Elafonisos
Encyclopedia
Elafonisos is a small Greek island between the Peloponnese
and Kythira
. It lies off the coast of Cape Malea
and Vatika. The area of the island is 19 km².
The population is between 300 and 350 during the winter but increases dramatically in the summer months. During July and August the number of tourist visitors reach over 3,000 per day (bringing with them some 1,600 cars). Many people visit the island for its light coloured, sandy beaches. Among the most well known of its beaches are Sarakiniko, Fragos (Simos) and Panagias Nissia, all filled with blue-green waters.
Elafonisos is by far the largest inhabited island in the Peloponnese archipelago, and the only one that is a separate municipality. There are also some archaeological discoveries to explore on the island and in the surrounding waters. The main church of the community is Agios Spyridon (Greek: Άγιος Σπυρίδων), which is built on a tiny separate piece of land which is connected by a bridge over shallow waters to the rest of the island. The community's land area also includes 3 km² of the mainland consisting mainly of the famous Punta Beach.
On the nearby mainland, approximately 6.5 km (3.7 nmi) east is Neapoli (Greek: Νεάπολη) of the municipality of Vatika. About 8.5 km (4.5 nmi) south is Cape Frangos (Greek: Φράγκο) on the island of Kythira
.
, a sunken city dating back to the early 3rd millennium BC and thought to have been claimed by the sea around 1000 BC.
Peloponnese
The Peloponnese, Peloponnesos or Peloponnesus , is a large peninsula , located in a region of southern Greece, forming the part of the country south of the Gulf of Corinth...
and Kythira
Kythira
Cythera is an island in Greece, once part of the Ionian Islands. It lies opposite the south-eastern tip of the Peloponnese peninsula. It is administratively part of the Islands regional unit, which is part of the Attica region , Greece.For many centuries, while naval travel was the only means...
. It lies off the coast of Cape Malea
Cape Malea
Cape Maleas is a peninsula and cape in the southeast of the Peloponnese in Greece. To distinguish it from the cape, the peninsula is sometimes referred to as "Epidavros Limira" peninsula, after the most prominent ancient city located on it. It separates the Laconian Gulf in the west from the...
and Vatika. The area of the island is 19 km².
The population is between 300 and 350 during the winter but increases dramatically in the summer months. During July and August the number of tourist visitors reach over 3,000 per day (bringing with them some 1,600 cars). Many people visit the island for its light coloured, sandy beaches. Among the most well known of its beaches are Sarakiniko, Fragos (Simos) and Panagias Nissia, all filled with blue-green waters.
Elafonisos is by far the largest inhabited island in the Peloponnese archipelago, and the only one that is a separate municipality. There are also some archaeological discoveries to explore on the island and in the surrounding waters. The main church of the community is Agios Spyridon (Greek: Άγιος Σπυρίδων), which is built on a tiny separate piece of land which is connected by a bridge over shallow waters to the rest of the island. The community's land area also includes 3 km² of the mainland consisting mainly of the famous Punta Beach.
On the nearby mainland, approximately 6.5 km (3.7 nmi) east is Neapoli (Greek: Νεάπολη) of the municipality of Vatika. About 8.5 km (4.5 nmi) south is Cape Frangos (Greek: Φράγκο) on the island of Kythira
Kythira
Cythera is an island in Greece, once part of the Ionian Islands. It lies opposite the south-eastern tip of the Peloponnese peninsula. It is administratively part of the Islands regional unit, which is part of the Attica region , Greece.For many centuries, while naval travel was the only means...
.
Historical population
| Year | Island population | Municipality population |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 611 | — |
| 1991 | 653 | 725 |
| 2001 | 625 | 745 |
History
In antiquity, Elafonisos did not constitute an island but a peninsula with the name "Onou Gnathos" (Greek: Όνου Γνάθος) (Donkey's Jawbone) according to Pausanias. Just off the coast of Elafonissos lies the archeological site of PavlopetriPavlopetri
The city of Pavlopetri, underwater off the coast of southern Laconia in Greece, is about 5000 years old, and is the oldest submerged archeological town site. It is unique in having an almost complete town plan, including streets, buildings, and tombs...
, a sunken city dating back to the early 3rd millennium BC and thought to have been claimed by the sea around 1000 BC.