Page 153 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Greek Islands

Traditional windmills on Pátmos

THE DODECANESE

Scattered along the coast of Turkey, the diverse
Dodecanese are the most southerly group of Greek
Islands. Distant from Athens and the mainland,
these islands were the last territories to be
incorporated into modern Greece. The Dodecanese
have been subject to a number of fierce invasions,
with traces of occupation left behind on every
island. The crusading Knights of St John were the
most famous invaders, arriving in 1309 after being
forced out of Jerusalem and staying until they
were defeated by Süleyman the Magnificent in
1522. The long period of Ottoman occupation that
followed marked the islands with Ottoman-style
houses and mosques, most prominent on larger,
wealthier islands such as Kos and Rhodes. After
centuries of Turkish rule, the Italians arrived in
1912 and began a regime of persecution that
lasted throughout World War II. Italian dictator
Mussolini built many imposing public buildings,
most notably at Lakkí on Léros, which is made
unique by its Italian modernist structures. After
years of occupation, the islands were united with
the Greek state in 1948.
The most cosmopolitan archipelago, the islands
here are separated by both long distances and by
geography. While some ancient trades are dying
out, such as sponge-harvesting on Kálymnos,
many of the islands continue to thrive on indus-
tries other than tourism, such as mineral-rich and
fertile Nísyros.
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