Community hub
Recent from talks
Knowledge base stats:
Talk channels stats:
Members stats:
Othonoi
Othonoi (Greek: Οθωνοί, also rendered as Othoni, Ancient Greek: Ὀθρωνός, romanized: Othrōnós) is a small inhabited Greek island in the Ionian Sea, located northwest of Corfu, and is the westernmost point of Greece. Othonoi is the largest and most populated of the Diapontian Islands. Since the 2019 local government reform it is part of the municipality of Central Corfu and Diapontian Islands.
In the 19th century the island was the capital of the Diapontia Islands municipality, which also included nearby islands of Ereikoussa, Mathraki, islets and rocks of Diakopo, Diaplo, Karavi, Kastrino, Leipso, Ostrako, Plaka, Plateia and Tracheia. Othonoi is about 47 nautical miles from Santa Maria di Leuca cape, Italy.
The first name according to ancient texts (Hesychius, 3rd cent. BC) was "Othronos" (Ὀθρωνός), "Othronoi" (Ὀθρωνοί) and by Procopius seems to be "Othonē" (Ὀθωνή) (6th c.). According to Pliny (1st cent.), it was "Thoronos" (Θόρονος). Other names were "Fidonisi" (Snake island) because of the many snakes that are said to have invaded the island, and "Fanò" (Lamp) which is used in international charters and by the Italians because of the lighthouse situated on the island. Othoni was called Ogygia or "Calypso island" in many maps of the 17th and 18th centuries. Another Greek name for the island is "Astakonisi" (Αστακονήσι); the Albanian name is Strakëna, which may be a cognate of it that ultimately derives from reconstructed Doric Greek Ostrakonásion (Οστρακονάσιον). A second etymological approach for the latter, is that it derives from the plural of the Greek adjective ostrakinón (οστρακινόν), which is ostrakiná (οστρακινά); likely expressing a quality of the island.
Nowadays the Othonians living in Corfu sometimes call the island "Pera" ("Πέρα" meaning: beyond), as the island is located beyond Corfu.
At the beginning of the second millennium, the island was conquered alternatively by the Franks (the 11th century) and the Venetians (12th century), and often attacked by pirates of Barbary and Algeria. From the end of 1383 until 1386 the domination of Corfu was held by Charles III of Naples. In a letter from April 19, 1383, he granted the usufruct of Othonoi, Ereikoussa, Mathraki, Diapolo and Vido, to the knight Theodore Skaliti as fief. In 1537, the Turkish fleet under the command of Hayreddin Barbarossa massacred the inhabitants of Othoni island after a long battle. In Stavros district at an altitude of 217 m. a white stone cross exists until today to commemorate that event.
The last settlers of Othonoi apparently came from Paxos and Ioannina, Parga and the region of Epirus. This occurred after the Battle of Nafpaktos in 1571 when the Turkish fleet was destroyed and the islanders began to move more safely. After the last movement, the residents of Othonoi island colonized the two other small islands, Ereikoussa and Mathraki. In 1815, the British conquered Othonoi. With the Treaty signed on March 29, 1864, between the three powers (United Kingdom, France, Russia) and the Kingdom of Greece, the Ionian Islands including the Diapontian islands passed definitively to Greek sovereignty on 21 May. From 1869 until 1912 Othonoi, Ereikousa and Mathraki formed the municipality of Dimos Diapontion with Othonoi as capital.
On 29 December 1940, the Greek submarine Protefs sank in the sea area of Othonoi. The submarine had attacked an Italian convoy carrying ammunition to Vlorë. After sinking the steamer Sardegna, the submarine was rammed by the Italian torpedo boat Antares. The loss of the submarine was the first loss of the Greek Navy in World War II. A monument to honor the memory of the crew was inaugurated in Othonoi on June 15, 2015.
According to legend, the ancient poet Homer referred to Othonoi in the Odyssey as Ogygia, island of the nymph Calypso, who lived in a large cave there. Odysseus was enchanted by Calypso, and he remained there for seven years as her prisoner. Odysseus wished to leave the island, as he could no longer bear being separated from his wife, Penelope. During the day, he sat on a headland or at the sea-shore crying, while at night he was forced to sleep with Calypso in a cave against his will.
Hub AI
Othonoi AI simulator
(@Othonoi_simulator)
Othonoi
Othonoi (Greek: Οθωνοί, also rendered as Othoni, Ancient Greek: Ὀθρωνός, romanized: Othrōnós) is a small inhabited Greek island in the Ionian Sea, located northwest of Corfu, and is the westernmost point of Greece. Othonoi is the largest and most populated of the Diapontian Islands. Since the 2019 local government reform it is part of the municipality of Central Corfu and Diapontian Islands.
In the 19th century the island was the capital of the Diapontia Islands municipality, which also included nearby islands of Ereikoussa, Mathraki, islets and rocks of Diakopo, Diaplo, Karavi, Kastrino, Leipso, Ostrako, Plaka, Plateia and Tracheia. Othonoi is about 47 nautical miles from Santa Maria di Leuca cape, Italy.
The first name according to ancient texts (Hesychius, 3rd cent. BC) was "Othronos" (Ὀθρωνός), "Othronoi" (Ὀθρωνοί) and by Procopius seems to be "Othonē" (Ὀθωνή) (6th c.). According to Pliny (1st cent.), it was "Thoronos" (Θόρονος). Other names were "Fidonisi" (Snake island) because of the many snakes that are said to have invaded the island, and "Fanò" (Lamp) which is used in international charters and by the Italians because of the lighthouse situated on the island. Othoni was called Ogygia or "Calypso island" in many maps of the 17th and 18th centuries. Another Greek name for the island is "Astakonisi" (Αστακονήσι); the Albanian name is Strakëna, which may be a cognate of it that ultimately derives from reconstructed Doric Greek Ostrakonásion (Οστρακονάσιον). A second etymological approach for the latter, is that it derives from the plural of the Greek adjective ostrakinón (οστρακινόν), which is ostrakiná (οστρακινά); likely expressing a quality of the island.
Nowadays the Othonians living in Corfu sometimes call the island "Pera" ("Πέρα" meaning: beyond), as the island is located beyond Corfu.
At the beginning of the second millennium, the island was conquered alternatively by the Franks (the 11th century) and the Venetians (12th century), and often attacked by pirates of Barbary and Algeria. From the end of 1383 until 1386 the domination of Corfu was held by Charles III of Naples. In a letter from April 19, 1383, he granted the usufruct of Othonoi, Ereikoussa, Mathraki, Diapolo and Vido, to the knight Theodore Skaliti as fief. In 1537, the Turkish fleet under the command of Hayreddin Barbarossa massacred the inhabitants of Othoni island after a long battle. In Stavros district at an altitude of 217 m. a white stone cross exists until today to commemorate that event.
The last settlers of Othonoi apparently came from Paxos and Ioannina, Parga and the region of Epirus. This occurred after the Battle of Nafpaktos in 1571 when the Turkish fleet was destroyed and the islanders began to move more safely. After the last movement, the residents of Othonoi island colonized the two other small islands, Ereikoussa and Mathraki. In 1815, the British conquered Othonoi. With the Treaty signed on March 29, 1864, between the three powers (United Kingdom, France, Russia) and the Kingdom of Greece, the Ionian Islands including the Diapontian islands passed definitively to Greek sovereignty on 21 May. From 1869 until 1912 Othonoi, Ereikousa and Mathraki formed the municipality of Dimos Diapontion with Othonoi as capital.
On 29 December 1940, the Greek submarine Protefs sank in the sea area of Othonoi. The submarine had attacked an Italian convoy carrying ammunition to Vlorë. After sinking the steamer Sardegna, the submarine was rammed by the Italian torpedo boat Antares. The loss of the submarine was the first loss of the Greek Navy in World War II. A monument to honor the memory of the crew was inaugurated in Othonoi on June 15, 2015.
According to legend, the ancient poet Homer referred to Othonoi in the Odyssey as Ogygia, island of the nymph Calypso, who lived in a large cave there. Odysseus was enchanted by Calypso, and he remained there for seven years as her prisoner. Odysseus wished to leave the island, as he could no longer bear being separated from his wife, Penelope. During the day, he sat on a headland or at the sea-shore crying, while at night he was forced to sleep with Calypso in a cave against his will.