Kos: Attractions and Travel Guide

The climate is mild most of the year. This fact, together with the long hours of sunshine and the marvellous beaches has raised the island to the level of an international tourist centre. Kos can be reached direct by air from many of the capitals of Europe, as well as from Athens and Rhodes. There are ferries to Kos from the rest of Dodecanese, Piraeus, the Cyclades, Crete the islands of the northern and eastern Aegean and Kavala.

In 460 BC Hippocrates was born ?n Kos. After his death the people of Kos built the famous Asklepeion, in honor of the god Asclepios, which operated as a hospital applying the methods of therapy taught by Hippocrates.

The city of Kos, the capital and the chief port of the island, is on the north-east coast, very near to the shores of Turkey. It is a most attractive city, rebuilt after the 1933 earthquake. South of the Venetian castle of the Knights of St. John a bridge, crossing over the beautiful Avenue of Palms, links the castle with the famous plane tree of Hippocrates. It is said that Hippocrates planted this vast plane tree and that he taught medicine in its shade.

Asklepeion stands at a distance of 4 km southwest of Kos town. Because of the slope of the ground, the buildings were put up on a number of levels, with steps between them. On the first level are the remains of a small temple and a fountain. In the center of the second level there are remains of the altar of Asklepios and those of a temple to Asklepios in the lonic order. To the east are ruins of the temple of Apollo. On the highest level are the foundations and columns of a Doric temple to Asklepios. This temple was the most sacred in the Asklepeion.

Other Attractions Greece:

Tílos (About 28.8 mi)

More information Greece:

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