Agios Nikolaos Stenou monastery, Symi, October 1998
Symi - a small but hilly Greek island with a deeply indented coastline in the southeast Aegean, situated 24 km northwest of Rhodes, but just 6 km west of the Turkish Resadiye peninsula, has a character all its own. Its current population of about 3000 is only one tenth of the number of inhabitants in its prosperous heyday in the late 19th Century. Away from the main harbour, there is little development, many paths and excellent countryside for walking with its numerous tiny monasteries and wonderful panoramic views. Though appearing completely rocky and barren from the ferry, the interior does have areas of pine, cypress and juniper woodland.
About 13 x 11 km in size, 57km2 in area, and formed of hard Mesozoic limestone that reaches 616m at Mt Vigla in the centre, Symi has two medium sized satellites Nimos and Seskli, the latter inhabited until recently, plus numerous small rocky islets.
Yialos Town. Sponge-fishing and shipbuilding funded the building of numerous mansions in Yialos, in the sheltered northeast of the island. It is said that Jason's Argo was built here. The houses, shops and tavernas of Yialos are clustered around a long, fjord-like natural harbour, and feature in many calendars of the Greek islands. The main population of the island is centred around Yialos-Horio, with the smaller settlements of Emborio and Pedi on the next bays to the north and south. The remnants of the town's 19th century wealth are still clearly visible in the neoclassical residences, though many are now just abandoned shells. Competition from the divers of Kalymnos, the invention of the artificial sponge, combined with war and politics, brought about the downfall of the Symiot economy in the first half of the 20th Century. The majority of the population emigrated, to Rhodes and far beyond. Nowadays Symi is almost more famous for its chefs, working in Rhodes and elsewhere.
Horio village, the older capital, is just a long flight of steps away on the ridge above Yialos. In prehistoric times, the inhabitants built protective walls, remnants of which remain. The ancient acropolis was situated at the highest point of the village, though in medieval times it was converted to a Byzantine fortress. The Knights of St John arrived from Rhodes and added a tower from which they could signal to their base in the latter island. The retreating German army of occupation blew up its surplus explosives - plus 260 Horio houses - in December 1944. Fortunately, due to a German corporal warning the locals, only 1 Symiot was killed, although ironically the soldier died the following day when his ship hit a mine just after leaving Symi.
