The early Christian basilica of Saint Fotini is one of the most interesting cultural monuments of Karpathos. Found by archaeologists in 1972, scientists suspect that the church is more than 1,500 years old. Thanks to the efforts of modern architects, the beautiful basilica was restored and can be admired by visitors in the area of Afoti, on the northern beach of Pigadia between the road to Aperi and the beach.
The ruins of the early Christian basilica from the 5th or 6th century are among the best preserved of the island. The basilica, built on the remains of a former ancient temple, is dedicated to the martyr Agia Fotini. Some marble columns with Christian symbols can still be admired.
According to Greek tradition, Fotini ('the enlightened one') is the Samaritan woman who meets Jesus at Jacob's Well. She is worshiped as a saint and counted among the great martyrs and apostles. The encounter of Jesus with the Samaritan woman is described in the Gospel of John (chapter 4).
References:Monte d"Accoddi is a Neolithic archaeological site in northern Sardinia, located in the territory of Sassari. The site consists of a massive raised stone platform thought to have been an altar. It was constructed by the Ozieri culture or earlier, with the oldest parts dated to around 4,000–3,650 BC.
The site was discovered in 1954 in a field owned by the Segni family. No chambers or entrances to the mound have been found, leading to the presumption it was an altar, a temple or a step pyramid. It may have also served an observational function, as its square plan is coordinated with the cardinal points of the compass.
The initial Ozieri structure was abandoned or destroyed around 3000 BC, with traces of fire found in the archeological evidence. Around 2800 BC the remains of the original structure were completely covered with a layered mixture of earth and stone, and large blocks of limestone were then applied to establish a second platform, truncated by a step pyramid (36 m × 29 m, about 10 m in height), accessible by means of a second ramp, 42 m long, built over the older one. This second temple resembles contemporary Mesopotamian ziggurats, and is attributed to the Abealzu-Filigosa culture.
Archeological excavations from the chalcolithic Abealzu-Filigosa layers indicate the Monte d"Accoddi was used for animal sacrifice, with the remains of sheep, cattle, and swine recovered in near equal proportions. It is among the earliest known sacrificial sites in Western Europe.
The site appears to have been abandoned again around 1800 BC, at the onset of the Nuragic age.
The monument was partially reconstructed during the 1980s. It is open to the public and accessible by the old route of SS131 highway, near the hamlet of Ottava. It is 14,9 km from Sassari and 45 km from Alghero. There is no public transportation to the site. The opening times vary throughout the year.