The endless coasts with the turquoise waters, the vegetation, the
affluent water springs, the ancient and medieval monuments, as well as
the impressive Italian buildings feature Kos island; the third largest
island of Dodecanese complex, located just 4 miles away from the Turkish
coasts. The name «Kos» probably derives from the daughter of the
mythical King Meropas, called Koos. Kos is the birthplace of
Hippocrates «the father of medicine» (460-377 B.C) and was already
inhabited during Neolithic Period (5th - 4th
millennium B.C). The Knights of St. John conquered the island during the
14th century, reinforcing the older castles and building new
fortifications. During Turkish occupation, the island was attacked by
several intruders (Knights, Venetians etc), while during Italian
occupation (1912-1945) some really important, monumental public
buildings were constructed. The island was officially united with
Greece in 1948. It extends over a surface of 290 km2; its coastline is
112 km and counts 31,000 inhabitants. It can be reached by ferry from
Piraeus Port or by airplane from the Athens International Airport,
«Eleftherios Venizelos».
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