Halki(Chalki) Island, Greece

A small Dodecanese paradise

Halki (Chalki) island lies 16 km from Rhodes and 302 nautical miles from Piraeus. One of Greece's smallest islands it has 28 sq km of land mass and 34 km of coastline. With a population of under 300, if you stay long enough you can make friends with everyone on the island. 'Halki (Chalki)' means copper in Greek and the island was named after the mines there.

Many of the inhabitants have immigrated to Tarpon Springs, Florida and established a sponge fishing enterprise there. That's why the road from the main town and port of Emboreios is called Tarpon Springs Blvd., in honor of the immigrants who financed its construction. No cars are allowed on the island and beaches are reached by small boats. There is a Crusader Castle which overlooks the town. Because the island was a municipality of Rhodes, it followed the same course of history as Rhodes. In 315 B.C., the people of Halki defended the walls of Rhodes during the siege of Dimitrios the Besieger. In 79 B.C. the island, together with Rhodes, yielded to the Romans. During the Byzantine Era, it belonged to the Thema, the region of the islanders. In the 7th century, it became the victim of Arab brutality until 825, when Nikiforos Fokas released the Dodecanese from this cruel yoke. After the abolition of the Byzantine State by the Crusaders, Halki passed over to the Venetians and the Genoans until 1309, when the Johanite Knights conquered the island, established Rhodes as their capital, and fortified all the other islands as well. They built the fortress of Alimia and constructed their own stronghold over the ancient Pelasgic ruins. In 1523, the island passed to the Turks who granted them several privileges, so that they would be administered by the Senate, which dealt with private affairs and was responsible for the collection of the 12,000 "aspra" tax (the Byzantine and subsequently, Turkish currency). On April 22, 1912, during the Turkish-Italian War in Tripolitida, the Italians landed on the islands in the role of liberators and stayed there until 1945.

Built amphitheatrically around the port, with uniform two-and three-story tile-roofed, stone houses, Halki gives the impression of an aristocratic town. It has been characterized as a traditional settlement and, as a result, became an honorary Municipality. 300 inhabitants remain of the 4,000 it once had. Their main occupation is fishing, cattle-breeding and, most recently, tourism, a constantly growing industry. The most beautiful monuments of Halki are the clock tower in front of the Town Hall, which can be seen from a distance, and the Church of Saint-Nicholas with its tall bell-tower. On the left side of the settlement, the old oil-press has been turned into a traditional guesthouse. In the surrounding area, windmills stand idly by waiting to be looked after. Today, many houses are being restored and the island is experiencing new growth.

The inhabitants of the Pano Horio founded Halki in approximately 1850.

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