Aikaterinh Balla Source: C.E.T.I. © Region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace

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The Early Christian basilica of Kamariotissa was located on the northern side of Acrotiri, at the Kamariotissa bay. Ôradition has it that Kamariotissa was named after an icon of Panaghia washed up by the sea on the island in the 17th century AD originating from the village of Kamares at Propontis or the Monastery of Panaghia Kamariotissa in Chalke.

Now merely scattered architectural members are preserved from the Early Christian basilica. In 1972, construction works for the erection of a new church dedicated to Panaghia Kamariotissa began on the foundations of an earlier church that dated to 1836-1837. During the works, several architectural members were uncovered along with a part of an arch foundation and a stylobates platform. It was found out that these ruins belonged to a large Early Christian basilica, which was founded at the same place. According to the preserved architectural members, the basilica dates back to the 5th – 6th centuries.

Apart from the Early Christian basilicas of Palaiopolis and Kamariotissa, the ruins of late Byzantine and mostly single-aisles churches can be seen in several locations of the island, such as the church of Saint Constantine and Panaghia Galatiani.