Naxos Town (or Hora) is the capital and main port of Naxos Island. It is a lively town with 8,000 inhabitants.
It has tiny roads, alleys, archways and old houses, in and around the old Venetian Castle.
North of the port, a pathway stretches out to the islet of Palatia and the unfinished Temple of Apollo (6th century BC).
Portara (picture on the right), is the huge entrance (6 metres height, 3.5 metres width) to the temple that Naxos tyrant Lygdamis began building on Palatia Islet.
Further north of Palatia (in Grotta) are remains from the Mycenaean period.
The Old Town is divided into two neighbourhoods. Brougos where the Greeks lived and the
fortified Venetian Castle (or Kastro in Greek) was built under the rule of Marco Sanoudos
on the top of a natural hill where the Acropolis of ancient era was.
Only two of the seven original seven twoers (those of Sanoudo and Glezos families) remain,
although the North Gate survives and it is an excellent example of medieval fort entrance.
The Venetian Catholic descendants still live in the old mansions which encircle the site.
On a square is the Catholic Cathedral (13th century) dedicated to the Virgin.
During the Turkish occupation (1564-1821) Naxos Island had a reputation for its schools.
At the top of the Castle was the School of Commerce (founded by Jesuit monks) and Ursulines School. Nikos Kazantzakis,
the Cretan novelist of "Zorba the Greek" studied in the School of Commerce which today houses the Archaeological Museum.
Paraporti, at the southern Gate of the Castle, leads to Nio Horio district where once the poor people lived.
Naxos Town has some excellent churches. The oldest is Panagia Vlacherniotissa with exceptional wooden iconostasis.
Panagia Myrtidiotissa church stands on an islet in the port of Naxos and Theologaki church is in a cave.
Panagia (Virgin) Pantanassa church, once a part of a Byzantine monastery is famous for its early icon of the Virgin.
