kids encyclopedia robot

Naxos Island facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Naxos map
The map of Naxos

Naxos is a beautiful Greek island. It is the biggest island in the Cyclades group. Naxos covers an area of 430 square kilometers and is located in the middle of the Aegean Sea. About 18,188 people live on Naxos. The main town on the island is Naxos City, where 6,533 people live.

Exploring Naxos: What to See

Naxos is a very popular place for tourists to visit in Greece. Many people come to Naxos every year, especially from countries in Western Europe. The island has lots of amazing beaches where you can relax and swim.

You can also find old ruins of medieval castles and ancient temples on Naxos. One of the most famous sights is a part of an ancient temple right at the entrance of Naxos port. There is also a medieval castle in Naxos City that is fun to explore.

Naxos Through Time: A Brief History

Naxos Gate
A part of an ancient temple in Naxos

In ancient Greek stories, Naxos was a special place. It's said that the god Dionysus met and took Ariadne here. Ariadne was the daughter of King Minos and was on the island with the hero Theseus.

Long ago, Naxos was a Greek settlement founded by people from Ionia. The island was part of an important group called the Delian League. This league included Athens and other Ionian cities. In 503 B.C., a Persian fleet attacked and destroyed Naxos. After this, Naxos became a weaker island for a while.

Later, during the Middle Ages, Naxos was ruled by the Byzantine Empire. After that, it came under the control of people from Venice. In the 1500s, the island became part of the Ottoman Empire. Finally, in 1832, Naxos became a part of the modern Greek state.

Images for kids

  • GR-Naxos-MtZas 2 View East 1

    Landscape of the island

  • Portara Naxos 26

    Apollo Temple's entrance (Portara)

  • Case 09 Neolithic finds from Zas cave, AM Naxos, 176842

    Neolithic finds from the Zas cave: jewelry, pottery, tools; archaeological museum of Naxos

  • Tempel der Demeter (Gyroulas) 18

    Temple of Demeter

  • Moni Fotodotis Naxos 10-15 c AD 13M577

    Fotodotis monastery

  • ShepherdByzempire1265

    The Duchy of Naxos and other Frankish states, carved from the Byzantine Empire, as they were in 1265.

  • Tower of Sanudo, front view

    Sanudo tower, part of the Duchal Palace

  • GR-naxos-pirgos-belonia

    Belonia tower

  • Naxos emery-mine

    Emery mine

  • GR-naxos-kinidaros-marmor-alexander

    Marble quarry of Naxos. Note large green truck at lower left of the marble face.

  • Naxos Νάξος Chora 2020-08-20 28 Portara Πορτάρα

    View through Portara on the peninsula Palátia towards Chora of Naxos

  • Agios Nikolaos at Grotta, Naxos, 4th to 7th c, 213443

    Agios Nikolaos on the Grotta of Naxos Town (Chora)

  • Valley between Potamia and Moni, Naxos, 19M7555

    Valley between Potamia and Moni, Naxos. View from road from Apeiranthos to Filoti

  • Heiligtum des Dionysos (Yria) 03

    Sanctuary of Dionysus (Yria)

  • 028MAD Sphinx

    Sphinx of Naxos, now at Delphi Archaeological Museum

  • Building from terrace, Byzantine Museum Naxos, 143770

    Crispi tower, housing the Byzantine museum

  • Naos Drosianis Naxos 03

    Panagia Drosiani church, Moni village

  • Naxos Moni Faneromenis

    The monastery of Faneromeni

  • Akadimoi Naxos Greece 2018081316330N09239

    Chalki, Naxos

  • Atsipapi, Naxos, Greece 2018081216580N08690

    Agios Isidoros at Atsipapi

  • Kaloxilos Naxos Greece 2018081018100N08139

    Kaloxilos, Naxos

  • Vourvouria Naxos Greece 2018081119110NH8230

    Vourvouria

  • Catholic cathedral, Kastro, Noxos Town, 1207-1963 AD, 144131

    Presentation of the Lord Catholic church of Naxos

  • Koronos, Naxos, 119500

    Koronos village

  • Panagia Damiotissa Naxos Greece 2018080816280N05907

    Panagia Damiotissa, Chalki

  • TO FILOTI APO TOYS PROPODES TOY ZA

    Filoti village

  • Tower in Filoti, Naxos, commemorated 1620, 119754

    Tower in Filoti

  • Απόλλωνας Νάξου

    Apollonas village

  • Naxos Keramoti

    Keramoti village

  • Castle (Kastro) in Apeiranthos, Naxos, 101911

    Tower in Apeiranthos

  • Aerial view of Hawaii Beach on Naxos Island, Greece

    Hawaii beach, Alykos, Naxos

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Naxos (isla) para niños

kids search engine
All content from Kiddle encyclopedia articles (including the article images and facts) can be freely used under Attribution-ShareAlike license, unless stated otherwise. Cite this article:
Naxos Island Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.