The impressive Tourliti lighthouse and the small church of Panagia Thalassini in Andros are among the most characteristic and photographed spots of the island.

The Tourlitis lighthouse is located at the entrance of the port of Chora tis Andros opposite the Venetian Castle and is the only lighthouse in Europe built on a rock in the sea.

Panagia Thalassini of Andros is a picturesque little church built on a rock in the sea, at the entrance of Chora and protects those who travel by sea, together with Agios Nikolaos.

In fact, in her iconography, the Virgin Mary is depicted in blue and not in a red robe as usual, thus showing her relationship with the sea.

The story of the lighthouse

Tourliti Lighthouse was built in 1887 and first operated on January 1, 1897. It was 7 meters high, 36 meters focal height, and topographic class E with a flare of 11 nautical miles.

It stood out for its operation, since it is the first automatic lighthouse in Greece with technology that gave it great reliability, because it did not require constant surveillance. During the Second World War, in September 1943, it was destroyed by German bombing.

In 1996 it was reconstructed at the expense of the Goulandris family. The stones used for its construction came from Northern Epirus.

Today the Tourlitis lighthouse has become a stamp and is included in the “Lighthouses of Greece” stamp series of the Hellenic Post Office.

Video-information Point Of View GR