Farmakonisi, Greek island in Dodecanese, Aegean Sea.
Farmakonisi is a small island in the Aegean Sea, part of the Dodecanese group, situated close to the Turkish coast. It is covered with cedar trees and low Mediterranean shrubs, and only a handful of people live there permanently.
In the 1st century BC, Julius Caesar was held captive here by pirates for several weeks before he was ransomed and later returned with a fleet to capture them. The island has served as a maritime reference point in the eastern Aegean across many centuries.
The name Farmakonisi means roughly "island of medicinal plants" in Greek, pointing to a time when healers gathered herbs here. Today the island is used mainly by the Greek navy, so civilian access is strictly controlled.
The island can only be reached by boat from nearby Aegean islands, and because much of it is controlled by the Greek navy, access for visitors is very limited. Anyone planning to approach should check current restrictions in advance.
Near the church of Saint George, the remains of an ancient Roman temple are still visible on the ground. The church itself was partly built using stones taken from that older structure.
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