Old Alonnisos – views of Chora

The ancient, fortified Chora of Alonnisos was the centre of habitation until 1965 when a heavy earthquake caused the people to move down to the coast. The majority of the mostly small stone houses did not collapse; they could have been rebuilt by the local people – but it was the trend of the time to abandon inland villages on islands in the Aegean and elsewhere in the Mediterraean Region and to move nearer to the shore line.

One of the reasons why the islanders lived inland was the permanent threat by pirates. But there existed other causes as well, besides historical constellations the richer soil inland and the better climate. Alonnisos way back into the past used to be inhabited by an agricultural population (cf. the article Old Alonnisos – coast and countryside).

These photographs were taken in the 1980s and early 1990s. Foreigners had already begun to refurbish houses in Chora, but the views represent mostly the original condition.


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