Oia Castle

A citadel

Under the Venetians the castle was one of five local citadels

Marco Sanudo founded the Duchy of Naxos in 1207 and feudal rule was instituted on Santorini. Under the da Corogna family, Agios Nikolaos Kastell was one of five local citadels. Its residential keep, Goulas, is now in the oldest part of the town.

The ruin

The ruined castle at the pinnacle was once among the island's strongest

At the pinnacle of Oia is the ruined castle, the seat of the Argyri family under the Venetians. It is also called Fort Londsa. It was part of the same Venetian defense system as Pyrgos and was once one of the strongest fortresses on the island.

New rulers

Santorini passed to the Ottoman Empire in 1579

In 1537 Hayreddin Barbarossa conquered the Aegean islands. Santorini remained under the Crispo family until 1566, then passed to Joseph Nasi and, in 1579, to the Ottoman Empire.

Sea trade

In 1890 Oia had about 2,500 residents and 130 sailing ships

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries Oia was a mariners' town. In 1890 it had approximately 2,500 residents and approximately 130 sailing ships. The arrival of steam and the concentration of shipping at Piraeus brought the seagoing trade to an end.

1956

After the earthquake of 1956 Oia had only 306 inhabitants by 1977

The 7.8 magnitude earthquake on 9 July 1956 caused considerable damage. It was followed by renewed emigration, and in 1977 Oia had only 306 inhabitants. Afterwards the village redeveloped into a tourist town.

306inhabitants of Oia in 1977