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A cave with stalagmites and stalactites can't help being
a natural wonder, and a sight to see. It is known that throughout
history, people used it as a refuge until they started building
houses, and later on as a place of worship. If finds dating
back to the Stone Age had been discovered there, it also would
have had some archaeological interest.
Antiparos' cave has a uniqueness, not only because of it's
enchanting stalagmites, which took thousands of years to form
from water eroding the limestone, but also because of its
strong connection with the history of the island.
Ancient pots were discovered in the cave as well as a dedication
to the goddess Diana. According to an inscription, one of
the cave's first visitors was Archilochos the Parian who was
a great lyrical poet.
The names of Macedonian generals can also still be seen.
They conspired against Alexander the Great and found refuge
in the Cave of Antiparos in order to hide themselves to save
their lives.
Marquis Nuantel's passage to the cave on Christmas Eve in
1673 is still irrefutable. Nuantel was the ambassador of France
in Constantinople and found himself on Paros.
The priest of his group performed his duties on Christmas
Day and used a stalagmite during the ceremony. Since then,
that stalagmite has been called 'The Altar'. A Latin inscription
on it proves this to be fact. It seemed that leaving a mark
was tradition, as all those who visited the cave left an inscription,
from Marquis de Sabeur in 1775, to Otto, the first king of
Greece in 1840.
Sadly, during the war, the German's destroyed part of the
cave and broke some of the stalactites, but fortunately this
detract, in any way from the cave's beauty. You can visit
the cave by car or with the municipal bus.
Coming out of the cave, St. Ioannis Spiliotis waits for you.
Capers grow among the rocks and the branches hang loosely.
My God! Why do we keep calling stone and inanimate object?
It fruits such beauty.
"The cave oozes
Crawling absence,
Let's scare the light,
The ghosts are also in need
Of Silence."
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