PAROS – ANTIPAROS HOTELIER ASSOCIATION
History enthusiasts can visit the ancient marble quarries, from which Parian marble was sourced for famous sculptures such as the Venus de Milo.
Castle Hill
The hill of the medieval Castle forms the core of the town from the time of its first settlement (4th millennium BC) to the present day.
The Castle was built by the Venetian Duke of Naxos, Sanudo, in the 13th century, using architectural elements from ancient temples. Archaeologists have discovered that the Castle incorporates elements from three Archaic and two Classical-era temples of the ancient city. Of these, only a small section of the Archaic Temple of Athena (6th century BC) survives at the top of the hill.
Next to the temple’s foundations, part of a Early Cycladic settlement was also uncovered.
During a walk around the Castle, visitors will encounter small churches, many integrated into the walls, such as Panagia tou Stavrou (1514), Agia Anna, Agios Markos, Agios Stylianos, and the architecturally impressive Church of Agios Konstantinos with a covered courtyard and breathtaking views of the sea—one of the most beautiful in the Aegean.
Venetian Castle
The sea-battered Venetian Castle (partly submerged today), which closes off the northern side of Naoussa’s harbor, was built by the Sommaripa dynasty in the 15th century and represents a unique example of fortification architecture.
Archaeological Museum of Paros
The Archaeological Museum of Paros was built in 1960, adjacent to the Gymnasium, as a large hall to house artifacts that had until then been kept in the cells of the Katapoliani. At the end of the 1960s, a second hall was added, and in 1995 the construction of the Museum’s extension began.
Collections include:
Hall A: Sculptures from the Archaic and Classical periods.
Hall B: Artifacts (ceramics, small-scale crafts, and sculpture) from the Neolithic, Early Cycladic, Mycenaean, Geometric, Archaic, Classical, Hellenistic, and Roman periods.
Courtyard: Sculptures, architectural elements, funerary urns, and a Roman mosaic floor.
Read more information HERE.
