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Chora

Chora (: Χώρα, romanized: Chóra, meaning "land", "country", or "town") is a common place name in , often denoting the principal settlement or capital of islands, municipalities, and regions. It derives from χώρα (khṓra), referring to rural or open space, and is used for numerous locations across the , other islands, and the mainland, as well as in other countries. The term also appears in other contexts, including religious sites such as the historic Church of the Holy Saviour in (now Kariye Mosque) in , , and philosophical concepts like Plato's khôra. For detailed and specific uses, see the following sections.

Etymology

Ancient Greek

In ancient Greek, the noun χώρα (khṓra) denoted land, country, space, or the region surrounding a , often implying territory outside the urban core. This term encompassed both physical landscapes and abstract notions of expanse, distinguishing rural or peripheral areas from the ásty (city proper). Etymologically, khṓra derives from the *ǵʰeh₁- ("to leave behind" or "to put"), evoking ideas of placement, abandonment, or enclosure, which evolved to signify unoccupied or delimited land. In philosophical texts like Plato's Timaeus, khṓra represents a receptacle—a , formless akin to a nurse or , providing the medium in which eternal forms impress themselves to generate sensible becoming. The Septuagint and New Testament employed khṓra for rural districts or countryside, as in Matthew 8:28, where it refers to the "country of the Gergesenes," indicating the territorial region inhabited by non-urban populations across the Sea of Galilee.

Modern Greek

In modern Greek, particularly within the context of island geography, the term chōrá (χώρα) has shifted from its ancient connotation of "countryside" or "land" to primarily denote the principal town or main settlement of an island, often positioned inland or on elevated ground away from coastal ports. This evolution reflects a practical adaptation to the rugged terrain and historical vulnerabilities of the Aegean archipelago, where chōrá now signifies the central hub of community life rather than rural expanse. The historical roots of this usage trace back to the Byzantine era (8th–10th centuries AD), when frequent pirate raids compelled island populations to relocate settlements from vulnerable coastal sites to defensible inland positions, fostering the development of fortified choras as unified capitals. Under rule (from the onward), this pattern persisted, with chōrá used to distinguish the elevated, administrative main villages—serving as centers for trade, governance, and agriculture—from lower-lying ports. Post-Greek independence in 1830, the endured, embedding chōrá as a standard descriptor for island capitals without significant alteration, as administrative divisions had reinforced the separation between inland strongholds and peripheral ports. This naming convention is especially widespread in the Cyclades and other Aegean archipelagos, where fragmented island landscapes naturally promoted centralized, non-port settlements for strategic centrality and defense against invasions. For instance, choras are commonly perched on hillsides to oversee surrounding areas, exemplifying a geographic logic that prioritizes elevation over proximity to the sea, a legacy of centuries-long adaptation to piracy and Ottoman oversight. Culturally, chōrá embodies local identity as the enduring heart of island society, characterized by labyrinthine streets, whitewashed Cycladic architecture, and clusters of chapels that function as communal anchors for festivals, markets, and daily interactions. These settlements preserve traditional building techniques and social structures, underscoring their role as symbols of resilience and continuity in modern Greece.

Places

In Greece

In , the term "" (Χώρα), meaning "land" or "country" in but commonly denoting the main town or in contexts, is applied to numerous settlements serving primarily as administrative and cultural hubs. These locations often feature traditional architecture, churches, small museums, and local festivals that draw tourists seeking authentic experiences, while populations typically range from a few hundred to around 2,000 residents. The majority are , emphasizing their role as central gathering points for communities and visitors.

Cyclades

The archipelago hosts several prominent Choras, each embodying classic whitewashed Cycladic aesthetics amid scenic landscapes. Chora of , the island's capital with approximately 1,957 inhabitants (2021 ), is renowned for its vibrant and labyrinthine alleys lined with whitewashed buildings and windmills, perched near the port of Ormos. Nearby, Chora of (also known as Messaria), home to 621 people (2021 ), offers quaint cobbled streets and traditional houses, with the island's famous thermal springs in Loutra just 5 away providing therapeutic hot baths in a bay. Chora of , situated at 400 meters elevation with around 400 residents, captivates as a medieval hilltop village encircled by historic windmills and narrow, curving paths leading to a 13th-century . In , perches dramatically on a 200-meter clifftop, its medieval citadel (Kastro) featuring stone-paved alleys and white-domed churches, accommodating 370 locals (2021 census) amid bougainvillea-draped walls. of , the remote island's sole year-round village at about 260 meters altitude, preserves traditional Cycladic architecture with car-free lanes, small churches, and natural footpaths offering panoramic sea views; its small population underscores the island's unspoiled tranquility. Finally, of , a quiet hilltop settlement with under 500 inhabitants, showcases whitewashed homes with blue shutters and flowered courtyards, ideally positioned near the island's pristine beaches and volcanic landscapes.

Other Islands

Beyond the Cyclades, other Greek islands feature Choras as key settlements blending natural beauty with historical elements. Chora of Alonissos in the Sporades, rebuilt after a 1965 earthquake and now eco-focused within the Aegean Marine Park, boasts terraced white houses and stunning sea vistas from its hillside location, supporting a population of approximately 208 (2021 census). Chora of Samothrace in Thrace, set in a mountainous valley under Mount Saos with about 400 residents, is a traditional amphitheatrical village dominated by a medieval castle and cobblestone alleys, offering breathtaking Aegean panoramas. On Patmos in the Dodecanese, Chora lies adjacent to the UNESCO-listed Monastery of Saint John the Theologian, its fortified medieval core featuring over 40 chapels and whitewashed lanes, home to 612 people (2021 census) as a spiritual and cultural focal point. Chora of Kythira, in the Ionian Sea off the Peloponnese, reflects Venetian influences through its 16th-century castle and colorful neoclassical buildings cascading toward the sea, with a population of 244 (2021 census) and lively squares hosting local events.

Mainland

On the mainland, are fewer but tied to ancient heritage. in , , a semi-mountainous of 2,609 inhabitants (2021 census) at 294 meters elevation, lies near Mycenaean sites including Nestor's Palace and the Griffin Warrior's tomb, featuring an archaeological museum with significant artifacts. Sfakion on , a coastal village with 253 inhabitants (2021 census) in the rugged region, serves as a gateway to the Samaria Gorge, its pebbled harbor and mountain-backed tavernas highlighting the island's wild southern terrain and historical resistance legacy.

In other countries

In Afghanistan, Chora District is located in in the southern part of the country, serving as a rural administrative area primarily inhabited by Pashtun communities alongside a Hazara minority. The district, centered on the town of Chora with a population of approximately 3,000, has been marked by ongoing conflict, including significant insurgent activities and military engagements involving international forces since the early . Agriculture and livestock rearing form the backbone of the local economy, supporting a largely tribal population in this arid, mountainous region. In , Chora is an administrative woreda (district) in the Illubabor Zone of the Region, functioning as a key with a projected population of 145,736 as of 2022. It is renowned as a hub for , where over 50 square kilometers of land are dedicated to this , contributing significantly to the national economy and local livelihoods in the fertile southwestern highlands. The district's economy relies heavily on smallholder farming, with serving as a primary amid broader agricultural activities. In , Chora is a small rural village situated in along the coast, characterized by its modest settlement amid lush, low-lying landscapes. The area is part of a region famous for extensive rice fields, where cultivation dominates the agrarian economy and supports traditional farming practices. Local communities speak dialects of Gilaki, a Northwestern Iranian language distinct from standard , reflecting the province's unique linguistic diversity. Beyond these, the name Chora appears in minor variants in other locales, often deriving from languages unrelated to origins, such as potential phonetic adaptations in South American contexts, though documented instances remain sparse.

Other uses

Religious sites

The of the Holy Saviour in (: Μονή του Αγίου Σωτήρος εν τη Χώρα), located in (modern-day , ), is a prominent Byzantine religious site renowned for its exceptional preservation of late medieval . Known today as the Kariye , it was converted to a around 1511 during the era, following the conquest of in 1453, with Islamic features such as a added and its Christian artwork plastered over. It functioned as a until 1945, when it was secularized and transformed into the Kariye Museum under Mustafa Kemal Atatürk's reforms, allowing the restoration and public display of its mosaics and frescoes. In July 2020, a presidential decree reconverted it to a , aligning with policies emphasizing heritage; after extensive restorations addressing structural damage and conservation needs, it reopened as the Kariye on May 6, 2024. Today, the mosaics and frescoes remain visible to visitors outside prayer times, preserving access to this exemplar of late Byzantine artistic achievement while accommodating its renewed religious function. The site forms part of 's Historic Areas, inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage List since 1985, highlighting its global cultural significance.

Philosophy

In Plato's Timaeus, khôra is introduced as a third kind of being, distinct from the intelligible realm of eternal forms (being) and the sensible realm of becoming. It functions as a receptacle, likened to a nurse or matrix that receives and nurtures the impressions of forms to generate sensible particulars, without itself being either sensible or intelligible. This third kind enables the mixture and transformation of the primary elements—fire, air, water, and earth—by providing a passive substrate in which they can appear, decay, and recombine. Key characteristics of khôra emphasize its formless and nature, rendering it resistant to precise or apprehension by reason alone; it is described as an invisible, amorphous medium that partakes obscurely of the intelligible while remaining incomprehensible and "hardly real." portrays it as devoid of any inherent form, serving solely as the "mother and receptacle of all created and visible things," which assumes diverse appearances through the affections of the elements it hosts, such as moisture from or inflammation from . Aristotle critiques Plato's khôra in Physics Book IV, interpreting it as a form of place (topos), equivalent to space or the "receptacle of bodies," though he notes inconsistencies in Plato's account between the written Timaeus and unwritten doctrines. He argues that if khôra is the participant or substratum identical to space, it must be distinct from bodies, yet Plato's description as a "mother or nurse of becoming" positions it as a third thing beyond the elements, which Aristotle reframes within his own theory of place as the inner boundary of a containing body. Neoplatonists, such as , further developed this by equating khôra with prime matter (hylē), viewing it as the indeterminate substrate underlying sensible forms and serving as both topos (place) and the ground for the apparition of bodies in the sensible realm. and others in this tradition integrated it into a hierarchical cosmology, where khôra represents the lowest level of receptivity, facilitating the emanation from the One through and to the material world. In the , revived khôra as a "gathering" or (Gegend), a clearing that gathers beings into presence while allowing their withdrawal, emphasizing its role in existential spatiality beyond metaphysical dualisms. , in his essay "Khôra," reinterprets it as a non- or trace—an undecidable "other" that deconstructs oppositions between form and matter, sensible and intelligible, functioning as a pre-originary imprint-bearer resistant to philosophical mastery. In postmodern theory, khôra symbolizes undecidability and the maternal-feminine as a passive, nurturing yet formless principle, contrasting sharply with the structured, paternal "" of rational and offering a site for critiquing foundationalist metaphysics.

References

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