Zakynthos is one of the Ionian Islands. This postcard features three snapshots of the island. The lower-right photo shows the port of Zakynthos, the island’s capital, during the military dictatorship in Greece from 1967 to 1974. The Strada Marina Hotel stands out in the photo, before it was expanded and took on its current form. On its side, an inscription praising the Junta government can be seen, a common propaganda tactic of the regime.

The top-right photo shows a view of the city from the Hill of Strani and the settlement of Bochali.  At the highest point of the hill stands the Venetian Castle of Zakynthos, built around 1646. In the early 19th century, the area belonged to Loudovico Strani, who had a close friendship with the poet Dionysios Solomos (1798-1857). It is said that the Hill of Strani was one of Solomo’s favourite places for walks, and it was there, in May 1823, that he wrote the poem Hymn to Liberty. The first two stanzas of this poem, set to music in 1828 by Nikolaos Mantzaros (1795-1872), became the national anthem of Greece in 1865 and of Cyprus in 1966.

The left photo shows the bell tower of the church of Agios Timotheos and Agia Maura, one of the island’s main tourist attractions. It is located in the picturesque village of Machairado, 10 km from the city. Although the church was destroyed by fire in 2005, the 37-meter-high turreted bell tower was preserved. This architectural work, built in 1802 by the local architect Nikolaos Kyvetos, features Renaissance influences and is an excellent example of the Zakynthian type of stone bell tower, which develops in three distinct zones. Today, the church is a place of pilgrimage and an attraction for religious tourism, drawing visitors from other countries who share the same faith.