 minutes walk from Emborio,
up the concrete road. Drinks can be bought from the caretaker or his wife, and it is possible,
by arrangement with them, to stay the night in one of the simple rooms off the
peaceful courtyard with its ancient spreading cypress tree. No charge is set for a
stay – just make a donation. Although many people get lifts or take the taxi, the
best way to appreciate the awesome views is on foot.
The Temple of Apollo. Very little remains of this ancient ruin, as stones were used in other
buildings, notably the base of the church tower of St Nikolas. |
| Halki History | In ancient times, when the Mediterranean basin was better forested and enjoyed a
higher rainfall than is the case now, Halki was able to support a far larger population,
as many as 7,000 souls according to some sources and achieved two wheat harvests
per annum. The name of the island is believed to derive from the Greek word, ‘halkos’,
meaning ‘copper’. The population of Halki was under the domination of Rhodes and was
part of the Dorian League as were the other neighbouring small islands such as Symi
and Tilos. The history of the island for geographical reasons is largely tied to that of
Rhodes which was very much at the cross roads between east and west, Europe and the
Levant, Christianity and Islam.
In Christian times the island was part of the Byzantine Empire until the First Fall of
Constantinople during the Fourth Crusade in 1204. Thereafter followed an uncertain
period subject to the influences of various independent Byzantine potentates and the
Genoese until it became part of the Crusader State of the Knights of
St John in the early 14th century.
Early in the sixteenth century, with the fall of the Knights of St John on Rhodes,
Halki found itself under Turkish rule from 1523. During these perilous times,
as piracy and general lawlessness were endemic throughout the islands, the focal
area of habitation on Halki was, as in many other vulnerable places, high up, in
Chorio, where the islanders could see approaching attackers and were close to the
relative safety of the Kastro (Castle). It was only comparatively recently, in the
nineteenth century when the threat of piracy started to diminish and the island
started to enjoy greater economic prosperity through the sponge industry that the
Neo-Classical houses around the harbour at Emborio were built. Chorio became
depopulated and the medieval island-style houses fell into ruin. The island
remained under Turkish control until 1912 when it, like the rest of the Dodecanese,
was ceded to Italy as a result of the Peace Treaty in the aftermath of the
Italo-Turkish War of 1911-12. At this point the economic prosperity of the islands
dependent upon the sponge industry went into sharp decline which the subsequent
First World War and the development of synthetic sponges exacerbated. The island’s
population had been around 3,000 for many of the preceding centuries but large
scale emigration, particularly to Tarpon Springs in Florida in 1912 and again during
the depressed years following the Second World War, rapidly reduced the population
to the present day few hundred. |
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Greek Islands 
