Santorini Info
The volcano that has become the focal point for Santorini’s visitors last erupted in 1956, bringing with it a series of devastating earthquakes and causing considerable loss of property and life. The volcano sleeps today, resting after its centuries-long effort to shape the Aegean to its liking. During one of its previous 14 or so known eruptions, the amount of magma spewed forth was so great, it caused the summit walls of the volcano to collapse, thus robbing it of the traditional volcano shape, but creating the famed caldera that is visible today.
Santorini’s history does not begin and end with the volcano, but it does tend to be instrumental in bringing about new phases. Santorini has had many different guises, many different names and been under the ownership of many different civilizations throughout its years, evidence of which can be seen all over the island, nowhere more so than the ancient Minoan town of Acrotiri – persevered in a similar way to Pompeii – where one can literally walk the same streets as the towns founders did around 1500BC.
Delving into the island’s rich heritage, one can discover why the town of Thira is named so; the actual size and location of the Nisyros volcano; how the great 1500BC eruption signaled the end of the Minoan civilization on nearby Crete and just how Santorini fits into the mystery of Atlantis. A history as fascinating as this should not be overlooked and anyone who thinks Santorini is all about the sunsets is on for a pleasant surprise. |
