In the entrance of the village you are welcomed by a super centenarian plane tree which serves as benchmark for locals and visitors . Planted on 1912 by Nikolao S. Psarra (carpenter) who took the initiative with a group of children from Filoti Elementary School.
Sights
Sights
Platanos (Plane Tree)
Folklore Museum
Life of the citizens in filoti is presented by exhibits of folklore museum where it is held in a renovated olive press in the village, opposite from the church Panagia Filotitisas.
There, one can see items of everyday household and rural life as well as folk art items such as ceramics , textiles and traditional musical instruments.
Chimarros Tower
Another benchmark of village pride all Filotiton is the tower of Chimarros. It’s the most important monuments of Naxos registered trademark of the island as the gate of the archaic temple of Apollo, the “Portara”. It was built in the late 4th and early 3rd century BC. It was built on the quarry, with double walls with a total thickness of 1.10 m. without binder and with great skill that shows the high quality of ancient stone carving.
Mount Zeys
The summit of Mount Zas, which rises southeast of the village of Filoti, is the highest peak in the entire Cyclades region, with an elevation of 1,004m.
According to mythology, Zeus, father of gods, was born in Creta but lived in Naxos, where he was worshipped by its citizens , thus giving his name Zeus (Zas) to their highest mountain.
A carved stone holds still with “mount zeus milosiou” label , which means protector of sheeps , the label defined the boundaries of the temple where it was devoted to this great god.
The ancient Naxiots dedicated the highest mountain of their island to Zeus, the Father of the Gods, and named it after him.
According to ancient Greek mythology, narrated by Naxiot historian Aglaosthenis, Zeus, the Father of the Gods, was abducted as a child from the Ideon Andron cave in Crete (Mt. Ide) and taken to Naxos in order to be saved from the fury of his father Cronus.
He was raised in Zas cave –hence the sanctuary therein- until he was old enough to contest the leadership of the gods with a campaign against the Titans.
The sanctuary on the mountain slope was an important religious center for the farmers and shepherds of the area.
Two identical ancient inscriptions, carved on rock by the same technician in the 4th century BC, “ΟΡΟΣ ΔΙΟΣ ΜΗΛΩΣΙΟΥ” (“Mount of Zeus, Protector of Sheep”) indicate the exact location of the sanctuary.
Local worshipers wearing fleeces would climb up Mt. Zas at the height of the summer drought to beg the god to send his cool breezes and save them from the unbearable heat.
Aries Spring
Aries Spring is located 2km from Filoti, at a picturesque spot with a wonderful view of the village. It is said that the flow of pure water provided by this beautiful, stone-built spring, located under the cool shade of an age-old plane tree, never stops, not even during periods of drought. Beginning from the edge of the village, it is ideal for trekking enthusiasts.
Panagia Filotitissa
In the village Filoti you will meet Filoti Panagia Filotitissa, an imposing and pretty old church.
The PANAGIA FILOTITISSA is found three hundred meters from the central broad village. The sacred temple is dedicated to the Virgin Mary and celebrates at August 15th. In the village become a big festival and people gather there from all over Naxos. The church was rebuilt in 1718 and following a long history.
Collection of Hellenic Currencies of Nikolas Moustakis (in Filoti)
The collection consists of banknotes and coins dating from the modern times, which were in circulation in Greece, Cyprus and particularly in Crete and the Ionian Islands. There are also portraits of the National Bank owners who signed the banknotes as well as an exchange rate list of drachma in comparison with dollar, pound, franc and mark from 1950 to 2001.
Zeys Cave
At an altitude of about 628 meters, on the mountainside, is the cave of Za, which is the largest on the island. According to legend, here Zeus, father of the Olympian gods, spent his childhood. The interior decoration of natural cave is wonderful, with the help of impressive clusters of stalactites and stalagmites. The cave covers an area of 4,100 sq.m.
Sources
www.naxos.gr | www.naxosnow.gr | www.mynaxos.gr | naxos-filoti.gr