Galaxidi, is a traditional preserved settlement, vastly famous for its nautical legacy, throughout the centuries. It is a seaside town in Fokida prefecture, located in the Corinthian Gulf next to Itea and in close proximity to Delphi and Arachova. The name “Galaxidi” lasts, according to historical sources, back to the 10th c. and derives from either a family of region’s landowners or by a homonymous Byzantine emperor. The settlement managed to maintain its unique identity despite the conquerors’ invasions and catastrophes through the years.
It combines both coastal scenery and a beautiful mountainside, which maintains the prestige of its brilliant past value. The picturesque and atmospheric region resembles an island or a movie scenery placed years behind. Galaxidi was the hometown for some of the country’s most important shipping families. The Nautical and Historical Museum, first of its kind in Greece, presents to the public, a quick view of this unique legacy. As well as, Agora and Hirolakas, the two famous old harbors of Galaxidi. It is consider as the place of considerable seafaring reputation and contribution in the naval battles of the War of Greek Independence in 1821. During the 18th and 19th centuries, many Galaxidian ships set sail across to Mediterranean Sea.
Nowadays, the aura of the sea past is embodied in the field of local architecture. Captains’ residences, neoclassical houses adorned by maritime-themed statuettes, quaint alleyways and picturesque harbors are especially affected by the liquid element. Last but not least, ancient monuments as the Tomb of King Locros and the remnants of the walls of ancient Oianthi along with the byzantine Monastery of the Resurrection are the prime examples of the city’s cultural heritage.
