History of Lipsi island

Lipsi town was built on the hill and at its feet the well protected port used by many ships like refuge during the Peloponnesian War. After the Hellenistic period while the neighboring islands were conquered by the Romans, Lipsi was not considered. So, the few inhabitants lead a simple life based on fishing and agriculture and were occasionally plundering by pirates.

Things begin to change with the advent of the Byzantine period, when the population starts to increase considerably and many Christian churches were built. In 1078 Lipsi becomes the property of San Cristodulo from Patmos and for the following 500 years under the hegemony of Patmos. Monks / farmers will use its massive fertility to supply goods to the Holy Island of Patmos. In 1523  was occupied by the Ottoman Empire, like the rest of the Dodecanese islands. But stayed under the protection of Patmos enjoying considerable privileges, released at the beginning of the War for Independence of Greece.

Italian occupation

Lipsi then became an important refuge for the Greek population and its port was suppling and repairing ships of the national army. With the Treaty of Constantinople of 1832 passes back under Ottoman rule. Until 1912 when it was annexed to Italy during the years of Fascism and colonization of the entire Dodecanese.  A new chapter of hope was open for the people even if they had to face the idea of Italianization ordered by Mussolini. During World War II it was occupied by the Germans for almost two years. An occupation which, although short in comparison with the others, was very hard for the entire population. At the end of the war it became a protectorate of the British military as the rest of the Dodecanese islands, and was officially unified Greece March 7, 1948.