What is Naxos Island?
[[File:Naxos map.png|200px|right|thumb|The map of Naxos]] '''Naxos''' is a [[Greece|Greek]] island. It is the largest of [[Cyclades]] group islands. Its total area is 430 [[square meter|sq.m.]]. It is in the center of the [[Aegean Sea]]. Naxos has a population of 18,188 people. The largest town on the island is Naxos City, which has a population of 6,533 people. ==Sights-Tourism== Naxos is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Greece. Every year, many tourists visit Naxos. Most of them are from western European countries.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.naxos.world-guides.com/ |title=Naxos Tourism |access-date=2010-01-07 |archive-date=2010-01-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100105000559/http://www.naxos.world-guides.com/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> Naxos has many beautiful beaches. In Naxos there are [[ruins]] of medieval castles and ancient temples. The most famous sight is a part of an ancient temple which is in the entrance of Naxos port. Also the medieval castle of Naxos. ==History== [[File:Naxos Gate.JPG|200px|right|thumb|A part of ancient temple in Naxos]] In mythology, Naxos was the place where the god [[Dionysus]] abducted the daughter of king [[Minos]], [[Ariadne]]. Ariadne was on island with the ancient hero [[Theseus]]. In ancient times, Naxos was an Ionian colony. The island belonged to association of [[Delian League]] with [[Athens]] and other Ionian cities. In the year 503 B.C. Naxos was destroyed by a Persian fleet. Later, Naxos was a poor island without power. In the medieval era, Naxos was under the [[Byzantine Empire|Byzantine]] rule and afterwards under the [[Venice|Venetian]] rule.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.therafoundation.org/articles/history/venetianrule1207-1580 |title=The Venetian rule |access-date=2010-01-07 |archive-date=2010-04-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100425102725/http://www.therafoundation.org/articles/history/venetianrule1207-1580 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In the sixteenth century it passed under the [[Ottoman]] rule. Naxos became a pa