Zakynthos: Icons, Squares and Ionian City History

Zakynthos brings together art collections and distinctive squares with a city history dating back to the 17th century. Exploring the city is about more than individual sights: icons, religious art and the architecture of reconstruction tell different chapters of its story. When choosing your holiday apartment, one simple question can help you decide: would you mainly like to explore the city’s cultural sites, or also include the diverse themes of the island of Zakynthos in your trip?

A cityscape shaped by earthquakes and Ionian architecture

The 1953 earthquake almost completely destroyed the city of Zakynthos. Ionian architecture was taken into account during reconstruction; aesthetic features and colours were preserved, along with the urban elegance that had taken shape since the 17th century. The breaks in its more recent history and the deliberately revived architectural features are thus both part of Zakynthos’s character. Solomos Square, the largest square on Zakynthos and the city’s central square, is another prominent landmark in the cityscape.

The square can also serve as a point of reference for the city’s different cultural themes. The Museum of Solomos & Eminent Zakynthians is located on Saint Mark’s Square. Together, the squares, architectural history and museums give a stay in Zakynthos a distinctly urban focus, without requiring any one theme to define the entire trip.

Icons and religious art in the museums

The Museum of Zakynthos displays religious icons from the Cretan School, Cretan-Ionian icons and works of Ionian Naturalism dating from the 15th to the 19th century. The collection therefore spans several centuries of art history. Those interested in icons and painting can view the three named movements as different ways into the collection, rather than reducing it to a single artistic style.

The collection also includes carved wooden altarpieces, religious objects and sculptures from temples on the island of Zakynthos that are currently damaged. These objects link religious art with their origins in various temples across the island. In the Museum of Solomos and Eminent Zakynthians, the mausoleum on the ground floor has housed the remains of the national poets Andreas Kalvos and Dionysios Solomos since 1968. Together, these collections and memorial sites give the city a cultural focus that encompasses both works of art and Zakynthos’s literary heritage.

Roma’s Mansion is also part of the city’s history. Alexander Roma bought the house in 1880; it has served as the family’s main residence ever since. This continued use sets the house apart from the museums mentioned above and adds a family history tied to a specific date of purchase.

More themes across the island of Zakynthos

Beyond the city, the island of Zakynthos offers other distinct points of interest to consider when planning your trip. The Blue Caves are in the Aspros Vrachos area at Cape Skinari. Lake Keri is a wetland protected under the Ramsar Convention, a Natura site and a nature reserve within the Zakynthos National Marine Park. These locations and protected-area designations offer a different focus from the museums and squares in Zakynthos.

Keri and Volimes also offer different attractions. The Keri Lighthouse is known for panoramic views of the Ionian Sea and the Myzithres rocks at sunset. The Monastery of Agios Georgios sta Gremna in Volimes was founded in 1535. In Volimes, Zakynthian Ladotyri cheese is also made in dairies and home workshops and offered as a local product. These three themes range from a viewpoint to a historic monastery and a regional food.

The port of Agios Nikolaos in Volimes is a seaport access point and connects Zakynthos to Kefalonia by ferry. If a ferry journey is part of your travel plans, check the current timetable. This lets you factor in the connection without assuming a particular departure time.

Choosing the right focus for your holiday apartment

When searching for a holiday apartment, it helps to first decide what kind of trip you want. Here, Zakynthos stands for urban architecture, squares and art collections; places such as Keri, Skinari and Volimes add other themes across the island of Zakynthos. These locations can be distinguished by their themes without treating them as a single route.

Discover more destinations

Kalamaki, Keri, Vasilikos, Tragaki, Askos, Skinaria, Kallithea, Argassi

For the overview of the wider destination: Zakynthos.