!!!Santorini (Fira)

Photos by Dmitry Moiseenko and
Stanislav Sedov,
members of the [AirPano Team|Geography/About/Consortium/AirPano,_Team] that is a member of the [global-geography Consortium|Geography/About/Consortium]. \\

26 March 2021

with kind permission of [AirPano|http://www.AirPano.com]

Fira, Santorini Island, Greece

Greece embraces more than 1000 islands, with Santorini (also named
Thira) being one of the most famous of them. It is mentioned in ancient
Greek myths, and moreover, it was the site for one of the most famous
stories about the Rape of Europa. Around 1,500 BC, the eruption of the
Santorini volcano changed the island's borders: the crater collapsed,
forming a huge funnel (caldera). Eventually, on the slopes and the
summit of this mountain at an altitude of about 400 meters, a city was
born and received the same name as the entire island, Fira (sometimes
also transcribed as "Thira"). The city grew and developed until a
devastating earthquake struck the island in 1956 destroying more than
80% of all buildings. Afterwards, Fira was rebuilt and now what we
witness is the renewed form of the settlement.

[{Image src='01_Santorini.jpg' caption='Fira, Santorini, Greece\\© [AirPano|https://www.AirPano.com]' alt='' width='900' popup='false' height='599'}]

Before the earthquake, there were 260 churches on the island, and not
only just Orthodox: a Catholic quarter stretches along the coast. The
most notable church here is the St. John the Baptist Cathedral,
constructed in 1823 as a Baroque building. Its clock tower is a
recognizable landmark of the city. Like many other structures, it was
destroyed and then rebuilt. At the same time, the nearby Monastery of
Dominican Sisters was founded after the earthquake. While making it, the
architects gracefully weaved the Baroque with local architectural
traditions.

[{Image src='02_Santorini.jpg' caption='St. John the Baptist Cathedral\\© [AirPano|https://www.AirPano.com]' alt='' width='900' popup='false' height='599'}]

In the lower part of the city, there is the Orthodox Metropolitan
Cathedral of Santorini. Erected at the beginning of the 19th century, it
also suffered from a natural disaster in 1956. In our panoramas, you
will see this beautiful building surrounded by arches in the rays of the
setting sun; in daylight, in the same way as its bell tower, it turns
bright white. From this point of Fira, you can see the volcano of
Santorini and its caldera.

[{Image src='03_Santorini.jpg' caption='Orthodox Metropolitan Cathedral\\© [AirPano|https://www.AirPano.com]' alt='' width='900' popup='false' height='506'}]

Availability of its own airport allowed Fira to become a popular resort
and, besides, you can get here by the water. During the peak tourist
seasons, this small city with a population of about 1,500 people can
host half a million visitors! AirPano panoramas allow you to explore
Fira without fuss, crowds and rush, on a hot day and at a romantic
sunset time.

[{Image src='04_Santorini.jpg' caption='Fira, Santorini, Greece\\© [AirPano|https://www.AirPano.com]' alt='' width='900' popup='false' height='210'}]

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[10 panoramas of Santorini (Fira)|Geography/Europe/Greece/Pictures/Santorini_2]

[{SET customtitle='Santorini (Fira) (AP)'}]












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