Kos (Κως)
Regional unit of Kos in Greece
The island of Kos, the second largest island of the Dodecanese (after Rhodes) in the Aegean Sea, dates to the Bronze Age with a history that includes Minoan and Mycenaean influences. It is some 200 nautical miles (370 kilometers) to Athens, with an average flight time of 50 minutes to 1 hour.
Famous as the birthplace of Hippocrates in the ancient world, the island was the location of a renowned Asklepion medical school. Kos flourished under the Ptolemies of Egypt (305 BC to 197 BC), became part of the Roman and Byzantine Empires, then survived the pirate raids that filled the Mediterranean after the Byzantine collapse (1453.) For a long period it was controlled by the Knights of St. John before falling to the Ottoman Empire in 1523. In 1912, Kos shifted from the Ottomans to Italian rule as a result of the Italo-Turkish war (1911-1912), and then occupied (1943) by the Germans in WWII, and finally integrated into Greece in 1947.
Kos is chiefly famous for its deep and rich archaeological heritage, many beautiful beaches, and a tourism-focused economy that receives nearly 3 million people per year.
The 1933 Earthquake and the rebirth of Kos
The 1933 Kos earthquake struck the Aegean Sea region on April 23, 1933, with the epicenter just offshore from the island. The official count for fatalities was 181, though other reporting suggests the count may have been much higher. The Aegean is often plagued with earthquakes due to interactions between the Eurasian and African tectonic plates (for an example of this, read about the 20K+ "earthquake swarm" around Santorini in Jan-Feb of 2025).
The devastation on Kos in 1933 provided the opportunity for extensive archaeological excavations until 1942 when World War II brought a halt. This work uncovered major sections of the ancient city, particularly from the Hellenistic period (323 BC to 31 BC) and Late Antiquity (284 AD to 700 AD). Found in the excavation work were intricate mosaic floors, perhaps the most famous being the "Arrival of Hippokrates," which is now displayed in the Archaeological Museum of Kos (Google map link).
Despite the extensive damage from the 1933 earthquake, certain notable structures survived, such as the Panagia Gorgoepikoos and St. Georg Arrenagogeiou churches, both dating from the late Byzantine period.
Visiting Kos
The tourist season corresponds to the flowering of oleanders and hibiscus around the island, and average temperatures between May to October are characterized by lows of 70sº Fahrenheit - 23º Celsius to 90º Fahrenheit - 32º Celsius.
Kos Greece Map
Click image to expand and enlarge the photo of the harbour area on Kos
The Acropolis in Athens Greece
The Acropolis - Parthenon and More
Greece's Golden Visa program
