First Inhabited during the Neolithic Age. When the Italians occupied the island it was made a naval base and in the place Lakki a new city was founded. During the Second World War, after the capitulation of the Italians, Leros was liberated by Greek military company. Following a two-years English occupation in March 1948 it was integrated to Greece with the other Dodecanese too. During the civil war and in the period of dictatorship it was an exile place. Leros is situated between Patmos and Kalymnos with landscapes of amazing beauty covered with pine forests and marvellous beaches. It is extended in an area of 53 sq.km. and in a distance of 171 n.m. (approx.12 hours) from Piraeus. The capital consists of three joined settlements that is Platanos, built amphitheatrically, St.Marina, secondary port of Leros and the picturesque Panteli. Platanos is the oldest settlement and capital of Leros. Here they are housed together the Library and the Historical Archives. Next to Panteli it is located Vromolithos, an open bay with vast sandy beach and pebble. In the entry of the port of St.Marina there is a Roman castle founded in the ruins of the ancient acropole, while at the seaside you will see characteristical flour-mill of the beginning of the 20th century. To visit the castle, at the top of the hill Apityki, you can go either from Panteli or Platanos. It was built on ancient ruins during Byzantine times and its final shape had been formed by the Crusaders Knights of St.John and the Venetians as well. In the castle you can visit the monastery of Panaghia Kyra (Virgin Mary) with fantastic wall paintings. Worthwhile are the mansions of Kandioglou and Antonellou, as well as the churches of St.Paraskevi in Platanos, of Evangelistria (Annunciation of Virgin Mary) in St.Marina, of Sotira Christos (Salviour Christ) in the homonym settlement and the church of Timios Stavros (Holy Cross). The Archaeological Museum is to be found in St.Marina, while in the castle of Apityki there is an archaeological and ecclesiastical collection. In the centre of the bay of St.Marina there is Alinda, almost joined with the settlement Krithoni. The place is full of pine and olive trees. Very close to Alinda there is the location Kryphos, a small marvellous sandy beach while in the upper place there is in an elevation Klidi the highest place of Leros (320 m.) The mansion Beleni, a fine renovated building, one of the most beautiful mansions of our country, houses the Popular and Historical Museum. In the surroundings there are the churches of St.Sofronios, of Sts.Saranta, St.Isidor built in an islet joined with the mainland as well as the church of Panaghia Gourlomata of the 14th century. Lakki with the impressive italian buildings, the broad roads and parks, is the main harbour of the island. In the seashore there is a monument -reminder of the sinking of the war ship "Queen Olga" by the German air-force. In the entry of the bay there are the churches of St. Spyridonas, St.George and St.Zaharias, while in Lakki there is the church of St.John Theologos built on the ruins of a church of the 11th century in basilica rythm. Xirokampos is a settlement built in a small valley, 7 km. from St.Marina. At the top of it is situated Paliokastro and the chapel of Panaghia (Virgin Mary). In Partheni, most northern part of Leros, it is the location where the sanctuary of Parthenos Artemis (Virgin Diana) was built. The sanctuary was destroyed in the 11th century, when the holy Christodoulos used architectural parts of the temple to build the church of St.George.