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Modern Description: "The polis center of Andros is at Palaiopolis, on a steep hillside cut by streams on the west slopes of Mt. Kouvara. The site is beautiful but arduous to visit, and there are (2019) no signs to guide you to the scattered antiquities. Hints of the city's wealth can be read in the inscriptions and statuary on display in the small site museum on the main road (closed Tuesdays). Take a picture of the site plan on the wall. You will need it...
Three torrents (one of which forms a fine waterfall in the cliffs above during rainy weather, join into a single stream that would have formed the original creek port of the settlement. As the city grew wealthier, an impressive artificial harbor was created, clearly visible from above when the water is calm.
To reach the agora, under excavation by the University of Athens (2000-2019, ongoing) take the paved road that descends steeply from the Archaeological Museum. At the bottom, the left-hand footpath leads to the beach. Instead take the right-hand path (0.5 km moderate hike), following the red/white ""9"" tags. The path doubles back briefly to cross the stream. Shortly afterwards, a low wooden gate on the left opens onto an unmarked path, which leads past a massive retaining wall on the right (probably for the gymnasium), down a flight of projecting stone steps in a wall (note two visible steps of the 2nd c. BCE stoa underneath a modern building there), and to the excavation of the agora (a 2nd c. BCE stoa, propylon, monument bases, and an impressive late 5th c. basilica on two terraces above the ancient harbor.
Retrace steps to the paved road, and turn right to follow the path down toward the beach. After about 250 m, a blue metal gate on the right opens to a path leading back to the Philippidis house, built with marbles from a temple. Retrace steps and continue to the beach, where the ruined building standing by the steps has an inscribed marble. About 70 m south along the beach, clamber up an outcropping of green rock to find two large cut green blocks of what may have been a tower. Walking north to the far end of the beach, where the mole meets the shore are the overgrown remains of Roman baths.
Re-ascending by the northwestern path (concrete steps), you will see on the left the excavated remains of an early-Christian basilica at Platou. Somewhere in the fields to the right of the path, where it turns right and levels off, are huge terraces walls.
Above the modern road, parts of the ancient fortifications are preserved, leading up to an acropolis with towers near the church of Agios Dimitrios. Getting there, however, looks strenuous indeed.
Wikidata ID: Q62944263
Trismegistos Geo: 176
Manto: 10272323"

Info: ToposText editors

(JBK)

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