View source for Santorini

{{Short description|Greek island of the Cyclades in the Aegean Sea}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2024}}
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{{Other uses}}
{{Redirect2|Thera|Thira}}
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{{Infobox Greek Dimos
| name              = Santorini
| name_local        = {{ubl
  | {{lang|el|Σαντορίνη}}
  | {{lang|el|Θήρα}}
  }}
| type = municipality
| image_skyline     = 
<!-- RECT X beginning (left), Y beginning (top), X end (right), Y end (bottom). -->
<imagemap>
File:Santorini Montage L.png|center|275px|alt=Santorini montage. Clicking on an image in the picture causes the browser to load the appropriate article, if it exists.
rect 15 15 989 321 [[Fira|Partial panoramic view of Santorini]]
rect 15 337 989 982 [[Oia, Greece|Sunset in the village of Oia]]
rect 504 998 989 1361 [[Ancient Thera|Ruins of the Stoa Basilica at Ancient Thera]]
rect 504 1377 989 1684 [[Orthodox Metropolitan Cathedral of Ypapanti at the town of Fira]]
rect 15 1377 488 1684 [[Aegean Sea|The Aegean Sea as seen from Oia]]
rect 15 998 488 1361 [[Nea Kameni|View of Fira from the isle of Nea Kameni at the Santorini caldera]]
</imagemap>
| caption_skyline = '''Clockwise from top:''' Partial panoramic view of Santorini, sunset in the village of [[Oia, Greece|Oia]], ruins of the Stoa Basilica at [[Ancient Thera]], the Orthodox Metropolitan Cathedral of Ypapanti (it) Cattedrale della Presentazione di Cristo (Fira) at the town of [[Fira]], the [[Aegean Sea]] as seen from Oia, and view of Fira from the island of [[Nea Kameni]] at the [[Santorini caldera]].
| image_map         = 2011 Dimos Thiras.png
| city_seal         = 
| coordinates       = {{Coord|36|24|54|N|25|25|57|E|type:isle_region:GR-L|display=inline,title}}
| elevation_min     = 
| elevation_max     = 
| periph            = [[South Aegean]]
| periphunit        = [[Thira (regional unit)|Thira]]
| pop_municipality  = 15480
| area_municipality = 90.69
| pop_municunit     = 14393
| area_municunit    = 
| pop_community     = 1516
| population_as_of  = 2021
| mayor             = Anastasios Zorzos<ref name=mayor>[https://ekloges.ypes.gr/current/d/home/en/municipalities/9270/ Municipality of Thira, Municipal elections – October 2023], Ministry of Interior</ref>
| party             = 
| since             = 2023
| postal_code       = 847 00, 847 02
| area_code         = 22860
| licence           = EM
| website           = {{Official URL}}
| seat              = [[Fira]]
}}

'''Santorini''',{{efn|{{langx|el|Σαντορίνη|Santoríni}}, {{IPA|el|sa(n)doˈrini|pron|small=no}}.}} officially '''Thira'''{{efn|{{langx|el|Θήρα|Thíra}}, {{IPA|el|ˈθira|pron|small=no}}.}} or '''Thera''',{{efn|Pronounced {{IPAc-en|ˈ|θ|ɪər|ə}} {{respell|THEER|ə}}; {{langx|grc|Θήρα|Thḗrā}}, {{IPA|grc|tʰɛ̌ːraː|pron|small=no}}.}} is a Greek island in the southern [[Aegean Sea]], about {{cvt|200|km|mi}} southeast from the mainland. It is the largest island of a small, circular [[archipelago]] formed by the [[Santorini caldera]]. It is the southernmost member of the [[Cyclades]] group of islands, with an area of approximately {{cvt|73|km2|sqmi}} and a 2021 census population of 15,480. The municipality of Santorini includes the inhabited islands of Santorini and [[Therasia]], and the uninhabited islands of [[Nea Kameni]], [[Palaia Kameni]], [[Aspronisi]], [[Anydros]], and [[Christiana Island|Christiana]]. The total land area is {{cvt|91|km2|sqmi}}.<ref name=stat01>{{cite web |url=http://dlib.statistics.gr/Book/GRESYE_02_0101_00098%20.pdf |publisher=National Statistical Service of Greece |title=Population & housing census 2001 (incl. area and average elevation) |language=el |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150921212047/http://dlib.statistics.gr/Book/GRESYE_02_0101_00098%20.pdf |archive-date=21 September 2015}}</ref> Santorini is part of the [[Thira (regional unit)|Thira regional unit]].<ref name=Kallikratis>{{Cite web |url=http://www.et.gr/idocs-nph/search/pdfViewerForm.html?args=5C7QrtC22wGYK2xFpSwMnXdtvSoClrL8-SrPzKAEPjjtIl9LGdkF53UIxsx942CdyqxSQYNuqAGCF0IfB9HI6hq6ZkZV96FIukI0UzcPsWCK0LpLhpa7rhiWB4R5ntTnoWw7U8E1Amg. |title=ΦΕΚ A 87/2010, Kallikratis reform law text |language=el |work=[[Government Gazette (Greece)|Government Gazette]] |access-date=7 September 2021 |archive-date=23 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211023193509/http://www.et.gr/idocs-nph/search/pdfViewerForm.html?args=5C7QrtC22wGYK2xFpSwMnXdtvSoClrL8-SrPzKAEPjjtIl9LGdkF53UIxsx942CdyqxSQYNuqAGCF0IfB9HI6hq6ZkZV96FIukI0UzcPsWCK0LpLhpa7rhiWB4R5ntTnoWw7U8E1Amg. |url-status=live}}</ref>

It is the most active volcanic centre in the [[South Aegean Volcanic Arc]]. The volcanic arc is approximately {{cvt|500|km|mi|sigfig=1}} long and {{cvt|20|to|40|km|mi}} wide. The region first became volcanically active around 3–4 million years ago,{{citation needed|date=December 2018}} though volcanism on Thera began around 2 million years ago with the extrusion of [[Dacite|dacitic]] lavas from vents around [[Akrotiri (prehistoric city)|Akrotiri]]. [[Minoan eruption|One of the largest volcanic eruptions in recorded history]] struck the island about 3,600 years ago, leaving a large water-filled caldera surrounded by deep [[volcanic ash]] deposits.

== Names ==
The name "Santorini" is a contraction of [[Agape, Chionia, and Irene|Saint Irene]], after an old church in the village of [[Perissa, Santorini|Perissa]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=1 February 2022 |title=Early Christian Basilica of Agia Irini in Parissa |url=https://santorini-more.com/early-christian-basilica-of-agia-irini-perissa/ |access-date=3 December 2023 |website=Santorini – santorini-more.com |language=en}}</ref><ref name="readersnatural">{{Cite book |title=Natural Wonders of the World |publisher=Reader's Digest Association, Inc |year=1980 |isbn=978-0-89577-087-5 |editor-last=Scheffel |editor-first=Richard L. |location=United States of America |pages=336–337 |editor-last2=Wernet |editor-first2=Susan J.}}</ref> 
Of Venetian influence, the island bore the name Santorini since at least the middle of the twelfth century, the first mention being made by the geographer [[Muhammad al-Idrisi]] {{circa|1154}};<ref>[[:el:Αλέξιος Γ.Κ. Σαββίδης|A. Savvides]], s.v. ''Santurin Adasi̊'' in ''Encyclopaedia of Islam, Second Edition'', volume IX, 1997, p. 20.</ref>

During antiquity it was known as "Thēra" and before then, according to ancient writers, as "Kallístē" ({{lang|grc|Καλλίστη}}, ''"the most beautiful one"''), and — according to a modern tradition — as "Strongýlē"  ({{lang|grc|Στρογγύλη}}, ''"the circular one"'')<ref>C. Doumas (editor). ''Thera and the Aegean world: papers presented at the second international scientific congress, Santorini, Greece, August 1978''. London, 1978. {{ISBN|0-9506133-0-4}}</ref>{{incomplete reference|date=June 2025}}. The ancient name ''Thera'', for [[Theras]], the leader of the Spartans who colonized and gave his name to the island,<ref>[https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0062%3Aalphabetic+letter%3DT%3Aentry+group%3D6%3Aentry%3Dtheras-harpers Harry Thurston Peck, Harpers Dictionary of Classical Antiquities (1898), Theras]</ref> was revived in the nineteenth century as the official name of the island and its main city, but the colloquial ''Santorini'' is still in popular use.

== History ==
=== Minoan Akrotiri ===
[[File:Akrotiri Spring Fresco room.jpg|thumb|Springtime landscape in a [[Fresco]] from the [[Bronze Age]], Akrotiri]]
[[File:Saffron gatherersSantorini-3.jpg|thumb|The "[[saffron]]-gatherers"]]
The island was the site of one of the [[List of Quaternary volcanic eruptions|largest volcanic eruptions in recorded history]]: the [[Minoan eruption]], sometimes called the Thera eruption, which occurred about 3,600 years ago at the height of the [[Minoan civilization]].<ref name="readersnatural" /> The eruption left a large caldera surrounded by [[volcanic ash]] deposits hundreds of metres deep. It has been suggested that the colossal Santorini volcanic eruption is the source of the legend of the lost civilisation of [[Atlantis]].<ref>{{cite web | title=Atlantis and Santorini: Connecting Myths and Geology|author=Pausanias|publisher=Akrotiri Museum | date=29 August 2023 | url=https://akrotiri-museum.com/2023/08/29/atlantis-and-santorini-connecting-myths-and-geology/}}</ref> The eruption lasted for weeks and caused massive [[tsunami]] waves.<ref>{{cite news |title=Victims of Thera Eruption 3,600 Years Ago Finally Found, 200km Away in Turkey |url=https://www.haaretz.com/archaeology/2021-12-28/ty-article/victims-of-huge-volcanic-eruption-from-1600-b-c-e-finally-uncovered/0000017f-e0f7-d75c-a7ff-fcff55600000 |work=Haaretz |date=28 December 2021}}</ref>

The region first became volcanically active around 3–4 million years ago,{{citation needed|date=December 2018}} though volcanism on Thera began around 2 million years ago with the extrusion of [[Dacite|dacitic]] lavas from vents around [[Akrotiri (prehistoric city)|Akrotiri]].

Excavations starting in 1967 at the [[Akrotiri (prehistoric city)|Akrotiri]] site under [[Spyridon Marinatos]] have made Thera (not known by this name at the time) the best-known [[Minoan civilization|Minoan]] site outside [[Crete]], homeland of the culture. Only the southern tip of a large town has been uncovered, yet it has revealed complexes of multi-level buildings, streets, and squares with remains of walls standing as high as eight metres, all entombed in the solidified ash of the famous eruption of Thera. The site was not a palace-complex as found in Crete nor was it a conglomeration of merchant warehousing. Its excellent masonry and fine wall-paintings reveal a complex community. A loom-workshop suggests organized textile weaving for export. This [[Bronze Age]] civilization thrived between 3000 and 2000&nbsp;BC, reaching its peak in the period between 2000 and 1630&nbsp;BC.<ref>[http://themodernantiquarian.com/site/10846/akrotiri.html#fieldnotes TheModernAntiquarian.com] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121029160506/http://themodernantiquarian.com/site/10846/akrotiri.html#fieldnotes |date=29 October 2012 }}, C. Michael Hogan, ''Akrotiri'', The Modern Antiquarian (2007).</ref>

Many of the houses in Akrotiri are major structures, some of them three storeys high. Its streets, squares, and walls, sometimes as tall as eight metres, indicated that this was a major town; much is preserved in the layers of ejecta. The houses contain huge ceramic storage jars ([[pithoi]]), mills, and pottery, and many stone staircases are still intact. Noted archaeological remains found in Akrotiri are wall paintings or [[fresco]]es that have kept their original colour well, as they were preserved under many metres of volcanic ash. Judging from the fine artwork, its people were sophisticated and relatively wealthy. Among more complete frescoes found in one house are two [[antelopes]] painted with a confident calligraphic line, a man holding fish strung by their gills, a flotilla of pleasure boats that are accompanied by leaping [[dolphins]], and a scene of women sitting in the shade of light canopies. Fragmentary wall-paintings found at one site are Minoan frescoes that depict "[[saffron]]-gatherers" offering [[crocus]]-stamens to a seated woman, perhaps a [[goddess]] important to the Akrotiri culture. The themes of the Akrotiri frescoes show no relationship to the typical content of the [[Classical Greece|Classical Greek]] décor of 510 BC to 323 BC that depicts the Greek pantheon deities.

The town also had a highly developed drainage system. Pipes with running water and [[water closet]]s found at Akrotiri are the oldest such utilities discovered.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |title=History – Minoan Akrotiri |url=https://santoriniofficialguides.com/history/ |access-date=29 January 2024 |website=Santorini Official Guides |language=en-US |archive-date=29 January 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240129194742/https://santoriniofficialguides.com/history/ }}</ref> The pipes run in twin systems, indicating that Therans used both hot and cold water supplies. The origin of the hot water they circulated in the town probably was [[geothermal power|geothermal]], given the volcano's proximity.

The well preserved ruins of the ancient town are often compared to the spectacular ruins at [[Pompeii]] in Italy. The canopy covering the ruins collapsed in September 2005, killing one tourist and injuring seven; the site was closed until April 2012 while a new canopy was built.

The oldest signs of human settlement are Late [[Neolithic]] (4th millennium BC or earlier), but c. 2000–1650&nbsp;BC Akrotiri developed into one of the Aegean's major [[Bronze Age]] ports, with recovered objects that came not just from Crete, but also from [[Anatolia]], Cyprus, Syria, and Egypt, as well as from the [[Dodecanese]] and the Greek mainland.

==== Dating of the Bronze Age eruption ====
{{Further|Minoan eruption#Eruption dating}}
[[File:Stoa Basilica.jpg|thumb|Stoa Basilica of ancient Thera]]
[[File:Santorini - Grecia - Vista Aerea del promontorio di Ancient Thira - agosto 2018.jpg|thumb|Aerial view of the island of Santorini with detail of Mount Profitis Illas and the ruins of ancient Thera (on the [[promontory]] on the left)]]

The [[Minoan eruption]] provides a fixed point for the chronology of the second millennium BC in the Aegean, because evidence of the eruption occurs throughout the region and the site itself contains material culture from outside. The eruption occurred during the "Late Minoan&nbsp;IA" period of [[Minoan chronology]] at Crete and the "Late Cycladic&nbsp;I" period in the surrounding islands.

Archaeological evidence, based on an established chronology of Bronze Age Mediterranean cultures, dated the eruption to around 1500&nbsp;BC.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Warren |first=Peter M. |chapter=The Date of the Thera Eruption in Relation to Aegean-Egyptian Interconnections and the Egyptian Historical Chronology |title=Timelines: Studies in Honour of Manfred Bietak |editor1=Czerny E. |editor2=Hein I. |editor3=Hunger H. |editor4=Melman D. |editor5=Schwab A. |series=Orientalia Lovaniensia Analecta, 149 |publisher=Peeters |location=Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium |year=2006 |pages=2: 305–21 |isbn=978-90-429-1730-9}}</ref> These dates, however, conflict with [[radiocarbon dating]] which indicated that the eruption occurred between 1645–1600&nbsp;BC,<ref name="Manning-2006">{{Cite journal |last1=Manning |first1=Sturt W. |last2=Ramsey |first2=Christopher Bronk |last3=Kutschera |first3=Walter |last4=Higham |first4=Thomas |last5=Kromer |first5=Bernd |last6=Steier |first6=Peter |last7=Wild |first7=Eva M. |title=Chronology for the Aegean Late Bronze Age 1700–1400 B.C. |journal=Science |volume=312 |issue=5773 |pages=565–569 |year=2006 |url=https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.1125682 |doi=10.1126/science.1125682 |access-date=10 March 2007 |pmid=16645092 |bibcode=2006Sci...312..565M |s2cid=21557268 |archive-date=12 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200212103757/https://science.sciencemag.org/content/312/5773/565.abstract |url-status=live|url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref name=Aydar-2021>{{Cite journal |last1=Aydar |first1=Erkan |last2=ÇİNer |first2=Atilla |last3=Ersoy |first3=Orkun |last4=ÉCochard |first4=Emilie |last5=Fouache |first5=Eric G. |year=2021 |title=Volcanic ash and tsunami record of the Minoan Late Bronze Age Eruption (Santorini) in a distal setting, southwestern Turkey |journal=Journal of Quaternary Science |volume=36 |issue=4 |pages=586–597 |doi=10.1002/jqs.3314 |bibcode=2021JQS....36..586A |url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/jqs.3314 |url-access=subscription}}</ref> and tree ring data which yielded a date of 1628 BC.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Baillie |first1=Michael G. L. |last2=Mackenzie |first2=A. R. Munro |year=1988 |title=Irish tree rings, Santorini and volcanic dust veils |journal=Nature |volume=332 |issue=6162 |pages=344–346 |doi=10.1038/332344a0 |bibcode=1988Natur.332..344B |url=https://www.nature.com/articles/332344a0|url-access=subscription }}</ref> For those, and other reasons, the previous culturally based chronology has generally been questioned.<ref name="Manning-2022">{{Cite journal |last=Manning |first=Sturt W. |year=2022 |title=Second Intermediate Period date for the Thera (Santorini) eruption and historical implications |journal=PLOS ONE |publisher=Public Library of Science |volume=17 |issue=9 |article-number=e0274835 |doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0274835 |doi-access=free |pmid=36126026 |pmc=9488803 |bibcode=2022PLoSO..1774835M}}</ref>

In ''[[The Parting of the Sea|The Parting of the Sea: How Volcanoes, Earthquakes, and Plagues Shaped the Exodus Story]]'', geologist [[Barbara J. Sivertsen]] theorizes a causal link between this eruption and the plagues of the [[The Exodus|Exodus]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Sivertsen |first=Barbara J. |title=The Parting of the Sea: How Volcanoes, Earthquakes, and Plagues Shaped the Story of the Exodus |publisher=Princeton University Press|year=2009 |isbn=978-0-691-13770-4}}</ref>

=== Ancient period ===
Santorini remained unoccupied throughout the rest of the Bronze Age, during which time the Greeks took over [[Crete]]. At [[Knossos]], in a LMIIIA context (14th century BC), seven [[Linear B]] texts while calling upon "all the deities" make sure to grant primacy to an elsewhere-unattested entity called ''qe-ra-si-ja'' and, once, ''qe-ra-si-jo''. If the endings ''{{not a typo|-ia[s]}}'' and ''-ios'' represent an ethnic suffix, then this means "The One From {{not a typo|Qeras[os]}}". If the initial consonant were aspirated, then *Qhera- would have become "Thera-" in later Greek. "Therasia" and its ethnikon "Therasios" are both attested in later Greek; and, since ''-sos'' was itself a genitive suffix in the Aegean [[Sprachbund]], *Qeras[os] could also shrink to *Qera. If ''qe-ra-si-ja'' was an ethnikon first, then in following the entity the Cretans also feared whence it came.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.therafoundation.org/articles/religionmyths/minoanqerasijathereligiousimpactofthetheravolcanoonminoancrete |title=Minoan Qe-Ra-Si-Ja. The Religious Impact of the Thera Volcano on Minoan Crete|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060614205738/http://www.therafoundation.org/articles/religionmyths/minoanqerasijathereligiousimpactofthetheravolcanoonminoancrete|archive-date=14 June 2006}}</ref>

Probably after what is called the [[Bronze Age collapse]], [[Phoenicians]] founded a site on Thera. [[Herodotus]] reports that they called the island Callista and lived on it for eight generations.<ref>[[Histories (Herodotus)|Hist.]] IV. 147.</ref> In the ninth century BC, [[Dorians]] founded the main Hellenic city on Mesa Vouno, {{cvt|396|m|0}} [[Above mean sea level|above sea level]]. This group later claimed that they had named the city and the island after their leader, [[Theras]]. Today, that city is referred to as [[Ancient Thera]].

In his ''[[Argonautica]]'', written in Hellenistic Egypt in the third century BC, [[Apollonius Rhodius]] includes an origin and sovereignty myth of Thera being given by [[Triton (mythology)|Triton]] in Libya to the Greek [[Argonauts|Argonaut]] [[Euphemus]], son of [[Poseidon]], in the form of a clod of dirt. After carrying the dirt next to his heart for several days, Euphemus dreamt that he nursed the dirt with milk from his breast, and that the dirt turned into a beautiful woman with whom he had sex. The woman then told him that she was a daughter of Triton named [[Calliste (mythology)|Calliste]], and that when he threw the dirt into the sea it would grow into an island for his descendants to live on. The poem goes on to claim that the island was named Thera after Euphemus' descendant [[Theras]], son of [[Autesion]], the leader of a group of refugee settlers from [[Lemnos]].

The Dorians have left a number of inscriptions incised in stone, in the vicinity of the temple of [[Apollo]], attesting to [[Pederasty in ancient Greece|pederastic relations]] between the authors and their lovers ([[eromenos|eromenoi]]). These inscriptions, found by [[:de:Friedrich Hiller von Gaertringen (Epigraphiker)|Friedrich Hiller von Gaertringen]], have been thought by some archaeologists to be of a ritual, celebratory nature, because of their large size, careful construction and&nbsp;– in some cases&nbsp;– execution by craftsmen other than the authors. According to [[Herodotus]],<ref>[[Histories (Herodotus)|Hist.]] IV.149–165</ref> following a drought of seven years, Thera sent out colonists who founded a number of cities in northern Africa, including [[Cyrene, Libya|Cyrene]]. In the fifth century BC, Dorian Thera did not join the [[Delian League]] with [[Athens]]; and during the [[Peloponnesian War]], Thera sided with Dorian Sparta, against Athens. The Athenians took the island during the war, but lost it again after the [[Battle of Aegospotami]]. During the Hellenistic period, the island was a major naval base for [[Ptolemaic Egypt]].

=== Medieval and Ottoman period ===
[[File:I Santellini - Buondelmonti Cristoforo - 1420.jpg|thumb|Medieval map of Santorini by [[Cristoforo Buondelmonti]]]]
[[File:Skaros Rock.jpg|thumb|[[Skaros Rock]], originally the location of medieval fortifications]]
[[File:Santorini pyrgos kastellkirche 160707.jpg|thumb|''Presentation of the Theotokos'' church, [[Pyrgos Kallistis|Pyrgos]] village]]
As with other Greek territories, Thera then was ruled by the [[Ancient Rome|Romans]]. When the [[Roman Empire]] was divided, the island passed to the eastern side of the Empire which today is known as the [[Byzantine Empire]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=29 June 2020 |title=Thera – The Ancient City |url=https://www.heritagedaily.com/2020/06/thera-the-ancient-city/134008 |access-date=3 July 2020 |website=HeritageDaily – Archaeology News |language=en-US |archive-date=3 July 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200703213628/https://www.heritagedaily.com/2020/06/thera-the-ancient-city/134008 |url-status=live}}</ref> According to [[George Cedrenus]], the volcano erupted again in the summer of 727, the tenth year of the reign of [[Leo III the Isaurian]].<ref>George Cedrenus, Σύνοψις ἱστορίων, Vol I, p. 795.</ref> He writes: "In the same year, in the summer, a vapour like an oven's fire boiled up for days out of the middle of the islands of Thera and Therasia from the depths of the sea, and the whole place burned like fire, little by little thickening and turning to stone, and the air seemed to be a fiery torch." This terrifying explosion was interpreted as a divine omen against the worship of religious [[icon]]s<ref>[[Theophanes the Confessor]], ''Chronography'' pp. 621-622 : «ος [ο Λέων] την κατ' αυτού θείαν οργήν υπέρ εαυτού λογισάμενος». Νικηφόρος σελ. 64 : «Ταύτά φασιν ακούσαντα τον βασιλέα υπολαμβάνειν θείας οργής είναι μηνύματα».</ref><ref>Ioannis Panagiotopoulos, «Το ηφαίστειο της Θήρας και η Eικονομαχία». Θεολογία 80 (2009), pp. 235–253.</ref> and gave the emperor [[Leo III the Isaurian]] the justification he needed to begin implementing his [[Byzantine Iconoclasm|Iconoclasm]] policy.

The name "Santorini" first appears {{circa|1153–1154}} in the work of the Muslim geographer [[al-Idrisi]], as "Santurin", from the island's patron saint, [[Agape, Chionia, and Irene|Saint Irene of Thessalonica]].<ref name="EI2">{{EI2 |volume=9 |title=Santurin Adasi̊ |page=20 |last=Savvides |first=A. }}</ref> After the [[Fourth Crusade]], it was occupied by the [[Duchy of Naxos]] which held it up to circa 1280 when it was reconquered by [[Licario]] (the claims of earlier historians that the island had been held by [[Jacopo I Barozzi]] and his son as a fief have been refuted in the second half of the twentieth century);<ref>Silvano Borsari, "Studi sulle colonie veneziane in Romania nel XIII secolo", 1966, pp. 35–37 and 79.</ref><ref>{{Setton-A History of the Crusades |author=Louise Buenger Robbert |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tgfMNfBIgSwC&pg=PA432 |chapter=Venice and the Crusades|volume=5|pages=379–451}} p. 432</ref><ref>Marina Koumanoudi, "The Latins in the Aegean after 1204: Interdependence and Interwoven Interests," in ''Urbs capta: The Fourth Crusade and its Consequences'', 2005, p.262</ref> it was again reconquered from the Byzantines circa 1301 by [[Iacopo II Barozzi]], a member of the Cretan branch of the Venetian [[Barozzi]] family, whose descendant held it until it was annexed to [[Venice]] in {{circa|1335}} by [[Niccolo Sanudo]] after various legal and military conflicts.<ref>Marina Koumanoudi, "The Latins in the Aegean after 1204: Interdependence and Interwoven Interests," in ''Urbs capta: The Fourth Crusade and its Consequences'', 2005, p.263</ref> In 1318–1331 and 1345–1360 it was raided by the [[Anatolian beyliks|Turkish]] principalities of [[Menteshe]] and [[Aydınids|Aydın]], but did not suffer much damage.<ref name="EI2" /> Because of the Venetians the island became home to a sizable Catholic community and is still the seat of a [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Santorini|Catholic bishopric]].
[[File:Santorini - Dapper Olfert - 1688.jpg|thumb|Map of Santorini by [[Olfert Dapper]], 1688]]
From the 15th century on, the suzerainty of the [[Republic of Venice]] over the island was recognized in a series of treaties by the [[Ottoman Empire]], but this did not stop [[Ottoman wars in Europe|Ottoman raids]], until it was captured by the Ottoman admiral [[Piyale Pasha]] in 1576, as part of a process of annexation of most remaining Latin possessions in the Aegean.<ref name="EI2" /> It became part of the semi-autonomous domain of the sultan's Jewish favourite, [[Joseph Nasi]]. Santorini retained its privileged position in the 17th century, but suffered in turn from Venetian raids during the frequent [[Ottoman–Venetian wars]] of the period, even though there were no Muslims on the island.<ref name="EI2" />

Santorini was captured briefly by the [[Russian Empire|Russians]] under [[Alexei Grigoryevich Orlov|Alexey Orlov]] during the [[Russo-Turkish War of 1768–1774]], but returned to Ottoman control after.
[[File:Cultural Centre Megaro Gyzi 04.jpg|thumb|upright|Picture of a young girl of Santorini (published 1796)<ref name="Encyclopédie_des_voyages">{{Cite book |title=Encyclopédie des voyages |last=Grasset de Saint-Sauveur |first=Jacques |year=1796 |language=fr |chapter-url=https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bd6t57845950/f240 |volume=Europe volume 1 |at=f240 |chapter=Moeurs, usages et costumes de l'isle de thera ou santorin |id={{BNF|45651328p}}}}</ref>]]

=== 19th century ===
[[File:ETH-BIB-Santorin Georg-Vulkan 22.02.1866-Dia 247-10252.tif|thumb|Erupting volcano on Santorini in 1866]]
In 1807, the islanders were forced by the [[Sublime Porte]] to send 50 sailors to Mykonos to serve in the [[Ottoman navy]].<ref name=ThiraMayor>{{cite web |title=Σημεία αντιφώνησης του Προέδρου της Δημοκρατίας κ.Προκοπίου Παυλοπούλου κατά την ανακήρυξή του σ' Επίτιμο Δημότη του Δήμου Θήρας |work=Aρχική - Προεδρία της Δημοκρατίας |trans-title=Reply to the President of the Republic Mr. Prokopiou Pavlopoulos during his proclamation as Honorary Citizen of the Municipality of Thira |publisher=Presidency of the Hellenic Republic |date=17 October 2019 |language=Greek |url=https://www.presidency.gr/simeia-antifonisis-toy-proedroy-tis-dimokratias-k-prokopioy-paylopoyloy-kata-tin-anakiryxi-toy-s-epitimo-dimoti-toy-dimoy-thiras/ |access-date=19 March 2022 |author1=Ελευθερία }}</ref>

In 1810, Santorini with 32 ships possessed the seventh largest of the Greek fleet after Kefallinia (118), Hydra (120), Psara (60), Ithaca (38) Spetsai (60) and Skopelos (35).<ref name= Economou>{{cite web |last1=Economou |first1=Emmanouil M.L. |last2=Kyriazis |first2=Nicholas C. |last3=Prassa |first3=Annita |title=The Greek Merchant Fleet as a National Navy During the War of Independence 1800–1830 |publisher=MPRA |date=2016 |url=https://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/76414/1/MPRA_paper_76414.pdf |access-date=29 April 2022 |archive-date=11 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220511044350/https://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/76414/1/MPRA_paper_76414.pdf |url-status=live}}</ref>

During the last years of Ottoman rule, the majority of residents were farmers and seafarers who exported their abundant produce, while the level of education was improving on the island, with the Monastery of Profitis Ilias being one of the most important monastic centres in the Cyclades.<ref name= ThiraMayor />

In 1821, the island was home to 13,235 inhabitants, which within a year had risen to 15,428.<ref name=Rssing1>{{cite web |title=Σαντορίνη και Επανάσταση του 1821 |trans-title=Santorini and the Revolution of 1821 |publisher=Rssing |date=21 March 2014 |url=https://unslimmed40.rssing.com/chan-19846152/article70.html |access-date=20 March 2022 |archive-date=24 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230424165319/https://unslimmed40.rssing.com/chan-19846152/article70.html |url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Greek War of Independence ===
As part of its plans to foment a [[Greek War of Independence|revolt against the Ottoman Empire and gain Greek Independence]], [[Alexander Ypsilantis|Alexandros Ypsilantis]], the head of the [[Filiki Eteria]] in early 1821, dispatched Dimitrios Themelis from Patmos and Evangelis Matzarakis ( –1824), a sea captain from Kefalonia who had Santorini connections to establish a network of supporters in the Cyclades.<ref name=Mazower>{{cite book |last=Mazower |first=Mark |title=The Greek Revolution: 1821 and the Making of Modern Europe |publisher=Allen Lane |date=2021 |pages=144, 148, 157–160 |type=Hardback |isbn=978-0-241-00410-4}}</ref> As his authority,{{Clarify|reason=What does "as his authority" mean?|date=August 2022}} Matzarakis had a letter from Ypsilantis (dated 29 December 1820) addressed to the notables of Santorini and the Orthodox [[metropolitan bishop]] Zacharias Kyriakos (served 1814–1842). At the time, the population of Santorini was divided between those who supported independence, and (particularly among the Catholics and non-Orthodox) those who were ambivalent or distrustful of a revolt being directed by [[Hydra (island)|Hydra]] and [[Spetses]] or were fearful of the sultan's revenge. While the island didn't come out in direct support of the revolt, {{Clarify span|they did send 100 barrels of wine to the Greek fleet as well in April 1821,|Does this clause begin a list?|date=August 2022}} 71 sailors, a priest and the [[presbyter]] Nikolaos Dekazas, to serve on the Spetsiote fleet.<ref name= ThiraMayor />

Because of the lack of majority support for direct participation in the revolt, it was necessary for Matzarakis to enlist the aid of Kefalonians living in Santorini to, on 5 May 1821<ref name= ThiraMayor /> (the feast day of the patron saint of the island), raise the flag of the revolution and then expel the Ottoman officials from the island.<ref name= Mazower /> The [[First Hellenic Republic|Provisional Administration of Greece]] organized the Aegean islands into six provinces, one of which was Santorini and appointed Matzarakis its governor in April 1822.<ref name="AD">{{cite web |date=1983 |title=Σφραγιδες Ελευθεριας 1821–1832: Σφραγίδες Κοινοτήτων – Μοναστηρίων Προσωρινής Διοικήσεως τής Ελλάδος' Ελληνικής Πολιτείας |trans-title=Seals of Freedom 1821–1832: Seals of Communities – Monasteries of Provisional Administration of Greece, Greek State |url=http://www.apostoliki-diakonia.gr/gr_main/catehism/theologia_zoi/category_lib/Afieromata/Eikosiena/text1821/%CE%A3%CF%86%CF%81%CE%B1%CE%B3%CE%AF%CE%B4%CE%B5%CF%82%20%CE%B5%CE%BB%CE%B5%CF%85%CE%B8%CE%B5%CF%81%CE%AF%CE%B1%CF%82%201821-1832,%20%CF%83%CF%86%CF%81%CE%B1%CE%B3%CE%AF%CE%B4%CE%B5%CF%82%20%CE%BA%CE%BF%CE%B9%CE%BD%CE%BF%CF%84%CE%AE%CF%84%CF%89%CE%BD-%CE%BC%CE%BF%CE%BD%CE%B1%CF%83%CF%84%CE%B7%CF%81%CE%AF%CF%89%CE%BD.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221029135416/https://apostoliki-diakonia.gr/gr_main/catehism/theologia_zoi/category_lib/Afieromata/Eikosiena/text1821/%CE%A3%CF%86%CF%81%CE%B1%CE%B3%CE%AF%CE%B4%CE%B5%CF%82%20%CE%B5%CE%BB%CE%B5%CF%85%CE%B8%CE%B5%CF%81%CE%AF%CE%B1%CF%82%201821-1832,%20%CF%83%CF%86%CF%81%CE%B1%CE%B3%CE%AF%CE%B4%CE%B5%CF%82%20%CE%BA%CE%BF%CE%B9%CE%BD%CE%BF%CF%84%CE%AE%CF%84%CF%89%CE%BD-%CE%BC%CE%BF%CE%BD%CE%B1%CF%83%CF%84%CE%B7%CF%81%CE%AF%CF%89%CE%BD.pdf |archive-date=29 October 2022 |access-date=20 March 2022 |publisher=Historical and Ethnologica' Society of Greece |pages=43, 44}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Μαντζαράκης Ευαγγέλης: (Μαντζοράκης, Μαντσαράκης Γλυκούδης, Ματζαράκης Ευάγγελος) |trans-title=Mantzarakis Evangelis: (Mantzorakis, Mantsarakis Glykoudis, Matzarakis Evangelos) |publisher=Foundation of the Greek Parliament for Parliamentarism and Democracy |date= |url=https://representatives1821.gr/%CE%BC%CE%B1%CE%BD%CF%84%CE%B6%CE%B1%CF%81%CE%AC%CE%BA%CE%B7%CF%82-%CE%B5%CF%85%CE%B1%CE%B3%CE%B3%CE%AD%CE%BB%CE%B7%CF%82/ |access-date=20 March 2022 |archive-date=29 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220129130705/https://representatives1821.gr/%CE%BC%CE%B1%CE%BD%CF%84%CE%B6%CE%B1%CF%81%CE%AC%CE%BA%CE%B7%CF%82-%CE%B5%CF%85%CE%B1%CE%B3%CE%B3%CE%AD%CE%BB%CE%B7%CF%82/ |url-status=live}}</ref> While he was able to raise a large amount of money (double that collected on Naxos), he was soon found to lack the diplomatic skills needed to convince the islanders who had enjoyed considerable autonomy to now accept direction from a central authority and contribute tax revenue to it. He claimed to his superiors that the islanders needed "political re-education" as they did not understand why they had to pay higher taxes than those levied under the Ottomans in order to support the struggle for independence. The hostility against the taxes caused many of the tax collectors to resign.

Things were also not helped by the governor's authoritarian character, arbitrariness and arrests of prominent islanders losing him the support of Zacharias Kyriakos, who had initially supported Matzarakis. In retaliation Matzarakis accused him of being a "Turkophile" and had the archbishop imprisoned and then exiled him. The abbots of the monasteries, the priests and the prelates, complained to [[Demetrios Ypsilantis]], president of the [[First National Assembly at Epidaurus|National Assembly]].

Matzarakis soon had to hire bodyguards as the island descended into open revolt against him.<ref name= Mazower /> Fearful for his life Matzarakis later fled the island,<ref name= Mazower /> and was dismissed from his governorship by Demetrios Ypsilantis. Mazarakis however later represented Santorini in the National Assembly and following his death was succeeded in that position in November 1824 by Pantoleon Augerino.

Once they heard of [[Chios massacre|massacres]] of the Greek population of [[Chios]] in April 1822, many islanders became fearful of [[Massacres during the Greek War of Independence|Ottoman reprisals]], with two villages stating they were prepared to surrender,<ref name= Mazower /> though sixteen monks from the Monastery of Profitis Ilias, led by their abbot Gerasimos Mavrommatis declared in writing their support for the revolt.<ref>{{cite web |title=Η Ιερά Μονή Προφήτου Ηλιού Θήρας |date=31 October 2021 |trans-title=The Holy Monastery of Profitos Ilios Thira |publisher=Ιερά Μονή Προφήτου Ηλιού Θήρας |url=https://www.aparchi.net/i-moni/ |access-date=22 March 2022 |archive-date=7 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220307115838/https://www.aparchi.net/i-moni/ |url-status=live}}</ref> Four commissioners for the Aegean islands (among them, Benjamin of Lesvos and Konstantinos Metaxas) appointed by the Provisional Administration of Greece arrived in July 1822 to investigate the issues on Santorini. The commissioners were uncompromising in their support for Matzarakis. With news from Chios fresh in their minds the island's notables eventually arrested Metaxas, with the intention of handing him over to the Ottomans in order to prove their loyalty. He was rescued by his Ionian guards.

Matters became so heated that Antonios Barbarigos ( –1824) who had been serving in the [[First National Assembly at Epidaurus]] since 20 January 1820 was seriously wounded in the head by a knife attack on Santorini in October 1822 during a dispute between the factions. In early 1823, the [[Second National Assembly at Astros]], imposed a contribution of 90,000 grosis on Santorini to fund the fight for independence, while in 1836 they also had to contribute in 1826 to the obligatory loan of 190,000 grosis imposed on the Cyclades.<ref name= Rssing1 />
In decree 573 issued by the National Assembly 17 May 1823, Santorini was recognized as one of 15 provinces in the Greek controlled Aegean (nine in the Cyclades and six in the Sporades).<ref name=AD />

The island became part of the fledgling Greek state under the London Protocol of 3 February 1830, rebelled against the government of [[Ioannis Kapodistrias]] in 1831, and became definitively part of the independent [[Kingdom of Greece (Wittelsbach)|Kingdom of Greece]] in 1832, with the [[Treaty of Constantinople (1832)|Treaty of Constantinople]].<ref name="EI2" />

Santorini joined an insurrection that had broken out in Nafplio on 1 February 1862 against the rule of King Otto of Greece. However, the royal authorities was able to quickly restore control and the revolt had been suppressed by 20 March of that year. However, the unrest arose again later in the year which lead to the [[23 October 1862 Revolution]] and the overthrow of King Otto.

=== World War II ===
[[File:Wojska niemieckie na greckiej wyspie wulkanicznej Santorin (2-637).jpg|thumb|German soldiers on Santorini in 1944]]
During the [[World War II|Second World War]], Santorini was occupied in 1941 by Italian forces and then by the Germans following the [[Armistice of Cassibile|Italian armistice]] in 1943. In 1944, the German garrison on [[Raid on Santorini|Santorini was raided]] by a group of British [[Special Boat Service]] Commandos, killing most of its men. Five locals were later shot in reprisal, including the mayor.<ref name="Mortimer">Mortimer, Gavin. ''The Special Boat Squadron in WW2'', Osprey, 2013, {{ISBN|1782001891}}.</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Lewis |first=Damien |title=Churchill's Secret Warriors |location= |publisher=Quercus |date=2014 |type= |isbn=978-1-84866-917-8}}</ref>

=== Post-war ===
In general, the island's economy continued to decline following World War II, with a number of factories closing as a lot of industrial activity relocated to Athens. In an attempt to improve the local economy, the Union of Santorini Cooperatives was established 1947 to process, export and promote the islands agriculture products, in particular its wine. In 1952, they constructed near the village of Monolithos what is today the island's only remaining tomato processing factory. The island's tourism in the early 1950s generally took the form of small numbers of wealthy tourists on yacht cruises though the Aegean. The island's children would present arriving passengers with flowers and bid them happy sailing by lighting small lanterns along the steps from [[Fira]] down to the port, offering them a beautiful farewell spectacle. Once such visitor was the actress [[Olivia de Havilland]], who visited the island in September 1955 at the invitation of Petros Nomikos.<ref>{{cite book |last=Amburn |first=Ellis |title=Olivia de Havilland and the Golden Age of Hollywood |location=Lanham, MD |publisher=Rowman & Littlefield |date=2018 |page=241 |type=Hardback |isbn=978-1-4930-3409-3}}</ref>

In the early 1950s, the shipping magnate Evangelos P. Nomikos and his wife Loula decided to support their birthplace and so asked residents to choose whether they wanted the couple to pay for the construction of either a hotel or a hospital, to which local authorities replied that they would prefer a hotel. 

In 1954, Santorini had approximately 12,000 inhabitants and very few visitors. The only modes of transport on the island were a jeep, a small bus and the island's traditional donkeys and mules.

=== 1956 earthquake ===
At 05:11 local time ([[Central European Summer Time|CEST]], 03:11 UTC) on 9 July 1956, the [[1956 Amorgos earthquake]] (magnitude{{snd}} depending on the particular study{{snd}} of 7.5,<ref name= Tsampouraki-Kraounaki>{{cite journal |last1=Tsampouraki-Kraounaki |first1=Konstantina |last2=Sakellariou |first2=Dimitris |last3=Rousakis |first3=Grigoris |last4=Morfis |first4=Ioannis |last5=Panagiotopoulos |first5=Ioannis |last6=Livanos |first6=Isidoros |last7=Manta |first7=Kyriaki |last8=Paraschos |first8=Fratzeska |last9=Papatheodorou |first9=George |title=The Santorini-Amorgos Shear Zone: Evidence for Dextral Transtension in the South Aegean Back-Arc Region, Greece |journal=Geosciences |volume=11 |issue=5 |publisher=MDPI |place=Basel, Switzerland |year=2021 |page=216 |doi=10.3390/geosciences11050216 |bibcode=2021Geosc..11..216T |url=https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3263/11/5/216/pdf?version=1621332546 |doi-access=free |access-date=24 April 2022 |archive-date=24 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230424165308/https://mdpi-res.com/d_attachment/geosciences/geosciences-11-00216/article_deploy/geosciences-11-00216-v2.pdf?version=1621332546 |url-status=live}}</ref> 7.6,<ref name= Tsampouraki-Kraounaki /> 7.7<ref name= Papadimitriou2005>{{cite journal |last1=Papadimitriou |first1=Eleftheria |last2=Sourlas |first2=Georgios |last3=Karakostas |first3=Vassilios |title=Seismicity Variations in the Southern Aegean, Greece, Before and After the Large (M7.7) 1956 Amorgos Earthquake Due to Evolving Stress |journal=Pure and Applied Geophysics |year=2005 |volume=162 |issue=5 |pages=783–804 |doi=10.1007/s00024-004-2641-z |bibcode=2005PApGe.162..783P |s2cid=140605036 |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/226437052}}</ref> or 7.8<ref name=Okal2009>{{cite journal |last1=Okal |first1=Emile A. |last2=Synolakis |first2=Costas E. |last3=Uslu |first3=Burak |last4=Kalligeris |first4=Nikos |last5=Voukouvalas |first5=Evangelos |title=The 1956 earthquake and tsunami in Amorgos, Greece |journal=Geophysical Journal International |volume=178 |issue=3 |pages=1533–1554 |year=2009 |doi=10.1111/j.1365-246X.2009.04237.x |bibcode=2009GeoJI.178.1533O |doi-access= free}}</ref>) struck {{cvt|30|km}} south of the island of [[Amorgos]], about {{cvt|50|km}} from Santorini. It was the largest earthquake of the 20th century in Greece and also had a devastating impact on Santorini.<ref name= Okal2009 /><ref name= Papadimitriou2005 /> It was followed by aftershocks, the most significant being the first occurring at 05:24, 13 minutes after the main shock, which had a 7.2 magnitude.<ref name= Okal2009 /> This aftershock which originated close to the island of [[Anafi]] is believed to have been responsible for most of the damage and casualties on Santorini.<ref name= Okal2009 /> The earthquake was accompanied by a [[tsunami]] which, while much higher at other islands, is estimated to have reached 3 metres at Perissa and 2 metres at Vlichada on Santorini.<ref name= Okal2009 />

Immediately following the earthquake, the Greek Prime Minister [[Konstantinos Karamanlis]] declared Santorini a state of "large-scale local disaster" and visited the island to inspect the situation on 14 July.<ref name= Simos />

Many countries had offered to send relief efforts, though Greece refused to accept the offer of the [[United Kingdom]] to send warships to help from Cyprus where they were involved in the [[Cyprus Emergency]].<ref name= Simos />

As there was no airport, the Greek military made air drops of food, tents and supplies and camps for homeless people were established on the outskirts of Fira.<ref name= NYTimes2>{{Citation |title=20 Still Missing In Aegean Quake |newspaper=New York Times |date=11 July 1956 |page=5 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1956/07/11/archives/20-still-missing-in-aegean-quake-death-toll-on-thera-put-at-4360-of.html |access-date=20 March 2022 |archive-date=24 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220424052859/https://www.nytimes.com/1956/07/11/archives/20-still-missing-in-aegean-quake-death-toll-on-thera-put-at-4360-of.html |url-status=live}}</ref>

On Santorini, the earthquakes killed 53 people and injured another 100.<ref name= NYTimes1>{{Citation |last=Sedgwick |first=A.C. |title=Quake, Tidal Wave Hit Aegean; At Least 42 Dead in Greek Isles |newspaper=New York Times |date=10 July 1956 |pages=1, 6 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1956/07/10/archives/quake-tidal-wave-hit-aegean-at-least-42-dead-in-greek-isles-greek.html |access-date=20 March 2022 |archive-date=24 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220424052858/https://www.nytimes.com/1956/07/10/archives/quake-tidal-wave-hit-aegean-at-least-42-dead-in-greek-isles-greek.html |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=Simos>{{cite web |last=Simos |first=Andriana |title=On This Day: The 1956 Santorini earthquake and its devastating aftermath |publisher=The Greek Herald |date=9 July 2020 |url=https://greekherald.com.au/culture/history/on-this-day-the-1956-santorini-earthquake-and-its-devastating-aftermath/ |access-date=24 April 2022 |archive-date=24 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220424051357/https://greekherald.com.au/culture/history/on-this-day-the-1956-santorini-earthquake-and-its-devastating-aftermath/ |url-status=live}}</ref> 35% of the island's houses collapsed and 45% suffered major or minor damage.<ref name= Simos /> In total, 529 houses were destroyed, 1,482 were severely damaged and 1,750 lightly damaged.<ref name= Simos /> Almost all public buildings were completely destroyed. One of the largest buildings that survived unscathed was the newly built Hotel Atlantis, which allowed it to be used as a temporary hospital and to house public services. The greatest damage was experienced on the Western side along the edge of the caldera, especially at Oia, with parts of the ground collapsing into the sea. The damage from the earthquake reduced most of the population to extreme poverty and caused many to leave the island in search of better opportunities, with most settling in Athens.<ref name= Simos />

=== 2025 earthquakes ===
{{maplink|frame=yes|frame-align=|frame-width=200|frame-height=300|from=2025 Santorini earthquake.map|frame-latitude=36.5|frame-longitude=25.6|zoom=9|text=Location of shocks of M>4 for the 2025 Santorini earthquakes ([[c:Data:2025 Santorini earthquake.map|map data]])}}Santorini experienced a major [[earthquake swarm]] in February 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-02-06 |title=The swarm of earthquakes shaking Santorini prompts Greece to declare an emergency |url=https://apnews.com/article/greece-earthquakes-volcanos-santorini-emergency-14489f90091ad6150ccffa36ca13d2a3 |access-date=2025-02-08 |website=AP News |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Andrews |first=Robin George |date=2025-02-08 |title=Santorini is at the center of a mystery: Why do earthquakes keep shaking the island? |url=https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/santorini-earthquakes-volcano-cause-greece |access-date=2025-02-08 |website=[[National Geographic]] |language=en}}</ref> Hundreds of tremors occurred in the Aegean Sea, to the north-east of the island, some measuring up to magnitude 5. The earthquake sequence began on about 27th January, and intensified after 1 February 2025. As the earthquakes continued, there was a precautionary evacuation of Santorini by sea and by air.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-02-04 |title=Thousands evacuate Santorini after earthquakes shake Greek island |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cjde94dnj08o |access-date=2025-02-04 |website=bbc.com}}</ref>

During the weekend of 1 and 2 February, more than 200 undersea tremors were detected. The epicenters were primarily in a growing cluster between the islands of Santorini, [[Anafi]], [[Amorgos]], [[Ios]] and the uninhabited [[islet]] of [[Anydros]]. Many of the earthquakes registered magnitudes above 4.5 on the [[Moment magnitude scale]]. The strongest earthquake of the swarm occurred on 10 February, and measured {{M|w|5.3}}.<ref>{{cite anss|M 5.3–12 km ENE of Mesariá, Greece|2025|us7000pb82}}</ref> At the time of the crisis, experts explained that they considered the earthquakes to be tectonic rather than volcanic in nature, but the pattern and frequency of seismic activity prompted significant concern among scientists and authorities.<ref name="Rhode Island" /> Seismologist Manolis Skordylis indicated on public radio that a [[Fault (geology)|seismic fault line]] had been activated with potential to cause an earthquake exceeding magnitude 6.0.<ref name="Lovett-2006" />

Greek authorities implemented several emergency measures, which included the deployment of emergency crews and a 26-member rescue team with a rescue dog to the region.<ref name="Rhode Island" /> Schools were closed on Santorini, Anafi, Amorgos, and Ios.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Liakos |first1=Chris |last2=Stockwell |first2=Billy |date=2025-02-02 |title=Schools shut as tremors shake Greece's 'Instagram island' |url=https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/02/travel/santorini-earthquake-greece-intl/index.html |access-date=2025-02-03 |website=CNN |language=en}}</ref> Access to areas near cliffs was restricted due to increased risk of landslides. In Fira, several gathering points for evacuation were established.<ref name="Rhode Island" /> Access to shorelines and certain ports, including Santorini's old port, was restricted due to [[tsunami]] risk, with residents instructed to move inland.<ref name="Lovett-2006" />

Greece's Minister of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection [[Vasilis Kikilias]] emphasized the precautionary nature of the response. [[Prime Minister of Greece]] [[Kyriakos Mitsotakis]], who spoke while in [[Brussels]], called for calm while acknowledging the intensity of the earthquake swarm. Hotels were told to drain their swimming pools to minimize potential earthquake damage to structures.<ref name="Rhode Island" /> [[Aegean Airlines]] doubled its flight frequency between [[Athens]] and Santorini for a two-day period to carry out evacuations. Ferry companies increased their service frequency in response to surging demand, resulting in long queues forming at evacuation ports.<ref name="Lovett-2006" /> Around 6,000 residents left the island by ferry beginning on 2 February, while up to 2,700 left by air from 3 to 4 February. The South Aegean Regional Fire Department was placed on general alert.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Aikman |first1=Ian |last2=Stallard |first2=Esme |date=2025-02-04 |title=Thousands evacuate Santorini amid earthquake fears |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cjde94dnj08o |access-date=2025-02-04 |publisher=[[BBC]]}}</ref> A state of emergency was declared in Santorini by the Greek government on 6 February.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-02-06 |title=Earthquake surge prompts state of emergency on Greek island of Santorini |url=https://apnews.com/article/greece-earthquakes-volcanos-santorini-emergency-14489f90091ad6150ccffa36ca13d2a3 |access-date=2025-02-06 |website=AP News |language=en}}</ref> 

In Turkey, the [[Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency]] (AFAD) and the [[General Directorate of Mineral Research and Exploration (Turkey)|Mineral Research and Exploration General Directorate]] (MTA) warned that the earthquakes could lead to volcanic activity around the [[Kolumbo]] submarine volcano off Santorini.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-02-06 |title=Turkish agency warns that earthquakes in Aegean Sea may trigger volcanic activity |url=https://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkish-agency-warns-that-earthquakes-in-aegean-sea-may-trigger-volcanic-activity-205492 |access-date=2025-02-06 |website=Hurriyet Daily News |language=en}}</ref>

The earthquakes began to decline in intensity and number after mid-February, and the seismic crisis ended in late February. The state of emergency was lifted on 3rd March. Later analysis of the observations of earthquakes and ground deformation by scientists pointed to the potential involvement of a deep intrusion of magma in causing the events.<ref name=Howell>{{cite web|url=https://www.science.org/content/article/thousands-quakes-struck-major-greek-volcano-mapping-plumbing-beneath-it|last=Howell|first=Evan|title=Thousands of quakes struck a major Greek volcano, mapping the plumbing beneath it|date=24 September 2025|access-date=24 September 2025|website=Science News}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/santorini-earthquake-swarm-volcano-magma|last=Andrews|first=Robin George|title=This year thousands of mysterious earthquakes hit Santorini. Scientists finally know why|website=National Geographic|date=24 September 2025|access-date=24 September 2025}}</ref>

=== Tourism ===
[[File:Sea Diamond - Against Rocks.jpg|thumb|Sinking of [[M/S Sea Diamond|''Sea Diamond'']], 2007]]

The expansion of tourism in recent years has resulted in the growth of the economy and population.<ref name="FE 2024/07/22">{{Cite magazine |last=Chrepa |first=Eleni |date=21 July 2024 |title=Tourism has hijacked Santorini's wine production as agricultural land becomes exorbitant while visitor numbers continue to climb |url=https://fortune.com/europe/2024/07/22/tourism-has-hijacked-santorini-wine-production-as-agricultural-land-becomes-exorbitant-while-visitor-numbers-continue-to-climb-greece/ |access-date=22 July 2024 |magazine=Fortune Europe |language=en}}</ref> Santorini was ranked the world's top island by many magazines and travel sites, including the ''Travel+Leisure Magazine'',<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.travelandleisure.com/worldsbest/2011/islands/top-10-islands/237 |work=Travel+Leisure |title=2011 World's Best Awards |access-date=16 July 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110712204603/http://www.travelandleisure.com/worldsbest/2011/islands/top-10-islands/237 |archive-date=12 July 2011}}</ref> the ''BBC'',<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bbc.com/travel/slideshow/20111123-worlds-best-islands |publisher=[[BBC]] |access-date=1 December 2011 |title=World's Best Islands |archive-date=1 December 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111201185032/http://www.bbc.com/travel/slideshow/20111123-worlds-best-islands }}</ref> as well as the ''US News''.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://travel.usnews.com/Rankings/Best_Islands_in_the_World/ |magazine=US News |access-date=1 April 2014 |title=World's Best Island |archive-date=8 April 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140408180605/http://travel.usnews.com/Rankings/Best_Islands_in_the_World/ }}</ref> An estimated 2 million tourists visit annually.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Smith |first1=Helena |title=Santorini's popularity soars but locals say it has hit saturation point |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/aug/28/santorini-popularity-soars-but-locals-say-it-has-hit-saturation-point |access-date=28 August 2017 |work=[[The Guardian]] |date=28 August 2017 |archive-date=28 August 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170828161359/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/aug/28/santorini-popularity-soars-but-locals-say-it-has-hit-saturation-point |url-status=live}}</ref> Santorini has been emphasising sustainable development and the promotion of special forms of tourism, the organization of major events such as conferences and sport activities.

The island's [[pumice]] quarries have been closed since 1986, in order to preserve the caldera. In 2007, the cruise ship ''[[MS Sea Diamond]]'' ran aground and sank inside the [[caldera]]. As of 2019, Santorini is popular with Asian couples who come to the island to have pre-wedding photos taken against the backdrop of the landscape.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Horowitz |first1=Jason |last2=Boushnak |first2=Laura |title=The Bride, the Groom and the Greek Sunset: A Perfect Wedding Picture |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/06/world/europe/greece-santorini-wedding-photography-chinese-couples.html |access-date=8 December 2019 |work=The New York Times |date=6 August 2019 |archive-date=8 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191208152507/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/06/world/europe/greece-santorini-wedding-photography-chinese-couples.html |url-status=live}}</ref>

== Geography ==
{{Main|Santorini caldera}}
[[File:Santorini2022OSM.png|thumb|Detailed map of Santorini and nearby islands]]

=== Geological setting ===
The Cyclades are part of a [[Metamorphism|metamorphic]] complex that is known as the [[Cycladic Massif]]. The complex formed during the [[Miocene]] and was folded and metamorphosed during the [[Alpine orogeny]] around 60 million years ago. Thera is built upon a small non-volcanic [[Basement rock|basement]] that represents the former non-volcanic island, which was approximately {{cvt|9|by|6|km|mi}}. The basement rock is primarily composed of metamorphosed [[limestone]] and [[schist]], which date from the Alpine Orogeny. These non-volcanic rocks are exposed at [[Mikros Profititis Ilias]], Mesa Vouno, the Gavrillos ridge, [[Pyrgos Kallistis|Pyrgos]], [[Monolithos, Greece|Monolithos]], and the inner side of the caldera wall between Cape Plaka and Athinios.

The metamorphic grade is a [[blueschist]] [[Metamorphic facies|facies]], which results from tectonic deformation by the [[subduction]] of the [[African Plate]] beneath the [[Eurasian Plate]]. Subduction occurred between the [[Oligocene]] and the [[Miocene]], and the metamorphic grade represents the southernmost extent of the Cycladic blueschist belt.

=== Volcanism ===
Volcanism on Santorini is due to the [[Hellenic subduction zone]] southwest of Crete. The [[oceanic crust]] of the northern margin of the [[African Plate]] is being subducted under Greece and the Aegean Sea, which is thinned [[continental crust]]. The subduction compels the formation of the [[Hellenic arc]], which includes Santorini and other volcanic centres, such as [[Methana Volcano|Methana]], [[Milos]], and [[Kos]].<ref name=druitt>{{Cite book |publisher=Geological Society |isbn=978-1-86239-048-5 |volume=19 |last=Druitt |first=Timothy H. |author2=L. Edwards |author3=R.M. Mellors |author4=D.M. Pyle |author5=R.S.J. Sparks |author6=M. Lanphere |author7=M. Davies |author8=B. Barriero |title=Santorini Volcano |location=London |series=Geological Society Memoir |year=1999}}</ref>
[[File:Santorini 3D version 1.gif|thumb|upright=1.1|left|Three-dimensional [[Computer-generated imagery|CGI]] [[aerial view|aerial spinning view]] of Santorini island]]
[[File:Santoríni aerial.jpg|thumb|Aerial view of Santorini during sunset]]

The island is the result of repeated sequences of [[shield volcano]] construction followed by [[caldera]] collapse.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.decadevolcano.net/santorini/santorini_volcanism.htm |title=Geology of Santorini |work=Volcano Discovery |access-date=7 April 2012 |archive-date=30 May 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170530074224/http://www.decadevolcano.net/santorini/santorini_volcanism.htm |url-status=live}}</ref> The inner coast around the caldera is a sheer precipice of more than {{cvt|300|m}} drop at its highest, and exhibits the various layers of solidified lava on top of each other, and the main towns perched on the crest. The ground then slopes outwards and downwards towards the outer perimeter, and the outer beaches are smooth and shallow. Beach sand colour depends on which geological layer is exposed; there are beaches with sand or pebbles made of solidified lava of various colours: such as the Red Beach, the Black Beach and the White Beach. The water at the darker coloured beaches is significantly warmer because the lava acts as a heat absorber.

The area of Santorini incorporates a group of islands created by volcanoes, spanning across Thera, Thirasia, Aspronisi, Palea, and Nea Kameni.
[[File:Viewing Fira from Nea Kameni.JPG|thumb|Fira from [[Nea Kameni]] volcanic Island]]

Santorini has erupted many times, with varying degrees of explosivity. There have been at least twelve large explosive eruptions, of which at least four were [[caldera]]-forming.<ref name="druitt" /> The most famous eruption is the [[Minoan eruption]], detailed below. Eruptive products range from [[basalt]] all the way to [[rhyolite]], and the rhyolitic products are associated with the most explosive eruptions.

The earliest eruptions, many of which were [[submarine eruption|submarine]], were on the Akrotiri Peninsula, and active between 650,000 and 550,000 years ago.<ref name="druitt" /> These are [[geochemistry|geochemically]] distinct from the later volcanism, as they contain [[amphibole]]s.

Over the past 360,000 years there have been two major cycles, each culminating with two caldera-forming eruptions. The cycles end when the magma evolves to a rhyolitic composition, causing the most explosive eruptions. In between the caldera-forming eruptions are a series of sub-cycles. Lava flows and small explosive eruptions build up [[volcanic cone|cones]], which are thought to impede the flow of magma to the surface.<ref name="druitt" /> This allows the formation of large magma chambers, in which the magma can evolve to more [[silicic]] compositions. Once this happens, a large explosive eruption destroys the cone. The Kameni islands in the centre of the lagoon are the most recent example of a cone built by this volcano, with much of them hidden beneath the water.
[[File:ISS017-E-5037 lrg.jpg|thumb|Photo taken from the [[ISS]] of the island and caldera in 2008]]

==== Minoan eruption ====
{{Main|Minoan eruption}}

During the [[Bronze Age]], Santorini was the site of the [[Minoan eruption]], one of the largest volcanic eruptions in human history. It was centred on a small island just north of the existing island of Nea Kameni in the centre of the caldera; the caldera itself was formed several hundred thousand years ago by the collapse of the centre of a circular island, caused by the emptying of the magma chamber during an eruption. It has been filled several times by [[ignimbrite]] since then, and the process repeated itself, most recently 21,000 years ago. The northern part of the caldera was refilled by the volcano, then collapsed once more during the Minoan eruption. Before the Minoan eruption, the caldera formed a nearly continuous ring with the only entrance between the islet of Aspronisi and Thera; the eruption destroyed the sections of the ring between Aspronisi and Therasia, and between Therasia and Thera, creating two new channels.

On Santorini, a deposit of white [[tephra]] thrown from the eruption is up to {{cvt|60|m|ft}} thick, overlying the soil marking the ground level before the eruption, and forming a layer divided into three fairly distinct bands indicating different phases of the eruption. Archaeological discoveries in 2006 by a team of international scientists revealed that the Santorini event was much more massive than previously thought; it expelled {{cvt|61|km3|cumi}} of magma and rock into the Earth's atmosphere, compared to previous estimates of only {{cvt|39|km3|cumi}} in 1991,<ref name="Rhode Island">{{cite web|url=http://www.uri.edu/news/releases/?id=3654 |title= Santorini eruption much larger than originally believed|publisher=[[University of Rhode Island]] Department of Communications and Marketing |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150713045841/http://www.uri.edu/news/releases/?id=3654 |archive-date=2015-07-13}}</ref><ref name="Lovett-2006">{{cite web|url= http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/08/060823-thera-volcano.html|title=Atlantis Eruption Twice as Big as Previously Believed, Study Suggests|first=Richard A.|last=Lovett|date=23 August 2006|publisher=[[National Geographic]] News|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090302212141/http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/08/060823-thera-volcano.html |archive-date=2 March 2009}}</ref> producing an estimated {{cvt|100|km3|cumi}} of tephra. Only the [[Mount Tambora]] volcanic eruption of 1815, the [[Hatepe eruption|181 AD eruption]] of the [[Taupō Volcano|Taupo Volcano]], and possibly [[Baekdu Mountain]]'s 946 AD eruption have released more material into the atmosphere during the past 5,000 years.
[[File:SantoriniPartialPano.jpg|thumb|upright=1.8|center|{{center|Partial panoramic view of the [[Santorini caldera]], taken from Oia}}]]

The Minoan eruption has been considered as possible inspiration for ancient stories including [[Atlantis]] and the [[The Exodus|Exodus]]. The content of the stories is not supported by current archaeological research, but remain popular in [[pseudohistory]] and [[pseudoarchaeology]].{{fact|date=May 2025}}

==== Post-Minoan volcanism ====
Post-Minoan eruptive activity is concentrated on the Kameni islands, in the centre of the lagoon. They have been formed since the Minoan eruption, and the first of them broke the surface of the sea in 197&nbsp;BC.<ref name="druitt" /> Nine subaerial eruptions are recorded in the historical record since that time, with the most recent ending in 1950.

In 1707, an undersea volcano breached the sea surface, forming the current centre of activity at Nea Kameni in the centre of the lagoon, and eruptions centred on it continue – the twentieth century saw three such, the last in 1950. Santorini was also struck by a devastating earthquake in 1956. Although the volcano is dormant at the present time, at the current active crater (there are several former craters on Nea Kameni), steam and [[carbon dioxide]] are emitted.

Small tremors and reports of strange gaseous odours over the course of 2011 and 2012 prompted satellite radar technological analyses and these revealed the source of the symptoms; the magma chamber under the volcano was swollen by a rush of molten rock by 10 to 20 million cubic metres between January 2011 and April 2012, which also caused parts of the island's surface to rise out of the water by a reported 8 to 14 centimetres.<ref name="NG">{{cite web |title=Santorini Bulges as Magma Balloons Underneath |author=Brian Handwerk |publisher=[[National Geographic Society]] |url=http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2012/09/120912-magma-balloon-lava-santorini-volcano-science/ |date=12 September 2012 |access-date=19 September 2012 |archive-date=20 September 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120920041614/http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2012/09/120912-magma-balloon-lava-santorini-volcano-science }}</ref> Scientists say that the injection of molten rock was equivalent to 20 years' worth of regular activity.<ref name="NG" />{{clear left}}

At the beginning of February 2025, there were [[2025 Santorini earthquakes|hundreds of minor earthquakes]] up to [[Seismic magnitude scales|magnitude]] 5 near Santorini, mostly in an area around the tiny islet of [[Anydros]], north-east of Santorini. About 9,000 people left the island out of a population of 15,500 in the face of seismic activity that could last weeks. The tremors were attributed to [[tectonic plate]] movements rather than volcanic activity.<ref>{{cite news| last2=Papanikolaou | first1=Ian|last1=Aikman|first2=Nikos | last3=Stallard | first3=Esme | title=Thousands evacuate Santorini after earthquakes shake Greek island | publisher=BBC News | date=4 February 2025 | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cjde94dnj08o}}</ref>

== Climate ==
According to the [[National Observatory of Athens]] Santorini has a [[hot semi-arid climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification]]: ''BSh'') with [[Mediterranean climate|Mediterranean]] (''Csa'') characteristics, such as the dry summers and the relatively wetter winters. It has an average annual precipitation of around {{Convert|270|mm|abbr=on}} and an average annual temperature of around {{Convert|19|C}}.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.meteo.gr/Monthly_Bulletins.cfm |title=Monthly Bulletins |website=meteo.gr |access-date=17 April 2023 |archive-date=2 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230202121511/https://meteo.gr/Monthly_Bulletins.cfm |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://penteli.meteo.gr/stations/santorini/ |title=Latest Conditions in Santorini | access-date=17 April 2023 | archive-date=17 April 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230417221643/https://penteli.meteo.gr/stations/santorini/ | url-status=live}}</ref>

{{Weather box
|width = auto
|location= Santorini 183 m a.s.l.
|metric first=yes
|single line=yes
|Jan high C=14.3
|Feb high C=14.7
|Mar high C=16.1
|Apr high C=19.6
|May high C=23.3
|Jun high C=27.9
|Jul high C=30.1
|Aug high C=30.2
|Sep high C=27.2
|Oct high C=22.8
|Nov high C=19.4
|Dec high C=15.6

|Jan mean C=12.2
|Feb mean C=12.5
|Mar mean C=13.7
|Apr mean C=16.9
|May mean C=20.1
|Jun mean C=24.4
|Jul mean C=26.7
|Aug mean C=26.8
|Sep mean C=24.3
|Oct mean C=20.2
|Nov mean C=17.0
|Dec mean C=13.6

|Jan low C=10.1
|Feb low C=10.3
|Mar low C=11.3
|Apr low C=13.6
|May low C=16.9
|Jun low C=21.0
|Jul low C=23.3
|Aug low C=23.5
|Sep low C=21.3
|Oct low C=17.5
|Nov low C=14.7
|Dec low C=11.5

|rain colour = green
|Jan rain mm=52.7
|Feb rain mm=40.7
|Mar rain mm=44.9
|Apr rain mm=12.1
|May rain mm=8.2
|Jun rain mm=3.6
|Jul rain mm=0.03
|Aug rain mm= 2.5
|Sep rain mm=3.0
|Oct rain mm=15.1
|Nov rain mm=33.7
|Dec rain mm=54.6

|Jan record high C  = 25.4
|Feb record high C  = 23.7
|Mar record high C  = 23.8
|Apr record high C  = 29.6
|May record high C  = 35.3
|Jun record high C  = 38.7
|Jul record high C  = 39.4
|Aug record high C  = 38.6
|Sep record high C  = 33.9
|Oct record high C  = 33.1
|Nov record high C  = 30.3
|Dec record high C  = 22.7
|Jan record low C   = 1.0
|Feb record low C   = -0.4
|Mar record low C   = 2.1
|Apr record low C   = 6.8
|May record low C   = 12.8
|Jun record low C   = 16.2
|Jul record low C   = 19.6
|Aug record low C   = 19.2
|Sep record low C   = 15.1
|Oct record low C   = 11.3
|Nov record low C   = 9.1
|Dec record low C   = 2.0

|source 1 = [[National Observatory of Athens]] Monthly Bulletins (Jul 2013-Mar 2025)<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.meteo.gr/Monthly_Bulletins.cfm |title=Monthly Bulletins |website=meteo.gr}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Weather station of Santorini |url=https://penteli.meteo.gr/stations/santorini/|access-date=7 May 2023}}</ref>
}}

== Economy ==
Santorini's primary industry is [[tourism]], particularly in the summer months. Agriculture also forms part of its economy, and the island sustains a wine industry.{{r|FE 2024/07/22}} The economic life of Santorini before 1960, when the flow of foreign visitors to the island for tourist purposes gradually began, was based on crops and trade.

=== Agriculture ===
[[File:Fava (3711746562).jpg|thumb|Sacks with [[fava Santorinis]]]]
In the middle of the 19th century, Santorini had great commercial activity with foreign countries and especially with Russia, where it exported all of its wine production.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Οδυσσέας Γκιλής. ΘΗΡΑ ΣΑΝΤΟΡΙΝΗ ΣΤΡΟΓΓΥΛΗ ΚΑΛΛΙΣΤΗ |url=https://www.academia.edu/42216207 |language=el |last1=Gilis |first1=Odysseas |access-date=11 April 2023 |archive-date=12 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230412005548/https://www.academia.edu/42216207 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.in2greece.com/english/places/summer/islands/santorini.htm |title=Santorini information |access-date=11 April 2023}}</ref> Because of its unique ecology and climate – and especially its volcanic ash soil – Santorini is home to unique and prized produce such as the [[Santorini tomato|Santorini cherry tomato]].
[[Viticulture]], whose history goes back to prehistoric times, could not remain unaffected by the rapid increase in tourism, where there was a gradual decrease.{{r|FE 2024/07/22}} Viticulture is the most important sector of agricultural production in Santorini.

=== Wine industry ===
{{Main|Santorini (wine)}}

The island remains the home of a small [[wine]] industry, based on the indigenous [[Assyrtiko]] [[grape]] variety, with auxiliary cultivations of Aegean white varieties such as ''[[Athiri]]'' and ''[[Aidani]]'' and the red varieties such as [[Mavrotragano]] and [[Mandilaria]]. The vines are extremely old and resistant to [[phylloxera]] (attributed by local winemakers to the well-drained volcanic soil and its chemistry), so the vines needed no replacement during the great [[phylloxera epidemic]] of the late 19th century. In their adaptation to their habitat, such vines are planted far apart, as their principal source of moisture is dew, and they often are [[trained (vine)|trained]] in the shape of low-spiralling baskets, with the grapes hanging inside to protect them from the winds.<ref>An early observer of this was [[James Theodore Bent|Theodore Bent]] in January 1884: "[At] Santorin they always weave the tendrils of their vines into circles, the effect in winter being that each vineyard looks as if hampers were placed all over it in rows and at intervals of every two yards." (''The Cyclades, or Life Among the Insular Greeks''. London, 1885, p. 41).</ref>

The viticultural pride of the island is the sweet and strong ''Vinsanto'' ({{langx|it|"holy wine"}}), a dessert wine made from the best sun-dried ''Assyrtiko'', ''Athiri'', and ''Aidani'' grapes, and undergoing long barrel aging (up to twenty or twenty-five years for the top ''cuvées''). It matures to a sweet, dark, amber-orange unctuous dessert wine that has achieved worldwide fame, possessing the standard Assyrtiko aromas of citrus and minerals, layered with overtones of nuts, raisins, figs, honey, and tea.
[[File:Houses on the caldera, Santorini.jpg|thumb|left|upright=0.81|Houses built on the edge of the [[Santorini caldera|caldera]]]]
[[File:Imerovigli 02.jpg|thumb|View of [[Imerovigli]], example of [[Cycladic architecture]]]]

White wines from the island are extremely dry with a strong citrus scent and mineral and iodide salt aromas contributed by the ashy volcanic soil, whereas barrel aging gives to some of the white wines a slight [[frankincense]] aroma, much like Vinsanto. It is not easy to be a winegrower in Santorini; the hot and dry conditions give the soil a very low productivity. The yield per hectare is only 10 to 20% of the yields that are common in [[France]] or [[California]]. The island's wines are standardised and protected by the "Vinsanto" and "Santorini" [[Protected designation of origin#Wines|OPAP]] designations of origin.<ref name="GREECE SANTORINI HISTORY">{{Cite web |title=Greece Santorini History |url=http://www.greecesantorini.com/santorinihistory2.htm |website=www.greecesantorini.com|access-date=3 November 2015 |archive-date=23 February 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160223130226/http://www.greecesantorini.com/santorinihistory2.htm }}</ref>

=== Brewing ===
A brewery, the [[Santorini Brewing Company]], began operating out of Santorini in 2011, based in the island's wine region.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://greece.greekreporter.com/2018/01/16/greeces-handcrafted-beers-hit-the-spot/ |title=Greece's Handcrafted Beers Hit the Spot|website=greece.greekreporter.com|date=16 January 2018|access-date=22 August 2018|archive-date=21 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180821223129/https://greece.greekreporter.com/2018/01/16/greeces-handcrafted-beers-hit-the-spot/|url-status=live}}</ref>

== Governance ==
The present municipality of Thera (officially: ''"Thira"'', {{langx|el|Δήμος Θήρας}}),<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.thira.gov.gr/EN# |title=Municipallity of Thira, official municipal government website |language=el, en |website=thira.gov.gr |access-date=13 January 2025 |archive-date=13 January 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250113124639/https://www.thira.gov.gr/EN |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thira.gov.gr/portal/page/portal/thira/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120727171013/http://www.thira.gov.gr/portal/page/portal/thira/ |archive-date=27 July 2012 |title=Municipality of Thira, English language version of the official municipal government website |access-date=17 April 2011}}</ref> which covers all settlements on the islands of Santorini and [[Therasia]], was formed at the 2011 local government reform, by the merger of the former [[Oia, Greece|Oia]] and Thera municipalities.<ref name=Kallikratis />

Oia is now called a {{lang|el|Κοινότητα}} (community), within the municipality of Thera, and it consists of the local subdivisions ({{langx|el|τοπικό διαμέρισμα}}) of Therasia and [[Oia, Greece|Oia]].

The municipality of Thera includes an additional 12 local subdivisions on Santorini island: Akrotiri, Emporio, Episkopis Gonia, Exo Gonia, [[Imerovigli]], Karterados, Megalohori, Mesaria, Pyrgos Kallistis, Thera (the seat of the municipality), Vothon, and Vourvoulos.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ypes.gr/UserFiles/f0ff9297-f516-40ff-a70e-eca84e2ec9b9/D_diairesi.xls |title=Spreadsheet table of all administrative subdivisions in Greece, and their population as of the 18 March 2001 census. |format=Excel |publisher=Hellenic Republic, Ministry of Interior, Decentralization and E-government |access-date=17 April 2011 |archive-date=19 July 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110719044958/http://www.ypes.gr/UserFiles/f0ff9297-f516-40ff-a70e-eca84e2ec9b9/D_diairesi.xls |url-status=live}}</ref>
[[File:Santorini ASTER.jpg|thumb|upright=1.25|Satellite image of [[Santorini caldera]]. The large island to the east is Thera, with Aspronisi and [[Therasia]] making up the rest of the caldera ring, clockwise. In the centre is the larger [[Nea Kameni]] and the smaller [[Palea Kameni]].]]

=== Towns and villages ===
{{Div col}}
*[[Akrotiri, Santorini|Akrotiri]]
*[[Ammoudi, (Santorini)|Ammoudi]]
*[[Athinios (Santorini)|Athinios]]
*[[Emporio (Santorini)|Emporio]]
*[[Finikia (Santorini)|Finika]]
*[[Fira]]
*[[Firostefani (Santorini)|Firostefani]]
*[[Imerovigli]]
*[[Kamari]]
*[[Karterados (Santorini)|Karterados]]
*[[Messaria (Santorini)|Messaria]]
*[[Monolithos (Santorini)|Monolithos]]
*[[Oia, Greece|Oia]]
*[[Perissa, Santorini|Perissa]]
*[[Pyrgos Kallistis]]
*[[Vothonas (Santorini)|Vothonas]]
*[[Vourvoulos]]
{{div col end}}

== Attractions ==
=== Architecture ===
The traditional architecture of Santorini is similar to that of the other [[Cyclades]], with low-lying cubical houses, made of local stone and [[whitewash]]ed or limewashed with various volcanic ashes used as colours. These colours, in recent years, tend to replace white in the colour of house façades, according to the traditional architecture of the island as it was developed until the great earthquake of 1956. The unique characteristic is the common use of the ''hypóskapha'': extensions of houses dug sideways or downwards into the surrounding [[pumice]]. These rooms are prized because of the high insulation provided by the air-filled pumice, and are used as living quarters of unique coolness in the summer and warmth in the winter. These are premium storage space for produce, especially for wine cellaring: the ''Kánava'' wineries of Santorini.

When strong earthquakes struck the island in 1956, half the buildings were completely destroyed and a large number suffered repairable damage. The underground dwellings along the ridge overlooking the caldera, where the instability of the soil was responsible for the great extent of the damage, needed to be evacuated. Most of the population of Santorini had to emigrate to Piraeus and Athens.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://users.ntua.gr/kamy/istanbul.pdf |title=Restoration, Reconstruction and Simulacra |access-date=9 March 2014 |archive-date=7 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220507142624/http://users.ntua.gr/kamy/istanbul.pdf |url-status=live}}</ref>{{clear left}}
[[File:Firostefani.jpg|thumb|Firostefani village]]

=== Fortifications ===
During the 15th and 16th centuries, the Cyclades were under threat from pirates who plundered the harvests, enslaved men and women and sold them in the slave markets. The small bays of the island were also ideal as hideouts. In response the islanders built their settlements at the highest, most inaccessible points, and very close to, or on top of, each other; while their external walls, devoid of openings, formed a protective perimeter around the village. In addition the following additional types of fortifications were built throughout the island to protect the island's inhabitants.
*'''{{lang|el|Casteli}}''' (castles), also written as kasteli, were large fortified permanent settlements. There were five on the island, Agios Nikolaos (at Oia), Akrotiri, Emborio, Pyrgos, and Skaros. At the entrance to every {{lang|el|casteli}} was a church dedicated to Agia (St.) Theodosia, the Protector-Saint of castles.
*'''{{lang|el|Goulas}}''' (from the Turkish word {{lang|tr|kule}} which means 'tower'<ref>Σπηλιοπούλου Ι.-Κωτσάκης Α., Οι Πύργοι και οι οχυρωμένες κατοικίες των νησιών του Αιγαίου και της Πελοποννήσου (14ος-19ος αι.), Eoa Kai Esperia, 8 (2013), pp. 254–255 [https://www.academia.edu/36552130/ΟΙ_ΠΥΡΓΟΙ_ΚΑΙ_ΟΙ_ΟΧΥΡΩΜΕΝΕΣ_ΚΑΤΟΙΚΙΕΣ_ΤΩΝ_ΝΗΣΙΩΝ_ΤΟΥ_ΑΙΓΑΙΟΥ_ΚΑΙ_ΤΗΣ_ΠΕΛΟΠΟΝΝΗΣΟΥ_14ΟΣ19ΟΣ_ΑΙ_ΜΙΑ_ΙΣΤΟΡΙΚΟΠΟΛΙΤΙΣΜΙΚΗ_ΠΡΟΣΕΓΓΙΣΗ_ΜΕ_ΕΜΦΑΣΗ_ΣΤΗΝ_ΠΕΡΙΠΤΩΣΗ_ΤΗΣ_ΝΑΞΟΥ]. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221109004026/https://www.academia.edu/36552130/%CE%9F%CE%99_%CE%A0%CE%A5%CE%A1%CE%93%CE%9F%CE%99_%CE%9A%CE%91%CE%99_%CE%9F%CE%99_%CE%9F%CE%A7%CE%A5%CE%A1%CE%A9%CE%9C%CE%95%CE%9D%CE%95%CE%A3_%CE%9A%CE%91%CE%A4%CE%9F%CE%99%CE%9A%CE%99%CE%95%CE%A3_%CE%A4%CE%A9%CE%9D_%CE%9D%CE%97%CE%A3%CE%99%CE%A9%CE%9D_%CE%A4%CE%9F%CE%A5_%CE%91%CE%99%CE%93%CE%91%CE%99%CE%9F%CE%A5_%CE%9A%CE%91%CE%99_%CE%A4%CE%97%CE%A3_%CE%A0%CE%95%CE%9B%CE%9F%CE%A0%CE%9F%CE%9D%CE%9D%CE%97%CE%A3%CE%9F%CE%A5_14%CE%9F%CE%A319%CE%9F%CE%A3_%CE%91%CE%99_%CE%9C%CE%99%CE%91_%CE%99%CE%A3%CE%A4%CE%9F%CE%A1%CE%99%CE%9A%CE%9F%CE%A0%CE%9F%CE%9B%CE%99%CE%A4%CE%99%CE%A3%CE%9C%CE%99%CE%9A%CE%97_%CE%A0%CE%A1%CE%9F%CE%A3%CE%95%CE%93%CE%93%CE%99%CE%A3%CE%97_%CE%9C%CE%95_%CE%95%CE%9C%CE%A6%CE%91%CE%A3%CE%97_%CE%A3%CE%A4%CE%97%CE%9D_%CE%A0%CE%95%CE%A1%CE%99%CE%A0%CE%A4%CE%A9%CE%A3%CE%97_%CE%A4%CE%97%CE%A3_%CE%9D%CE%91%CE%9E%CE%9F%CE%A5|date=9 November 2022}}.</ref>) were multi-storey, rectangular, and the highest tower of most kastelli. There were four goulas on the island. They were used both as an observatory and as a place of refuge for the islanders. They had thick walls, parapets, an iron gate, murder holes, and embrasures.
*'''{{lang|el|Viglio}}''' were small coastal watchtowers, which were permanently garrisoned, from where a watch was maintained and an alarm raised when a pirate ship was sighted.

== Infrastructure ==
=== Electricity ===
Electricity for both Santorini and Therasia is principally supplied from the Thira Autonomous Power Station which is located at Monolithos in the eastern part of Santorini. Owned by [[Public Power Corporation]] (PPC) it has generators powered by diesel engines and gas turbines. The two islands have a total installed capacity of 75.09 MW of thermal generation and 0.25 MW of renewable generation.<ref>{{Cite web |last=GeoEnergy |first=Think |date=19 January 2018 |title=Greek island of Santorini partners with PPC Renewables on geothermal project {{!}} ThinkGeoEnergy – Geothermal Energy News |url=https://www.thinkgeoenergy.com/greek-island-of-santorini-partners-with-ppc-renewables-on-geothermal-project/ |access-date=5 May 2022 |language=en-US |archive-date=5 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220505080122/https://www.thinkgeoenergy.com/greek-island-of-santorini-partners-with-ppc-renewables-on-geothermal-project/ |url-status=live }}</ref> There is a programme underway at a cost of €124 million as part of the Cyclades Interconnection Project to connect the island via a submarine cable to Naxos and hence by extension to the mainland system by 2023.<ref>{{cite web |title=Santorini-Naxos grid link tender set to be announced by IPTO |publisher=Energy Press |date=29 December 2020 |url=https://energypress.eu/santorini-grid-link-project-with-naxos-set-to-be-announced-by-ipto/ |access-date=22 January 2021 |archive-date=20 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210120200242/https://energypress.eu/santorini-grid-link-project-with-naxos-set-to-be-announced-by-ipto/ |url-status=live}}</ref>

A fire at the power station in Monolithos on 13 August 2018 put it out of service, resulting in a total loss of electricity supply across the two islands. Within four days electricity had been restored to all but 10% of the islands' consumers. Vessels were dispatched to carry two power generators to assist in supporting the restoration of the electricity supply.<ref>{{cite web |title=Interior, tourism ministers to Santorini to check power problems |publisher=[[Kathimerini]] |date=16 August 2013 |url=https://www.ekathimerini.com/153034/article/ekathimerini/news/interior-tourism-ministers-to-santorini-to-check-power-problems |access-date=15 January 2021 |archive-date=24 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230424165248/https://www.ekathimerini.com/news/153034/interior-tourism-ministers-to-santorini-to-check-power-problems/ |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Power supply returning to normal on Santorini |publisher=[[Kathimerini]] |date=17 August 2013 |url=https://www.ekathimerini.com/153057/article/ekathimerini/news/power-supply-returning-to-normal-on-santorini |access-date=17 January 2021 |archive-date=24 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230424165250/https://www.ekathimerini.com/news/153057/power-supply-returning-to-normal-on-santorini/ |url-status=live}}</ref>

Electricity is distributed around the island by The Hellenic Electricity Distribution System Operator (HEDNO S.A. or DEDDIE S.A.) which is a 100% owned subsidiary of PPC. A cable connects the Thirasia and Santorini electrical distribution systems.

=== Transportation ===
The central bus station is in Fira, the capital of the island, where buses depart very frequently. They cover routes to almost all places around the island and to most tourist spots.

Apart from its connection with other Cyclades islands, Santorini is also connected by ferry with Piraeus on a daily basis all year long, with up to 5 direct crossings during summer.

==== Airport ====
[[File:Santorini Airport.JPG|thumb|Santorini airport viewed from ancient Thera]]
{{See also|Santorini (Thira) International Airport}}
Santorini is one of the few [[Cyclades]] Islands with a major airport, which lies about {{cvt|6|km|0}} southeast of downtown Thera. The main asphalt runway (16L-34R) is {{cvt|2125|m|0|abbr=off}} in length, and the parallel taxiway was built to runway specification (16R-34L). It can accommodate [[Boeing 757]], [[Boeing 737]], [[Airbus A320]] series, [[Avro RJ]], [[Fokker 70]], and [[ATR 72]] aircraft. Scheduled airlines include the new [[Olympic Air]], [[Aegean Airlines]], [[Ryanair]], and Sky Express, with flights chartered from other airlines during the summer, and with transport to and from the air terminal available through buses, taxis, hotel car-pickups, and hire cars.

==== Land ====
Bus services link Fira to most parts of the island.<ref>{{cite web |title=Santorini Public Buses |url=https://www.ktel-santorini.gr/index.php/en/ |website=www.ktel-santorini.gr |access-date=22 September 2019 |archive-date=15 June 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190615222444/https://www.ktel-santorini.gr/index.php/en/ |url-status=live}}</ref>
 
==== Ports ====
[[File:Santorini cruise ships in caldera.jpg|thumbnail|Ferry and cruise ship in the caldera 2013]]
Santorini has two ports: [[Athinios (Santorini)|Athinios]] (Ferry Port) and Skala (Old Port).<ref name="athiniosprt">{{cite web|url=https://www.santorini-port.com|title=Athinios Ferry Port in Santorini|website=santorini-port.com|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250425180027/https://www.santorini-port.com/|archive-date=25 April 2025}}</ref><ref name="santoriniports">{{cite web|url=https://www.santoriniports.gov.gr/en|title=Municipal Port Fund of Thira (Santorini Port Authority) - Ship Traffic (Live Map)|publisher=Municipal Port Fund of Thira|language=el, en|website=santoriniports.gov.gr|url-status=live|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20250425175335/https://www.santoriniports.gov.gr/en|archive-date=25 April 2025}}</ref> Cruise ships anchor off Skala and passengers are transferred by local boatmen to shore at Skala where Fira is accessed by [[Santorini cable car|cable car]], on foot or by donkeys and mules. The use of donkeys for tourist transportation has attracted significant criticism from animal rights organisations for animal abuse and neglect, including failure to provide the donkeys with sufficient water or rest.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Greek island accused of abusing its star attraction: donkeys |url=https://www.dw.com/en/greek-island-accused-of-abusing-its-star-attraction-donkeys/a-49480177 |date=8 July 2019 |website=DW.COM |language=en-GB |access-date=11 July 2019 |archive-date=8 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190708171609/https://www.dw.com/en/greek-island-accused-of-abusing-its-star-attraction-donkeys/a-49480177 |url-status=live}}</ref> Tour boats depart from Skala for Nea Kameni and other Santorini destinations.<ref name="athiniosprt"/><ref name="santoriniports"/>   

=== Water and sewerage ===
As the island lies in a rain shadow between the mountains of Crete and the Peloponnese water seems to have been scarce at least from post-eruption times.<ref>{{cite web |title=Santorini Water Museum, Greece |publisher=Water Museums |date=25 July 1995 |url=https://www.watermuseums.net/museum/church-of-panaghia-episkopi-cistern-and-water-walks/ |access-date=15 January 2021 |archive-date=20 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210120172913/https://www.watermuseums.net/museum/church-of-panaghia-episkopi-cistern-and-water-walks/ }}</ref> This, combined with the small size of the island, the lack of rivers, and the nature of the soil, which is largely composed of volcanic ash, as well as the high summer temperatures meant that there was very little surface water.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Bitis |first=Ioannis |title=Water supply methods in Ancient Thera: the case of the sanctuary of Apollo Karneios |journal=Water Supply |volume=13 |issue=3 |pages=638–645 |year=2013 |doi=10.2166/ws.2013.017 |bibcode=2013WatSu..13..638B |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/269599347}}</ref> With only one spring (Zoodochos Pigi – the Life-giving Spring) this encouraged the practice of diverting any rain that fell on roofs and courtyards to elaborate underground cisterns, supplemented in the 20th century with water imported from other areas of Greece. Owing to the lack of water islanders developed non-irrigated crops such as vines and olives that could survive on only the scant moisture provided by the common early-morning fog condensing on the ground as [[dew]].

Many cisterns ceased to be used following the 1956 earthquake. As tourism increased, the existing [[rainwater harvesting]] methods proved incapable of supplying the increased demand. As a result, it has become necessary to construct [[desalination]] plants which now provide running but non-potable water to most residents. This has led to many of the historic cisterns falling into disrepair.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Enriquez |first1=Jared |last2=Tipping |first2=David C. |last3=Lee |first3=Jung-Ju |last4=Vijay |first4=Abhinav |last5=Kenny |first5=Laura |last6=Chen |first6=Susan |last7=Mainas |first7=Nikolaos |last8=Holst-Warhaft |first8=Gail |last9=Steenhuis |first9=Tammo |title=Water Management in the Tourism Economy: Linking the Mediterranean's Traditional Rainwater Cisterns to Modern Needs |journal=Water |volume=9 |issue=11 |year=2017 |doi=10.3390/w9110868 |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/320939498 |doi-access=free}}</ref>

The first desalination plant was built at Oia following a donation in 1992 by the Oia-born businessman [[Aristeidis Alafouzos]]. By 2003 the plant had expanded to house three desalination units (of which two had been donated by Alafouzos).<ref>{{cite web |title=Santorini: Bottled drinking water |publisher=[[Kathimerini]] |date=30 July 2003 |url=https://www.ekathimerini.com/16112/article/ekathimerini/news/santorini-bottled-drinking-water |access-date=20 January 2021 |archive-date=24 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230424165325/https://www.ekathimerini.com/news/16112/santorini-bottled-drinking-water/ |url-status=live}}</ref> As of 2020 the plant has six desalination units with a total capacity of {{cvt|2800|m3}} per day.<ref name= DEYATH>{{cite web |title=Desalination Deva Thira |publisher=DEYA Thira |date=2020 |url=https://deyathira.gr/afalatoseis-deya-thiras/ |access-date=18 January 2021 |archive-date=25 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210125185856/https://deyathira.gr/afalatoseis-deya-thiras/ |url-status=live}}</ref>

In addition to Oia there are currently desalination plants at Aghia Paraskevi, located on the southwest side of the airport with a capacity of {{cvt|5000|m3}} per day which supplies Kamari, Vothonas, Messaria, Exo Gonia, Mesa Gonia, Agia Paraskevi, and Monolithos;<ref>{{cite web |last=Solaris |first=Giorgos |title=Tender for the supply and installation of new desalination plants in Exo Gialos Fira, Santorini |language=el|date=27 May 2020 |url=https://cyclades24.gr/2020/05/prokiryssete-i-promithia-ke-egkatastasi-neon-monadon-afalatosis-exo-gialou-firon-santorinis/ |access-date=1 March 2025 }}</ref> Fira with a capacity of {{cvt|1200|m3}} per day;<ref name= DEYATH /> Akrotiri (also known as the Cape) which has two units with a total capacity of {{cvt|650|m3}} per day;<ref name= DEYATH /> Exo Gialos which has two units with a total capacity of {{cvt|2000|m3}} per day which supplies Fira, Imerovigli, Karteradou, Pyrgos, Megalochori and Vourvoulou; and Therasia which has two TEMAK units with a total capacity of {{cvt|350|m3}} per day.<ref name=DEYATH />

There are also a number of small autonomous drinking water production units with a capacity of {{cvt|6|m3}} per day located at Kamari, Emporio, Messaria and Thirasia Island.<ref name= DEYATH />

The provision of water supply and sewage treatment and disposal on both Santorini and Therasia Islands is undertaken by the municipally owned DEYA Thiras. It was founded in May 2011, after the merging of the Municipal Water Supply and Sewerage Company of Thera (DEYA Thera) and the Community Water Supply and Sewerage Company of Oia ({{lang|el|K .Ε.Υ.Α. Οίας}}). Known as DEYATH it is responsible for the planning, construction, management, operation and maintenance of the water supply system (desalination plants and pumping wells), irrigation, drainage, and the wastewater collection networks and treatment plants for the islands of Thira (Santorini) and Therasia. The Loulas and Evangelos Nomikos Foundation has funded a number of projects aimed at improving the water supply and sewage systems on the islands.

== Notable people ==
*[[Aristeidis Alafouzos]], businessman
*[[Giannis Alafouzos]], former president of [[Panathinaikos F.C.]]
*[[Mariza Koch]], singer
*[[Spyros Markezinis]], politician
*[[Themison of Thera]]

== In popular culture ==
The movie ''[[Summer Lovers]]'' (1982) was filmed on location here.<ref>{{cite web |title=Summer Lovers |url=https://www.reelstreets.com/films/summer-lovers/ |website=Reelstreets |access-date=10 May 2021 |archive-date=10 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210510065248/https://www.reelstreets.com/films/summer-lovers/ |url-status=live}}</ref>

The island was a featured filming location in the 2005 film ''[[The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (film)|The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants]]'' and [[The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2|its sequel]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 Filming Locations |url=https://www.tripsavvy.com/sisterhood-of-the-traveling-pants-2-filming-locations-1525859 |website=TripSavvy |access-date=10 May 2021 |archive-date=10 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210510142835/https://www.tripsavvy.com/sisterhood-of-the-traveling-pants-2-filming-locations-1525859 |url-status=live}}</ref>

Santorini inspired French pop singer-songwriter [[Nolwenn Leroy]] for her song "Mystère", released on her 2005 album ''Histoires Naturelles'' ("Aux criques de Santorin").<ref>[https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/9060961/Nolwenn+Leroy/Myst%C3%A8re "Nolwenn Leroy – Mystère"]. Lyrics.com.</ref>

Australian Singer-songwriter [[Donny Benét]] wrote a single called ''Santorini'', released as part of his 2018 album ''The Don''.

The Santorini Film Festival is held annually at the open-air cinema, Cinema Kamari, in Santorini.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://santorinifilmfest.com/|title=Santorini Film Festival|website= santorinifilmfest.com|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250425183100/https://santorinifilmfest.com/|archive-date=25 April 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Santorini Film Festival|url=https://filmfreeway.com/SantoriniFilmFestival |website=FilmFreeway |access-date=27 October 2019 |language=en |archive-date=25 July 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200725221825/https://filmfreeway.com/SantoriniFilmFestival |url-status=live}}</ref>

American hip hop musician [[Rick Ross]] has a song titled "[[Rather You Than Me|Santorini Greece]]", and its 2017 music video was shot on the island.<ref>{{cite web |title=Here's What Greeks Think of Rick Ross' "Santorini Greece" Music Video |url=https://theculturetrip.com/europe/greece/articles/heres-what-greeks-think-of-rick-ross-santorini-greece-video/ |website=The Culture Trip |date=20 September 2017 |access-date=10 May 2021 |archive-date=9 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210509015139/https://theculturetrip.com/europe/greece/articles/heres-what-greeks-think-of-rick-ross-santorini-greece-video/ |url-status=live}}</ref>

Santorini appears in 2014's ''[[Call of Duty Advanced Warfare]]'' during the mission Manhunt. The player tracks down a target before chasing that target through the streets.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ign.com/wikis/call-of-duty-advanced-warfare/Manhunt|title=Manhunt|publisher=[[IGN]]|date=November 7, 2014|access-date=July 13, 2025|website=IGN.com|last=Madrigal|first=Hector}}</ref>

The 2018 video game ''[[Assassin's Creed Odyssey]]'' features a DLC extra entitled ''Fate of Atlantis'', in which a gateway to the mythical lost city of [[Atlantis]] is located in a temple beneath the island of Thera.<ref>{{cite web |title=How to start The Fate of Atlantis Assassin's Creed Odyssey DLC |url=https://www.vg247.com/2019/07/15/start-fate-of-atlantis-dlc-assassins-creed-odyssey/ |website=VG 24/7 |access-date=10 May 2021 |archive-date=10 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210510073348/https://www.vg247.com/2019/07/15/start-fate-of-atlantis-dlc-assassins-creed-odyssey/ }}</ref>

The board game ''[[Santorini (game)|Santorini]]'', inspired by the architecture of the island's cliffside villages, was published in 2004 by Gordon Hamilton.<ref name="Purple Pawn">{{cite web |url=http://www.purplepawn.com/2017/03/spin-master-taking-on-santorini-and-5-minute-dungeon-for-push-in-to-hobby-market/|title=Spin Master Taking On Santorini and 5-Minute Dungeon for Push in to Hobby Market |date=2 March 2017|publisher=Purple Pawn |access-date=30 September 2017 |first=David |last=Miller |archive-date=1 October 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171001031137/http://www.purplepawn.com/2017/03/spin-master-taking-on-santorini-and-5-minute-dungeon-for-push-in-to-hobby-market/}}</ref>

The [[K-Pop]] girl group ARTMS had an official photoshoot in Santorini for their 2024 Season's greetings. 

In the film ''[[The Parting of the Sea|The Parting of the Sea: How Volcanoes, Earthquakes, and Plagues Shaped the Exodus Story]]'', geologist [[Barbara J. Sivertsen]] seeks to establish a link between the eruption of Santorini (c. 1600 BC) and the [[The Exodus|Exodus]] of the [[Israelites]] from [[Egypt]] in the [[Bible]].

== See also ==
*[[List of volcanoes in Greece]]
*[[Santorini tomato]]
*[[Santorini (wine)]]
*[[Santorini cable car]]

== Notes ==
{{Notelist}}

== References ==
{{Reflist|30em}}

== Sources ==
*Forsyth, Phyllis Y.: ''Thera in the Bronze Age'', Peter Lang Pub. Inc., New York, 1997. {{ISBN|0-8204-4889-3}}.
*Friedrich, W., ''Fire in the Sea: the Santorini Volcano: Natural History and the Legend of Atlantis'', translated by Alexander R. McBirney, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2000.
*History Channel's "Lost Worlds: Atlantis" archeology series. Features scientists Dr. J. Alexander MacGillivray (archeologist), Dr. Colin F. MacDonald (archaeologist), Professor Floyd McCoy (vulcanologist), Professor Clairy Palyvou (architect), Nahid Humbetli (geologist) and Dr. Gerassimos Papadopoulos ([[seismologist]]).

== Further reading ==
*[https://phys.org/news/2025-10-radiocarbon-dating-egyptian-artifacts-thera.html Radiocarbon dating of Egyptian artifacts puts Thera (Santorini) volcanic eruption prior to Pharaoh Ahmose - phys dot org - October 22, 2025]
*Bond, A. and Sparks, R. S. J. (1976). "The Minoan eruption of Santorini, Greece". ''Journal of the Geological Society of London'', Vol. 132, pp. 1–16.
*Doumas, C. (1983). ''Thera: Pompeii of the ancient Aegean''. London: Thames and Hudson.
*Pichler, H. and Friedrich, W. L. (1980). "Mechanism of the Minoan eruption of Santorini". Doumas, C. ''Papers and Proceedings of the Second International Scientific Congress on Thera and the Aegean World II.''
*{{citation|ref=none|url=https://cas.illinois.edu/node/1119|title=Was the Bronze Age Volcanic Eruption of Thira (Santorini) a Megacatastrophe? A Geological/Archeological Detective Story}}. A lecture presented at [[University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign]] (UIUC), by the Grant Heiken, independent consultant, author, geologist (retired), sponsored by [[Center for Global Studies]] (cgs.illinois.edu) and Center for Advanced Study (cas.uiuc.edu).  
*{{ill|The Sacred Rock in Santorini|wikidata |Q96313799}}    
*[https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/14629a.htm Thera (Santorin) - Catholic Encyclopedia article] at [[New Advent]]
*[https://therafoundation.org/santorini-volcano/thera-volcano-eruption  The Eruption of Thera: Date and Implications] at therafoundation.org 
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20150323124020/http://www.uri.edu/news/releases/?id=3654  Santorini eruption much larger than originally believed] at [[University of Rhode Island]]

== External links ==
{{Sister project auto|wikt=yes}}

* [https://www.thira.gr/ Official website of the Thira Municipality]
* [https://santorini.gr/ Official travel website of Santorini]

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[[Category:Santorini| ]]
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