Messaria

With a population of 2,092 according to the 2011 census, the Municipal Unit of Messaria includes the settlement of Messaria as well as Monolithos. Messaria is a busy junction on the island, both since it is just 3.5 kilometers from Fira and also because the main road that heads to the eastern part of the island and the airport passes by here. The old settlement that existed here since the 17th century was dug into the side of the ravine, as in neighboring Vothonas. The village had its heyday in the 19th century, when it became the center of industrial development on the island thanks to factories such as the Markezinis Knitting Factory. The old neoclassical mansions that still survive today also harken back to this heyday. Messaria is one of the most densely populated settlements of Santorini, and especially during the summer months its roads are full of traffic. Its shopping center and marketplace are on the main provincial road.