The classic example of a rock village. As the coastal
villagers did with the Caldera, so the people of the
interior dug their houses into rocky walls of a ravine five
long.
A stroll down the main street of leaves you in awe of the
wisdom and ingenuity of those village craftsmen, who knew
how to build strong houses with the cheapest of materials
and how to exploit the depth of the gully to protect them
from the winds.
Architecturally, Vothonas is the strangest village on
Santorini, and is worth a visit just for that reason.
Leading off it, a tangle of paths climb up to the houses, a
complex network of open and closed excavations, a unique and
untouched architectural complex.
The impressive facades of the nobler villas, with their
porticoes and pilasters, rise here and there from the humble
succession of low, white domed houses. In the 19th century,
Vothonas was a wealthy place.
Another interesting place is the church of St Anna (the
oldest in the village, built in 1827), whose carved wooden
screen is decorated with scenes from the Old Testament. If
you fancy a good walk, climb up to Panagia Trypa, built high
on the rock as a refuge from pirate attack.
