Greek Islands

Kos Town

Kos Town Avra - Akteon - Church

Welcome to Kos Town!

The town of Kos was founded in 366 BC, in exactly the same area as exists the present town. It thrived during the Hellenistic and Roman periods, being a crossroad between the civilizations of East and West, the meeting point for both culture and trade. Its public market was of great fame during antiquity and is still flourishing today.

When entering the harbor of Kos town, the imposing medieval Castle of Neratzia is bound to draw your attention. This castle is connected to the mainland by a bridge that crosses the Palm Tree Avenue, the same one that connects the Castle to the Platanos, the large plane tree under which Hippocrates, the Father of Medicine, is believed to have taught.

Given the age of the admittedly centuries-old tree, but in no way of an age of around two and a half millennia, one arrives to an understanding of the immense impact Hippocrates has had on ancient Greek society and the need of the local people to remain connected with the tradition his healing approach created. It should be added here that medical doctors in Greece, in order to be awarded their diploma, do take the Hippocratic Oath, an oath to devote oneself to the patient's well-being at the highest ethical level.

All around Kos town you can find signs of the past, reminders of the civilizations that once existed. Numerous buildings are built in imitation of the Italian architecture of the colonies in North Africa, most typical being the Country Hall. In order to appreciate the variety of antiquities that Kos has to offer, make a stop at the Archaeological Museum, located at Eleftherias Square, exhibiting a wide collection of archaeological treasures, such as the mosaic of Hippocrates, the Hellenistic sculptures of Aphrodite and Eros, and one believed to be of Hippocrates himself.

Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Ottomans and Italians have passed through the island and formed the mosaic of modern Kos. Many archaeological monuments dating back to more than 3000 years can be found over the landscape, some of them being the Odeon (ancient theater), the Roman House (Casa Romana), the Ancient Marketplace, the “Abduction of Europa,” the Western Excavations and many, many more.

The Asklepieion, located just outside Kos town, is probably the most famous and important archaeological site on the island. It is known world-wide as the center of Hippocrates' Medical School, since it was there that Hippocrates used to practice medicine, and it was there that the Hippocratic Oath was first taken. It is an enduring tradition that the Hippocratic Oath can still be heard every summer in the Temple of Asklepius, recited in ancient Greek, a practice that brings awe to all those attending.

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