Katapola Village and Ancient City of Minoa, GREECE
Katapola and the ancient city of Minoa, located on the island of Amorgos in the Cyclades, stand at a critical crossroads where timely intervention can still make a decisive difference. The village and the ancient site are currently at threat by a planned large-scale port development project. Strong mobilisation by local citizens has already proven its impact, successfully slowing the urban planning process and demonstrating the site’s high advocacy potential. While fragmented private ownership of the land and the absence of formal project approvals complicate direct legal action, these challenges also underline the urgency of international attention at this early stage. Inclusion on the 7 Most Endangered list could significantly influence national decision-making before irreversible construction begins, positioning Katapola as a blueprint for other Mediterranean places — such as Monemvasia and Patmos — struggling to reconcile heritage protection with development pressure.
Amorgos stands as one of the most unspoilt medium-sized islands in the Aegean, with a dramatic landscape and largely untouched by mass tourism. The Cyclades have been described by archaeologist Colin Renfrew as the birthplace of European civilisation, and on Amorgos, the village of Katapola serves as a living testament to this long continuity of human settlement. Today, Katapola is home to around 150 permanent residents, though its population rises sharply during the peak season. Its cultural landscape is of exceptional value, bringing together the archaeological remains of the ancient city of Minoa, the traditional village of Katapola, surrounding agricultural land and a natural bay into a rare and coherent ensemble.
The ancient city of Minoa — one of the three principal ancient cities of Amorgos alongside Aegiali and Arkesini — bears witness to uninterrupted human presence from the late 5th millennium BC. Formally established in the 11th century BC by settlers from Samos, it developed as a fortified acropolis overlooking its port and later expanded toward the coast during the Roman period. Although only partially excavated, the archaeological site preserves important remains — primarily from the Hellenistic and Roman periods — including inscriptions, architectural fragments, mosaic floors and vaulted tombs.
Katapola, its surrounding landscape and the ancient city of Minoa are protected by a series of Presidential Decrees, while a significant part of Amorgos is designated as a Natura 2000 site, underscoring its ecological importance at European level; nevertheless, protection remains fragile, with parts of the archaeological site still privately owned and insufficiently safeguarded.
Today, the area faces mounting threats from infrastructure projects that far exceed the island’s carrying capacity. Plans for a large new port — entailing land reclamation, new buildings, parking facilities, cruise-ship berths and new roads crossing the archaeological zone — risk irreversible damage to both the ancient site and the fragile landscape. These pressures are compounded by water scarcity, energy insecurity, inadequate waste management, housing shortages for residents and the growing dominance of mass tourism.
The Advisory Panel of the 7 Most Endangered Programme emphasised: “Katapola and the ancient city of Minoa form a rare continuum between landscape, archaeology and living community. This delicate balance, shaped over millennia by the close relationship between human activity and nature, is now at serious risk. Proposed large-scale infrastructure developments threaten not only an exceptional archaeological site, but also the social and environmental fabric that defines the island’s identity. The Ancient Cite of Minoa – designated as a ‘roadless area’ to protect its natural and agricultural environment – and Katapola Village stand as a powerful example of how heritage and landscape can coexist. This project has the potential to become a blueprint for sustainable tourism and heritage protection for small Mediterranean islands facing similar pressures.”
The site was nominated for the 7 Most Endangered Programme 2026 by ELLINIKI ETAIRIA – Society for the Environment and Cultural Heritage, a Member Organisation of Europa Nostra and Country Representation of Europa Nostra in Greece, in cooperation with the local Limin Association. The nominator proposes a shift towards long-term, heritage-led spatial planning and strengthening community-based advocacy. With sustained local engagement, Katapola has the potential to become a replicable model for small islands across the Mediterranean.
