top of page

Acerca de

Untitled.jpg

HISTORY

The Cave was known in antiquity. Pieces of ancient vessels, finds of the Stone Age were found inside. Engravings and inscriptions on stalactites and stalagmites confirm its antiquity. The oldest visitor of the cave is the lyric poet from Paros, Archilochos (728 - 650 BC). In the majestic stalagmite of the entrance the inscription was preserved until the last century: "During Cretan's time Menander, Soharmos, Menekratis, Antipater, Hippomedon, Aristeas, Fileas, Gorgos, Diogenes, Philocrates, O" came. According to tradition, these are conspirators against the life of Alexander the Great, who were revealed and, to be saved, fled to Antiparos. This conjecture has not been proven. Most likely it was about ordinary visitors, however the timelessness of the above narration leaves to the visitor the choice of the version he will keep.

In December 1673, Marquis de Nuantel, ambassador of Louis XIV in Constantinople and a lover of ancient Greek culture, was in Paros, hosting the infamous pirate Daniel. This was one of his constant travels to the Greek islands in order to collect archaeological finds, on behalf of France. In Paros, and while Nuandel was supervising the loading of antiquities for France, he was informed that on the neighboring island, Oliaro, there was a colossal statue.

  She immediately left for the island accompanied by 500 people who were painters, designers, masons, Jesuits, Capuchins, Turks and pirates. He arrived at the entrance of the cave on Christmas Eve, to discover, with disappointment, that the supposed statue was nothing more than a huge stalagmite. He had him lowered with ropes at the bottom of the cave and in the light of the candles and lanterns he saw dazzlingly spread around the admirer the decorative sculpture of nature.

He immediately decided to perform the divine service of Christmas on a huge stalagmite with a circumference of 18 meters and a height of 8, which has since been named "Holy Table". In the space lit by 100 candles and 400 lamps, the service was performed by the pastor ambassador Ioannis Vaptistis from Peronnis. This spontaneous operation - the like of which had never been done before in Greece - was a shocking experience. On the stalagmite that served as the Holy Table was engraved the inscription: HIC IPSE CHRISTUS ADFUIT RJUS NATALI DIE MEDIA NOCTE CELEBRATO MDCLXXIII ("Here Christ celebrated the midnight of Christmas 1673.").

Nuandel and his entourage stayed in the cave for three days and slept near the "Holy Table". But as the painters immortalized the cave, others removed huge chunks of stalactites and stalagmites loaded on ships for France. This was the first large looting of the cave. Later, during the period of Russian rule on the island (1770 - 1774), the cave is subject to a second great looting. The stalactites and stalagmites that were detached today adorn the showcases of the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg. The Germans followed, during the Occupation, who in turn destroyed a large part of the natural decoration.

After Nuandel's visit, the hitherto forgotten "Shelter" - as the locals called the Antiparos cave - came to life again. Many foreign travelers arrived on the island to admire the majesty of nature. The travelers dared the dangerous descent to its depths, with escalators, ropes and torches. Many are those who, returning to their homelands, printed their impressions in books, accompanied by magnificent engravings (engravings) of the cave and the impressive view that one sees going up to it. They circulated them everywhere, thus proclaiming the glory and greatness of Greece, contributing to the Genos's efforts for national liberation. Unfortunately, the visitors also contributed to the partial dismantling of the cave, detaching pieces of it as souvenirs or for the purpose of selling them.

The many signatures of Greek and foreign visitors, personalities and not, are a key component of the uniqueness of the cave. Interesting is the inscription of the Holy Table that we mentioned earlier, the engraving of King Otto, in the last chamber, "Otto I, King of Greece of 27 September 1840" and in another stalactite the names of the sequence: "V. Adam 1840 D. Φραγκάκης ". Also special is the dedication "Helen de Tassé, incomparable woman! Treasure of the Marquis de Champre, 1775". Of course, any human intervention is now prohibited.

The systematic exploration, mapping and study of the tourist route was carried out in 1979 by the famous speleologist Anna Petrocheilou, who christened the various areas of the cave.

  • The cave was known in antiquity, as evidenced by archaeological finds from the Stone Age and the inscriptions / inscriptions inside.

  • According to tradition, the conspirators against the life of Alexander the Great found a hiding place in the cave, when they were revealed.

  • Among the inscriptions that are engraved, King Otto and Nuandel himself stand out ("Here Christ celebrated the midnight of Christmas 1673").

  • The oldest visitor of the cave is the lyric poet from Paros, Archilochos (728 - 650 BC).

  • Many engravings of Philhellenes are preserved, who visited the island with the sole purpose of descending to the interior of his cave.

  • The cave was looted by the French (Nuandel and his entourage in 1673), after the Russians (1770 - 1774) and after the Germans (in occupation).

  • The famous Greek speleologist Anna Petrocheilou, undertook in 1979 the systematic exploration, mapping and study of the tourist route and named the areas of the cave.

bottom of page