Walking in the streets of Astypalaia's capital (1986)

Description:
Astypalea or Chora, is the capital and is located in the western part of the island. 180 years ago there was only the castle, as the fear of pirates did not allow the inhabitants to expand their territory outside the walls. Only after 1830 they started to build the two sides of the road that was connecting the old port with the fortified hill and by 1947 seven neighborhoods had been formed. The architecture of the houses is Cycladic. In other words, the cubist type, white walls, up and two-storey layout.
As we start, our lens reveals us endless stairs on an uphill road that leads to Chora. We watch a man probably comfortable with climbing up the stairs. A necessary passage to enter the residential area is the road with the beautiful 8 windmills, one of the tourist attractions of the island. The hill is revealed in a panoramic view, all in white from the houses that surround it like a ring.
At the top of the hill is the Castle. The white color of the houses and small churches blinds you. Going up the narrow uphill streets, you can discover some small squares, rarely a tree or a tiny store with a wooden door, a window and a sign "GOOD HEART market”.
We walk through the narrow alleys where a man can hardly pass, we see beautiful houses with arches, stone or wooden stairs and blooming bougainvilleas. We also see wooden balconies in some of them. A beautiful girl on a balcony, looks at the lens, probably annoyed. And we reach the outskirts of the castle where under the square tower, the Serai, is the famous church “Panagia Portaitissa” with an ornate bell tower and a church museum.
We have views from houses and many small churches at the root of the castle, steep steps that are climbed by two women and some kitten, beautiful courtyards and some more kittens that are looking at the lens calmly, lintels and coats of arms over well-preserved buildings or buildings in ruins.
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