Naxos Kouros Statue (Apollonas)

Location: Apollonas

The statue of Kouros in Apollonas is exceeding 10 meters in height. Kouroi are large marble statues depicting young males, which dominated Greek art after the Middle Archaic period.

The statue dates back to the 8th century, and archeologists haven't come to a conclusion regarding whether the statue depicts the god Apollo or the god Dionysus.

Despite the name given to it, evidence shows that the statue is not a Kouros. Kouroi are statues of young men with their arms attached to the torso and one leg slightly in front of the other. The statue in Apollonas, however, seems to wear a long cloak, and his face displays long hair and a beard. For that reason, most researchers believe that it depicts the god Dionysus.

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More info about the Kouros of Apollonas

The statue remained incomplete for unknown reasons.

Its construction is simple, lacking any decorative features. Two statues of the same kind are located near Melanes village.

Archaeologists believe that those statues were predestined to hold on to a temple roof, but their ancient sculptors abandoned them due to faults in the marble and stone used. The paradox in the case of this particular Kouros is that it did not come off after it was made, although there are no obvious defects in its construction.

Unfortunately, the monument is unprotected. In fact, it is common for visitors to climb and sit on the statue for as long as it takes to get a nice photo. This kind of act, of course, causes the structure to wear down.

How to get there

The Apollonas Kouros Statue is located in Apollonas village.

Private transfers: We recommend using an online pre-booked transfer service, which provides transfer by taxi, minibus, or private VIP car and arranging a pickup directly from the port, airport, or your hotel. Alternatively, there’s the option of arranging a pickup by a local driver directly at the following numbers: 0030 22850 25835, 0030 22850 24829, or booking your taxi online.

Car rental: Τhere's the option of renting a car and picking it up directly from the airport, port, or your hotel. Using a rental car allows visitors to discover the Kouros of Apollonas and many other places of interest at their own pace.

Public transport: The central bus station of the island is located at the Port of Naxos. There are several buses from Chora to Apollonas during the day. Lines 2 and 5 are those that reach Apollonas. Consider that time schedules might change according to the season. Check the official timetables here.
Tip: Since buses don’t always stop at every scheduled stop of their itinerary, our advice to visitors is to inform the driver about their final destination in advance.

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