Leucade (Λευκάδα) is a Ionian island (Greece). It bore a long time the name of Holy-Moor .

In the north of Ithaque and Céphalonie, it has a surface of 803 km ² for a littoral of 117 km. Its top, the Stavrota mount, rises with: 1158 mètres.
The principal cities are the capital Lefkada, Nydri and Vassiliki (ports towards the islands of Meganissi and Cephalonie). The main activities of the island are agriculture (oil and wine), the breeding and tourism.

Geography

Leucade is a mountainous island, with the rich person vegetation in the east and the south. The island was connected to the continent from which it was a long time a peninsula.

In the east, the coasts soft, are sheltered wind and punctuated of small green small islands, of which most known are Skorpios, Madouri and Sparti. The Eastern area is green. Are shelled there maritime small villages, like Ligia and Nikiana, and Nidri, one of the tourist sites of the island. The vestiges of a prehistoric city and circular tombs of the same period, put at the day in the surroundings, persuaded the German archeologist Dörpfeld who it was the fatherland of Ulysses.
Its Western coasts, on the other hand, abrupt and are intersected with immense sand beaches doré.
Leucade owes its name with its chalk cliffs white which are in the south of the island: the course of the Lady or the jump of Leucade (72 meters in height).

The chief town is Leucade (Lefkada) at the houses out of painted wooden, frame at the bottom of a natural gulf, the north of the island close to the channel which separates it from the continent.

The highway network makes it possible to make the turn of the island.

History

Mythology

The legend wants that, in Antiquity, to cure itself of an evil of love, one threw top of the jump of Leucade in the sea. According to mythology, the poetess Sappho would have been killed there because of Phaon.

Prehistory

The island was occupied as of the Neolithic . Traces of occupation mycénienne were also updated.

Antiquity

the Corinthians colonized the island with and founded a new city: Lefkas, the capital of today.

In 650 av. J. - C, they began the construction of a bridge to link the island in continental Greece. At that time, the island was made up of several autonomous cities.

The island of Leucade took part in the Persian Guerres: it sent 3 ships and 800 men to the Bataille of Salamine in 480 av. J.C. From 431 with 404 av. J.C, Leucade came to assistance of Corinthe, during the Peloponnesian War.

In 343 av. J.C., at the sides of Athens, the island fought against the Macedonians of Philippe II. Following the defeat of Athens, Leucade passed under the domination of the Royaume of Macedonia. It passed then under that of Pyrrhus.

In 198 av. J. - C; Leucade was invaded by the Romains and it became a Roman province of Nicopolis d' Épire.

Middle Ages and modern time

During the Byzantine time , the island became a province of Achaia. She then knew a great number of pirate raids.

Jean Orsini made build towards 1300 the castle, Aghia Mavra, at the edge of the channel which separates the island from the continent. This fort was worth its new name in the island: Aghia Mavra or Holy-Moor.

Tourism

Churches and monasteries

Leucade has a great number of churches and monasteries:

• the church Agios Ioannis Antzoussis
• the church of the Appearance of the Virgin Mary
• the church of Panagia Hodeghetria
• the church of Christou Pandokratora
• the monastery of Panagia Faneromeni

Museums of Leucade (city)

• archaeological Museum: in the center of the town of Leucade. One finds the discoveries of the German archeologist there, Dörpfeld. The objects date mainly from the Bronze Age. The excavations were mainly carried out on the sites of Nidri, Kariotes and Evgiros.

• popular Museum of Art: close to the church Spyridon Agios, founded by a musical association of the island, called “Orphée”. Collection of photographs, charts, traditional costumes, ustensil, etc as well as the decoration of a traditional room.

• Museum of Gramophones: Collection old gramophones, but also of traditional costumes, embroideries, jewels, photographs and musical instruments.

References

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