Less than one mile separates the small island Thirassia from Santorini, but they couldn't be further apart: there is no trace here of the cosmopolitan air so vivid in the larger island. Authentic and unpretentious, Thirassia offers the perfect antidote to Santorini's crowds, maintaining much of the same charm. Thirassia is actually a part of Santorini or rather of the greater round island that used to be called Stroggyli and pre-existed in an undivided form. After the tremendous earthquake that shook the Aegean, following the pre-historic eruption of the volcanic crater underneath Stroggyli, the island 'broke' into pieces. Its central part was left submerged underwater, while the rest remained above the sea to create Santorini , Thirassia and Aspronisi, the three islands that form the imaginary rim of the – still active – volcano.
The island's history follows hand in hand, and in many cases, takes a lead over Santorini's. During the 13th century, the Latin conqueror Sanoudos first landed in Thirassia, before settling on the main island. And a small chuch built on the hill above Thirassia's port, dedicated to Agia Irini (Santa Irini) is said to have been the inspiration for the naming of Santorini – although there is a similar legend said for another St. Irini church located on the main island.
In mid 18th century, Thirassia acquired a strange connection with the other end of the world. There used to be a mine here, owned by the family of Nikolaos Alafouzos, which produced the rather rare mineral called pozzolana. This was exported all the way to Suez to be used for the construction of the famous channel. Miners working on site found remnants of an ancient building, ceramic fragments and even a human skeleton. These discoveries led to a group of archaeologists coming over to examine them and further excavate the area, producing more findings and paving the way to the excavation of Akrotiri, which lead to some of the greatest archaeological discoveries of all time. Made by the same materials, Thirassia and Santorini share common geological characteristics, as well as architectural lines, traditions and customs. The soil here is colored in black, brown and red hues as well and is equally fertile as that of Santorini's. The vegetation is low, the waters saphire blue and the houses hewn in the volcanic rock and glimmering white in the Mediterranean sun. But here is where the similarities with Santorini stop, as Thirassia is not a worldwide cosmopolitan hotspot, but a place to calm down and enjoy in tranquility.
