The Municipality of Zakynthos belongs to the island complex of the Ionian Islands and includes the island of Zakynthos, known as Zante, the lavender fiori, a flower of the East, as the Venetians called it. Zakynthos is 10 min away from Kyllini in the Prefecture of Ilia and 9 min from the island of Kefalonia.
Zakynthos has an area of ​​406km2 and a population of 40,758 inhabitants, based on the latest census of 2011.
The seat of the island is the city of Zakynthos.
It is believed that the first inhabitants of the island were the Achaeans who moved to Zakynthos from the Peloponnese in the 16th century BC. During the historical years, especially during the Peloponnesian War, Zakynthos was in favor of the Athenians. Subsequently, he was subjugated to the Macedonians and followed by the Roman occupation in the 2nd century BC. For years it was under Byzantine sovereignty. After the fall of Constantinople, the island was ruled by the Orsini family and in 1485 it was conquered by the Venetians, who remained for more than 300 years. The Venetians were the ones who divided the inhabitants into three bourgeois classes: the noblemen, who wrote in the Golden Bible the known libro d 'oro, the civili and the popolari. The island was taken over by the French and then by the Russians who had allies the Turks. In 1800, the Ionian State was founded and was the first independent Greek state. In 1809 the English took over the leadership of the island and set Zakynthos the capital of the Ionian state. Zakynthos, like the rest of the Ionian Islands, was incorporated with Greece in 1864.
Zakynthos was one of the islands that flourished in the arts and letters. In fact, the two great poets were born on the island, Dionysios Solomos and Andreas Kalvos. Unparalleled beauty was the architecture of the island with its famous mansions. The great earthquake of 1953 lowered much of these buildings.
Today Zakynthos is one of the many tourist islands in the country. Many are the sights of the island in the city of Zakynthos, but also in other areas. In the capital of the island dominates the towering bell tower of Agios Dionysios and its church built in 1948, where the relic of Saint Dionysios is protected by the patron saint of the island. Impressive is Solomou Square with the statue of the poet, the Byzantine Museum, Agios Nikolaos of Molos, the Lady of the Angels and others. Close to Solomou Square is St. Mark's Square with the metropolis of Catholics. Above the city dominates the castle built by the Venetians.
On Strani Hill, it is said that Dionysios Solomos, listening to the cannons of the besieged Messolonghi, wrote the Hymn to Freedom, which in the course of the melody was modeled by Nicholas Mantzar and became the National Anthem of Greece.
The island of Zakynthos has picturesque villages and exceptional beaches, world-renowned, such as the Shipwreck, Laganas from the most touristic parts of the island. The Caretta-Caretta sea turtle is born on this particular sandy beach. This area has been designated a National Park. Very nice beaches are also Tsilivi, Alykies, Alikanas.
South of Zakynthos, at 27 nd. there are the Strofades islands known by the Metamorphosis monastery founded in 1241 by the empress of Byzantium Irene.