Naxos Melanes Kouros Statue

Location: Melanes

The Statue of Kouros in Melanes, Naxos: The remarkable statue of Kouros can be seen outside the village of Melanes, in the countryside of Naxos. There is a second Kouros statue located outside of the village of Apollonas, in northern Naxos. The statue of Melanes lies on the ground, at the exact position that it was found by the archeologists. It is 6 meters long and dates back to 7th century.

Archeologists believe that this statue used to hold a temple roof but they were decidedly abandoned by the ancient sculptors due to faults in the marble and stone that were made of. Historians assume that the statue depicts god Apollo or god Dionysus. Others believe that the statue represented a local hero, which is why it is so large in size. Remains of ancient temples surround Kouros statue.
There is a third Kouros Statue about 200m away from this one.

How to get there

The Melanes Kouros Statue is located in Melanes village.

Private transfers: We recommend using an online pre-booked Naxos 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 book your taxi online.

Car rental: Τhere’s the option of renting a car in Naxos with as little as 15 euros per day and pick it up directly from the airport, port or your hotel. Using a car rental allows visitors to discover the Melanes Kouros Statue and many other places of interest in Naxos at their own pace.

Public transfers: The central bus station of the island is located at the port of Naxos. There are few buses from Chora to Melanes during the day. Consider that time schedules might change according to the season. Check the official timetables here.
Tip: Since buses don’t always stop in every scheduled stop of their itinerary, our advice to visitors is to inform the driver about their final destination, so that he makes a stop there.