The heart of events
Apollonia is the capital of Sifnos since 1836. It owes its name to ancient Greek god Apollo, as the temple found in the area was dedicated to his cult. Many call Apollonia “Stavri”, a Greek word referring to crossroads where all central pathways of the island intersect. All public services, banks, pharmacies, confectionaries, hotels and shops of any kind can be found here.
At the center of the village, we find the Square of the Heroes with the tall pine trees and the Folklore Museum. This is also the beginning of the central commercial sidewalk of Apollonia, known as “Steno”. It is dotted with small shops, where the visitor can buy souvenirs, clothing and footwear, jewelry, and traditional pottery products. At the restaurants and the confectionaries of “Steno”, anyone can savor traditional and modern delicacies and have fun until the early morning hours at one of its bars.
Apollonia has many neighborhoods:
- At the western boundaries of the settlement with Pano Petali, we find Pera Gitonia. Important sites are Panagia “Geraniofora” meaning “Virgin Mary all dressed in blue” as well as the temple of Agios Artemios, where all old schools of Sifnos were housed from 1829 up to 1988.
- To the west, we find the neighborhood of Baros, where the church of Panagia of Baros is located, full of interesting icons and a beautiful wood-carved altarpiece, which according to tradition was built by a Baron.
- To the east, the neighborhood of “Sotira” at the center of which we find the historical temple of the Metamorphosis of Christ.
- Further south the central square through the central sidewalk, we reach the neighborhood of Ammos, the square of which is decorated with a bust of poet Kleanthis Triantafillou (Rampagas). Once we could find here the commercial and administrative center of the island.
- The well of Fir(r)os was important for the life of the citizens. It is located at the south-western side of the settlement and once it supplied all village with water. The homonymous neighborhood of Fir(r)os was named after the well.
- Finally, at the southern side of Apollonia, we come across Plakes, a neighborhood that borders the settlement of Katavati. The metropolitan church of Agios Spiridon and the modern building of Secondary School-Highschool of Sifnos can be found here. The courtyard of the latter is decorated with the bust of the important Greek poet Aristomenis Proveleggios.
