Apollon is in a small fishing village in the northest area of Naxos island. The village has touristic infastructure, restaurants, cafe, bars etc and a very nice beach.
Hotel Kouros is a family hotel with 24 double rooms with satelite TV, mini bar, air condition, toilet, shower with hot water, telephone and parking place for your car. It is near by the beach (30m) and very close to the village (200m). Every room has a balcony with fantastic view to the sea or the mountains.
In Apollon village you can find the ancient statue of Dionysos (12 meter long - 7th century bc), the longest in Greece. Also the ancient minor from which originated all the ancient marbles that the Naxians sent to Delos (Naxian Sphix - Kori Nikandris). Also, up on Kalogeros mountain you can find an midieval castle.
Within a few words, Apollon is a beautiful village and hotel Kouros is the right place for your accomodation. Hopefully we will see you there.
Sideris Family
Ο Απόλλωνας είναι ένα μικρό ψαράδικο χωριό στο βορειότερο άκρο της Νάξου. Το χωριό διαθέτει τουριστική υποδομή: εστιατόρια, καφενεία, μπαρ κ.λπ. και μία πολύ όμορφη παραλία.
Το Ξενοδοχείο Κούρος είναι μία οικογενειακή επιχείρηση με δυναμικότητα 24 δίκλινων δωματίων εξοπλισμένων με κλιματισμό, δορυφορική τηλεόραση, μίνι μπαρ (ψυγείο), τουαλέτα και ντους με ζεστό νερό, τηλέφωνο και πάρκινγκ για το αυτοκίνητο σας. Κάθε δωμάτιο έχει ευρύχωρο μπαλκόνι με καταπληκτική θέα προς τη θάλασσα ή το βουνό.
Στον Απόλλωνα μπορείτε να βρείτε το αρχαίο δωδεκάμετρο άγαλμα του Διονύσου (7π.χ. αιώνα) το μεγαλύτερο του είδους του στην Ελλάδα, το οποίο εσφαλμένα ντόπιοι και τουρίστες αποκαλούν Κούρο! Επίσης το αρχαίο λατομείου Ναξιακού μαρμάρου από το οποίο εικάζεται ότι προέρχεται η Ναξιακή σφίγγα της Δήλου βρίσκεται πάνω από τον οικισμό. Επίσης πάνω στο βουνό Καλόγερο, στους πρόποδες του οποίου στέκει το ξενοδοχείο, υπάρχουν τα ερείπια μεσαιωνικού κάστρου το οποίο μπορείτε επίσης να επισκεφτείτε αν σας αρέσει η ορειβασία.
Κοντολογίς, ο Απόλλωνας είναι το τέλειο μέρος διακοπών για ανθρώπουν που δεν θέλουν κοσμοσυρροή για να περάσουν καλά και το ξενοδοχείο Κούρος το σωστό μέρος να μείνετε. Σας ευχαριστούμε.
Οικογένεια Βασίλη Κ. Σιδερή
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20110714
20110713
A few informations about Hotel Kouros, Apollon village and Naxos
Hotel Kouros is a small unit located in Apollon (Apollonas), a small fishing village in the northest area of Naxos island, 36 km from Naxos Town. The village has touristic infastructure, mini market, restaurants/tavernas, cafe, bars and a very nice beach.
Hotel Kouros is a family hotel with 24 double rooms with TV, refrigerator, air condition, toilet, shower with hot water, telephone, parking place for your car and it’s own beach bar right next to the sea. It is near by the beach (30m) and very close to the village (200m). Every room has a balcony with fantastic view to the sea or the mountains.
In Apollon village you will discover the oldest marble mine in Greece, which makes it the oldest in the world. It is here the homeland of Kori and Kouros, the types of female and male statues that characterize the archaic Greece. In the marble mines you will see the ancient statue of Dionysos (12 meter long - 6th century bc), the longest in Greece.
Apollon is a small village and it’s an ideal place for people who want to get away from the big cities and the touristic areas. You will not find here tensed nightlife nor “armies” of tourists. On the contrary, you will meet real Naxian farmers, fisherman and generally people who make their living not solely by tourism.
If it is quiet you need, Apollon is the right place for you but if you are a person who enjoys hiking then there are beautiful routes in the surrounding area. Hotel Kouros can provide you with the right person for guided hiking tours (Stuart Thorpe) or you can try the routes yourself using one of the detailed maps and the instruction from the hotel expert, Christos Sideris. There are many things to see, among the most interesting are: 1) the hiking to Kalogeros mountain, right over the village with the medieval castle, 2) the statue of Dionysos, tour of the village and visit the beautiful beach of Agios Fokas with the tiny Byzantine church, 3) the path from Koronida (mother village of Apollon) to Apollon, 4) A visit to the village mesi and the lovely beach of Agios Giannis, 5) a hiking tour to Agia with the medieval tower and the ancient ruins and the beautiful beach of Agia …. And many more.
If you are not interested in driving tours you can always rent a car (in Naxos town) or a motor bike and tour the island yourself using the instructions of our expert or, you can also have quided driving tours with Stuart Thorpe who has a profound knowledge of Naxian people although he is English. The oldest findings in Naxos take the history of the island 10.000 years B.C. in Paleolithic times. Naxos was populated in Stone Age (Cave of Zas in Filoti, Grotta in Naxos town) but what the islands are really famous is for the early bronze age civilization (Cycladic) with the typical graves, the long Cycladic ships and the little white marble statues. You must visit the archaeological museum in Naxos town. There are also important finding of the late bronze age (like a part of the city and the walls), as well of the geometric times and of course, the archaic time when Naxos was in its prime, having 30.000 inhabitants (temple of Dimitra in Sangri, temple of Dionysos in Yria, marble mine and temple of Aloades in Melanes and many more). From classic Greece period, the ruins of the temple of Apollon in Naxos town (portara) is a must see. Except for the ancient Naxos, a visitor can also enjoy Byzantine Naxos with the little a bigger churches all around the island and especially in the valley of Tragea. From the medieval times, when Naxos was conquer by Venice there are many beautifull towers of the feudalist masters all around the island. For the end, a visitor should not ignore contemporary Naxos with the little mountain villages, the wild mountains, the emery mines, the amazing beaches and the real Naxian people.
As you can see, there are many thing to do in Apollon but if you don’t want to spend your days trying to discover the beauty of the island you could just relax and enjoy the beautiful Apollon and all the calmness and quietness that the place offers you. Within a few words, Apollon is a beautiful village and hotel Kouros is the right place for your accomodation. You will find more information about Hotel Kouros and Apollon here http://hotelkouros.blogspot.com
Hopefully we will see you.
Christos Sideris
20110712
20110710
20110709
The ancient marble mine of Apollon and the "kouros type" Dionysos
The ancient marble mine of Apollon and the "kouros type" Dionysos
The marble mines of Naxos (Melanes, Apollon) are the most ancient in Greece. We know for a fact that they were operational during the 7th century, since the "House of Naxians" in Delos, the "Market (stoa) of Naxians" and the Colossal Apollon of Naxians in Delos, all from 7th century were made from Naxian marble. Thus, almost all the archaic statues of Delos are made of Naxian marble. Many scholars assume that perhaps the huge marble stones came from the mines of Apollonas, since it was easier to transfer the gigantic pieces to Delos from the ancient harbor with two ships (carrying the statue in a net that was tied between the two carrier ships). Marble was also used for the door of one of the oldest Naxian temples which is the temple of Aloades in Flerio (Melanes). It is a temple in which many scholars assume that started the constructions of the temple gate with three huge marble pieces (a technique repeated later in Delos, in the Dionysos temple (Yria Naxos) and later in all of the ancient Greece).
Archaeologists often connect the Melanes marble mine with the figure of the standing daughter (Kori) especially the one in the National Archaeological museum of Athens which is a dedication to Artemis by a wealthy woman called Nikandre (there were recently discovery two more Kori of Naxian marble from the same period -around 660 BC- one in Santorini [Kori of Selada], one in Antiparos [Kori of Antiparos].
Apollona’s marble mine is regularly associated with the kouros type statue. A Kouros in general is a figure of a young man with his arms close to his body and the left foot slightly ahead of the other [because the next step would be with the right foot which is a good sign for the ancient Greeks]. We know for certain that the unfinished Kouros in the archeological museum of Naxos that was found in Apollon, comes from the beginning of the 7th century! Thus there is a possibility that the marble mines of Apollon were operational throughout the 8th century BC!Well, I have discussed the ancient mines of Naxos but I have yet to mention the “Kouros type” Dionysos of Apollonas. Well, it’s a kouros and it’s a Dionysos too. This is not a contradiction because the statue bares the characteristics of the kouros type statue’s mentioned above but it is not a young man, it is the first kouros type statue which has a beard. So, we assume it’s a Dionysos and many archaeologists believe that this Dionysos was meant to stand at the main entrance of the temple of Dionysos in Yria. Apparently, they had done it before (moving such a gigantic statue as the colossic Apollon in Delos) and they were ready for an even greater project. We must remember that the sea level reached, at that time, the temple of Yria in Agios Arsenios.
Another proof that it is a Dionysos is that the right hand of the statue of Dionysos, was holding a "kantharos", a cup for drinking wine which was identified as the cup of Dionysos. That was another innovation introduced in this statue in the "kouros type"style statues.
Another proof that it is a Dionysos is that the right hand of the statue of Dionysos, was holding a "kantharos", a cup for drinking wine which was identified as the cup of Dionysos. That was another innovation introduced in this statue in the "kouros type"style statues.
I know you have another question for me. Ok, it’s a kouros type Dionysos but when did they make it? And why is it unfinished? You really asked me the right questions! Well, in the past archaeologists and stupidologists gave various explanations concerning why the statue is unfinished and it's actual age. Many assumed that the marble cracked and they stopped sculpting it, like 2,500 years and thousands of vandals who passed from the area couldn’t do the damage. Some others assumed it was from the 7th century, just because it was found near the unfinished kouros which is at the naxos archaeological museum.
We know today, by the technique used, that it is not from the 7th century BC thus it is not older than the colossal Apollon of the Naxians in Delos (600 BC). So we assume that it is from the 6th century BC and I would say that if you read the “Ekonomika” of Aristoteles you will find out that the tyrant Ligdamis took over the island with the help of his friend Pisistratos and he exiled all the fat-ones (the aristocrats who were rulling Naxos until 545 BC) and confiscated all the unfinished statues in the mines that these rich people had ordered. This sounds like a perfectly good explanation to me. It also explains why there are so many unfinished Kouros around Naxos (2 big ones in Melanes also!!). After the death of Pisistratos, Lygdamis invited the exiled fat-ones to Naxos and asked them to buy back the statues but they refused. Anyway, that was not the time for statue making, the oligarchs took over again, then the democrats and then the Persian-Milecian fleet came to Naxos, unsuccessfully at first but the second time the island was devastated. No time for sculpting statues, I guess.
When did they start sculpting the Dionysos of Apollon? Difficult question, you got me there. I only know that one sculpture needed one year to make a statue of natural size , if he was working alone, but I am sure that many slaves worked on our Dionysos. I would say, they started sculpting around 560-555 BC.
I know that you have another question for me and if you don’t, you should. How come they made a Dionysos in a place called Apollonas . Well, my friend, the tablet ΙΕΡΟΝ ΧΩΡΙΟΥ ΑΠΟΛΛΩΝΟΣ says that the village is Apollona’s village but it is younger than Dionyso’s statue. During the rule of Ligdamis, there was a shift of divine power from Dionysos (the traditional god of Naxos that the oligarchy ruled in his name), to Apollon, the god used byLigdamis as the mighty god and obviously he ruled in his name. He even tried to construct a temple of Apollon in Naxos Town which would be even more magnificent than the temple of Dionysos in Yria. Sometimes, religion and political power are so involved that you can’t really distinguish between them.Besides, when it comes to money, who cares about gods…
Christos Sideris
PS: Hey, I completely forgot to mention that the kouros type Dionysos at Apollonas is the biggest marble statue in the world !!! Enjoy it
20110101
20100716
Usefull Informations (Χρήσιμες Πληροφορίες)
Since Apollon is in the northern region of Naxos, to be accurate is the northest village on the island, the north summer wind (meltemi) is a usual phaenomeno. For the period from the middle of July till the middle of August, more or less the meltemi period, it is wavy and windy. If in your mind summer holidays mean calm seas and unwind bays find another place for your vacation. The fact that meltemi period is from the middle of July to the middle of August doesn’t mean it’s always like that. There have been time when it was calm the whole August and the funny thing about that particular summer was that a big group of surfers came to Apollon that summer to exploit the big waves, but Aeolos seemed to be in a mood for jokes. Anyway, we can say that meltemi is a stereotype but with a strong background basis.
Με δεδομένο ότι ο Απόλλωνας βρίσκεται στα βόρεια της Νάξου, πιο συγκεκριμένα είναι το βορειότερο χωριό της νήσου, τα μελτέμια γίνονται ιδιαίτερα αισθητά, ειδικά σε ότι αφορά κυματισμό. Αν αυτό που ψάχνετε είναι τεράστιες αμμουδιές και υπήνεμα κολπάκια καλύτερα να επιλέξετε ένα άλλο μέρος για τις διακοπές σας. Βεβαίως το γεγονός ότι τα μελτέμια διαρκούν από μέσα Ιουλίου μέχρι μέσα Αυγούστου δεν σημαίνει ότι ισχύει νομοτελειακά (ακόμα και ο Μαρξ αποκήρυξε τις νομοτελειακές συνεπαγωγές στα έσχατα έργα του!!!). Θυμάμαι χαρακτηριστικά ότι το καλοκαίρι του 2002 που είχαν έρθει στο ξενοδοχείο οργανωμένα σέρφερς για να εκμεταλλευτούν τον ψηλό κυματισμό του κόλπου, έκανε ένα μήνα μπονάτσα.
Another weather classic stereotype is that in June and September the sea is calmer than in July August. The most of the times this is true, and even if it is not calm elsewhere, in Apollon it is, since the wind that blows at that time of the year is often south. Another thing, when the wind is south we have increased humidity, as result of that with the compination of the north wind and the water springs Apollon is almost never hot, especially the area around Hotel Kouros. Nevertgheless, for the unbelievers we installed the air conditions!
Ένα ακόμα καιρικό στερεότυπο είναι ότι τον Ιούνιο και τον Σεπτέμβρη έχει περισσότερες μπονάτσες από τους κεντρικούς καλοκαιρινούς μήνες, πράγμα που ισχύει σε μεγάλο βαθμό. Ακόμα και αν αλλού έχει κυματισμό στον Απόλλωνα οι νοτιάδες δεν πιάνουν δημιουργώντας στους παραθεριστές την ψευδαίσθηση ότι ο καιρός είναι εξίσου καλός και στα υπόλοιπα μέρη. Κάτι ακόμα, οι νοτιάδες συνδυάζονται με υψηλή υγρασία, ως αποτέλεσμα και με δεδομένους τους συνήθεις βορείους ανέμους και τις πολλές πηγές στον Απόλλωνα δεν κάνει σχεδόν ποτέ ζέστη, ειδικά στην περιοχή γύρω από το Ξενοδοχείο Κούρος
Hotel Kouros (or casa del vento....) is open from May to October, and sometimes the easter time (if it’s earlier than May). You may think that the weather in May and October is not as nice as in the summer. That’s true for the most part but in May and October you have some brilliant days you can enjoy the sun an the sea and some cold days when you can also enjoy the sun in the rooms with mountain view which are windless. We definitely recommend the mountain side rooms if you come in spring time.
Το Ξενοδοχείο Κούρος ή… το σπίτι των ανέμων (Casa Del Vento) είναι ανοικτό από τον Μάη μέχρι τον Οκτώβρη ή και νωρίτερα αν το ελληνικό ή καθολικό Πάσχα πέφτει πριν τον Μάη. Φυσικά ο καιρός την Άνοιξη και το φθινόπωρο δεν είναι καθόλα καλοκαιρινός αλλά ορισμένες ημέρες είναι αληθινά εκπληκτικές. Αλλά ακόμα και αν ο καιρός δεν είναι ενδεδειγμένος τα δωμάτιά μας με θέα στο βουνό Καλόγερος προσφέρουν υπήνεμη απόλαυση της όποιας ηλιοφάνειας. Ως εκ τούτου, συνιστούμε στους πελάτες μας να επιλέγουν δωμάτια με θέα στο βουνό την Άνοιξη και τον Φθινόπωρο.
Christos Sideris
Με δεδομένο ότι ο Απόλλωνας βρίσκεται στα βόρεια της Νάξου, πιο συγκεκριμένα είναι το βορειότερο χωριό της νήσου, τα μελτέμια γίνονται ιδιαίτερα αισθητά, ειδικά σε ότι αφορά κυματισμό. Αν αυτό που ψάχνετε είναι τεράστιες αμμουδιές και υπήνεμα κολπάκια καλύτερα να επιλέξετε ένα άλλο μέρος για τις διακοπές σας. Βεβαίως το γεγονός ότι τα μελτέμια διαρκούν από μέσα Ιουλίου μέχρι μέσα Αυγούστου δεν σημαίνει ότι ισχύει νομοτελειακά (ακόμα και ο Μαρξ αποκήρυξε τις νομοτελειακές συνεπαγωγές στα έσχατα έργα του!!!). Θυμάμαι χαρακτηριστικά ότι το καλοκαίρι του 2002 που είχαν έρθει στο ξενοδοχείο οργανωμένα σέρφερς για να εκμεταλλευτούν τον ψηλό κυματισμό του κόλπου, έκανε ένα μήνα μπονάτσα.
Another weather classic stereotype is that in June and September the sea is calmer than in July August. The most of the times this is true, and even if it is not calm elsewhere, in Apollon it is, since the wind that blows at that time of the year is often south. Another thing, when the wind is south we have increased humidity, as result of that with the compination of the north wind and the water springs Apollon is almost never hot, especially the area around Hotel Kouros. Nevertgheless, for the unbelievers we installed the air conditions!
Ένα ακόμα καιρικό στερεότυπο είναι ότι τον Ιούνιο και τον Σεπτέμβρη έχει περισσότερες μπονάτσες από τους κεντρικούς καλοκαιρινούς μήνες, πράγμα που ισχύει σε μεγάλο βαθμό. Ακόμα και αν αλλού έχει κυματισμό στον Απόλλωνα οι νοτιάδες δεν πιάνουν δημιουργώντας στους παραθεριστές την ψευδαίσθηση ότι ο καιρός είναι εξίσου καλός και στα υπόλοιπα μέρη. Κάτι ακόμα, οι νοτιάδες συνδυάζονται με υψηλή υγρασία, ως αποτέλεσμα και με δεδομένους τους συνήθεις βορείους ανέμους και τις πολλές πηγές στον Απόλλωνα δεν κάνει σχεδόν ποτέ ζέστη, ειδικά στην περιοχή γύρω από το Ξενοδοχείο Κούρος
Hotel Kouros (or casa del vento....) is open from May to October, and sometimes the easter time (if it’s earlier than May). You may think that the weather in May and October is not as nice as in the summer. That’s true for the most part but in May and October you have some brilliant days you can enjoy the sun an the sea and some cold days when you can also enjoy the sun in the rooms with mountain view which are windless. We definitely recommend the mountain side rooms if you come in spring time.
Το Ξενοδοχείο Κούρος ή… το σπίτι των ανέμων (Casa Del Vento) είναι ανοικτό από τον Μάη μέχρι τον Οκτώβρη ή και νωρίτερα αν το ελληνικό ή καθολικό Πάσχα πέφτει πριν τον Μάη. Φυσικά ο καιρός την Άνοιξη και το φθινόπωρο δεν είναι καθόλα καλοκαιρινός αλλά ορισμένες ημέρες είναι αληθινά εκπληκτικές. Αλλά ακόμα και αν ο καιρός δεν είναι ενδεδειγμένος τα δωμάτιά μας με θέα στο βουνό Καλόγερος προσφέρουν υπήνεμη απόλαυση της όποιας ηλιοφάνειας. Ως εκ τούτου, συνιστούμε στους πελάτες μας να επιλέγουν δωμάτια με θέα στο βουνό την Άνοιξη και τον Φθινόπωρο.
Christos Sideris
20100310
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