Agios Kirykos

Arriving at the port of Agios Kirykos, visitors see the imposing statue of Icarus dominating the end of the pier, welcoming them to the island. The 17‑meter metal statue was created in 1960 by sculptor Nikos Ikaris (1915–1994) and depicts the legendary fall of Icarus. According to myth, Daedalus made wings of wax to flee Crete with his son, but Icarus, thrilled by the sight of the sea, flew too close to the sun; the wax melted and he drowned. The sea was named Icarian and the island Ikaria. The monument was unveiled in 1980 as part of the 6th International Aegean Symposium, and since then it has remained a recognizable symbol of the island and of Greek mythology.