Σπηλαιο αη Σοφια

Ayía Sofia Cave is the largest and most impressive of a number of caves on the island. It is a large stalagmite cave which is which is located in a sea cliff about 60 meters above the sea. It contains an open-roofed church dedicated to Ayía Sofia and it is reputed that her body was found here. In the chapel and on the west wall are some fine, well preseved frescoes. This cave should not to be confused with the sea caves near Mylopótamos or a cave with a similar name on Crete.

Legend has is that the ancient Greeks used the caves to honour the nymphs who used to live there, but today, alas there is no evidence of such use. On the contrary, there is evidences of religious use during the Christian period. We can assume this fact, from the display of frescoes depicting various figures including Agia (Saint) Sophia and her three daughters: Love, Faith and Hope, which are situated just inside the cave entrance. The frescoes are though to have been painted during the 12th and 13th centuries. The visitor will also see a chapel dedicated to Saint Sophia dating back to 1875. The chambers of this cave are decorated with stalactites and stalagmites. These are very colourful with a great variety of hues from black and white to shades of red. Beyond, the cave system comprises a series of chambers which reach 250m into the mountain, although a guided tour (in Greek and English) only takes in the more interesting outer chambers. These include some startling formations like shark's teeth, but you have to ask to be shown Aphrodite's chambers where a minute new species of disc-shaped insect has been discovered.

Text by Tony Oldham (2002). With kind permission.