History of Kea - Tzia
Kea or Tzia is a beautiful island of the Cyclades complex and one of the most popular destinations, due to its short distance from the eastern coasts of Attica. The island extends over a surface of 130.5 km2, its coastline is 81,5 km long and it has 2,420 inhabitants. You will see different settings on the island: rough mountains, small fields, olive groves, vineyards, gorges, picturesque creeks and isolated coasts. It was first inhabited after the Neolithic Era (3300-3200 B.C.) and flourished during the Copper Age. During the Archaic Period (7th - 6th century B.C.), four city-states were established (Ioulis, Karthea, Korissia, Piessa), which were later interconnected with a close road network. During the Byzantine era the biggest residential development was registered in the area around Ioulida. Kea was under Ottoman occupation from 1566 until 1821. Afterwards, followed a period of flourishing where the locals created mines and factories as well as a very important commercial port. Nowadays, the area has an intense residential and touristic development.