Palio Chora / Agios Nekarios Town - Aegina Island Greece
The town of Palio Chora ( Hora ) , known today as Agios Nektarios, was the capital town of Aegina from the 9th century until the 19th century. Today however, there are just few ruins found here, reminding us of the glory days.
Following Greek Independance in 1827, the residents of the village left and relocated in the town of Aegina, and today the Palio Hora resembles something of a "ghost town".
From the 565 byzantine chapels that were originally built here, only 36 exist today. The Churches "Agios Nikolaos of Mavrika" and "Episkopi", are in good condition and are worth paying a visit to if you are in the region.
A very short distance from Palio Chora is the monastery of Agios Nektarios, the saint of the island of Aegina. Located in the monastery is his tomb and in the church his sacred bones are kept.
Close to the site, on a cave are a prehistoric settlement was discovered, and on the top of the hill, are the ruins of a medieval castle.
Palio Chora today is just a shadow of its former self, though the remains are an indication of the importance of this once great and proud town.
It is a part of Aegina that is well worth visiting, and is a sight that is extremely different to others found in Greece, simply due to the fact that the entire village is today deserted.
The monastery and church of Agios Nektarios is one of the largest in all
of Greece, and should be visited by everyone who pays a visit to Aegina.
