Kimolos History

The pristine, small and volcanic island of Kimolos is one of the least known Greek islands. Though a sparsely-inhabited island today, Kimolos history and tradition still survive to this day. The name of this island comes from the Greek word kimolia, which means chalk. Kimolos Was once a part of Milos Island but got separated between two islands due to an earthquake.

The remnants of ancient Kimolos found in the nearby Koftou beach at the bottom of the sea are a testimony of the island's ancient habitation from the times of the Mycenaean period. In ancient times, Kimolos was a battlefield between Athens, who was the ruler of the island, and Sparta, the ruler of the neighboring Milos Island. In Medieval times, the caves of Kimolos used to be shelters for pirates. From the 13th to the 16th century, Kimolos was part of the Venetian Duchy of the Cyclades.

It was once ruled by the Ottoman Empire like the rest of Greece. A holy woman named Osia Methodia become a martyr in Kimolos during the Turkish rule. Her memory is commemorated on 5th October on the island with big celebrations. In 1829, after the Greek War of Independence, Kimolos was deliberated from the Turks and became part of the newly founded Greek state, along with the rest of the Cyclades islands.