- Kattavia
Kattavia (also Kattaviá and Cattavia) is a small
village located on the southernmost tip of the island ofRhodes . It is located within the municipality ofSouthern Rodos and was at theepicentre of the2008 Dodecanese earthquake .Kattavia is apart of the Municipality of Southern Rhodes which is one of 10 Municipalities on Rhodes. The Muicipality of Southern Rhodes seat is Gennadi which is located about 14km north of Kattavia.
Kattavia village square or platia is situated over a creek which is dry for most of the year. The village currently has 5 full service cafes and 2 general stores. The cafes include Eftyia, Aspasia's and Penelope's to name a few.
Kattavia is generally considered to be a traditional village which hasn't been effected much by over development. The Municipality of Southern Rhodes requires all new construction to adhire to strict traditional building designs when located within the village limits.
Kattavia's current population is around 200 people, but its registered population is around 600. In the summer months the population of Kattavia swells to over 700, due to the
Greek Diaspora returning home from countries such as theUnited States andAustralia .The village's patron saint is Aghia Paraskevi. Her feast day is
July 26 , when the village throws a 3 day festival held within the village square.In recent years the village has become a destination due to its close proximity to
Prasonisi , a popularwindsurfing beach.History
During the
Crusades , when theKnights Hospitaller ruled Rhodes, Kattavia was turned into a fortified village where the population could find refuge when attacked by forces of theOttoman Empire . [Hazard, Harry W. (1975) "The Hospitallers at Rhodes" "A History of the Crusades: Volume Three: The Fourteenth and Fifteenth Centuries" University of Wisconsin Press, Madison, Wisconsin, p.310, ISBN 0-299-06670-3]Notes
References
* Fürst, Florian (2001) "Rhodes: An Up-to-date Travel Guide" Nelles, Munich, p. 59, ISBN 3-88618-239-8
* Dubin, Marc Stephen (2005) "Kattaviá and Prassoníssi" "The Dodecanese and the East Aegean islands: Includes Rhodes, Kos, Sames and Lesvos" Rough Guides, London, pp. 140-142 ISBN 1-84353-472-X
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