Asos

Asos
Άσος
Asos as seen from the Assos Castle peninsula
Asos as seen from the Assos Castle peninsula
Asos is located in Greece
Asos
Asos
Coordinates: 38°23′N 20°33′E / 38.383°N 20.550°E / 38.383; 20.550
CountryGreece
Administrative regionIonian Islands
Regional unitCephalonia
MunicipalitySami
Municipal unitErisos
Population
 (2021)[1]
 • Community61
Time zoneUTC+2 (EET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+3 (EEST)

Asos (Greek: Άσος) is a village on the west coast of the island of Cephalonia, Greece and is located 36km north of Argostoli. It is part of the municipal unit Erisos.[2]

Asos was founded under Venetian rule and it served as the administrative capital of northern Cephalonia from 1593 onwards.[3] Marino Gentilini, an Italian army engineer, was commissioned by the Venetian Senate in 1593-1595 to build the Assos Castle,[4] one of the largest in Greece. The castle was initially built with the view that it would protect local populations in case of an invading attack by passing Turks or pirates,[5] but for various reasons, such as the lack of natural springs for water supply, it was never adopted as a fortress and gradually the grand plan was dropped.

  1. ^ "Αποτελέσματα Απογραφής Πληθυσμού - Κατοικιών 2021, Μόνιμος Πληθυσμός κατά οικισμό" [Results of the 2021 Population - Housing Census, Permanent population by settlement] (in Greek). Hellenic Statistical Authority. 29 March 2024.
  2. ^ "ΦΕΚ B 1292/2010, Kallikratis reform law".
  3. ^ Freely, John (2008-04-30). The Ionian Islands: Corfu, Cephalonia and Beyond. I. B. Tauris. ISBN 9780857718280.
  4. ^ "GENTILINI Winery & Vineyards - About us". www.gentilini.gr. Archived from the original on 2017-02-25. Retrieved 2016-07-06.
  5. ^ "Assos Castle Kefalonia". www.greekisland.co.uk. Retrieved 2016-07-06.