Tolo (former names "Toulon", "Minoa") is a village in the prefecture of Argolida, built along a large beach on the shores of the Argolic Gulf. Administratively it belonged to the Municipality of Asini until the end of 2010 when the Municipality was abolished and integrated into the Municipality of Nafplio. Its population, according to the 2011 census, is 1,460 inhabitants. Tolo is experiencing significant tourist development, taking advantage of the large beach that it has and the close distance that separates it from Nafplio, from which it is 8 km away.
The bay of Tolon is first mentioned by Homer in the list of ships
(the second chapter of the Iliad), since the ships from Asina
participated in the Trojan War. In the following centuries, the bay of
Tolon at various times served as a refuge for warships, and then in the
Byzantine period it was revived as an auxiliary port of Nafplion.
After the Fourth Crusade and the fall of Constantinople in 1204,
along with the rest of the Peloponnese, this territory was under the
rule of the Franks until 1389, when it was captured by the Venetians,
and in 1540 by the Ottomans. In the 1680s, during the Sea War and the
alliance between the Venetians, Germans and Poles against the Ottoman
Empire, the head of the allied forces, Vice-Admiral Francesco Morozini,
received orders to capture the capital of the Peloponnese, Nafplion.
Then the bay of Tolon was chosen as a suitable base for his expedition.
After the success of this expedition and until 1715, when this area was
again occupied by the Turks, Tolon was used as an auxiliary naval base
of the Venetian fleet.
The monument of this time is the small
Church of the Living Source, built in 1688, and the ruins of the
fortress on the island of Daskalio in the bay of Tolon. On the island of
Rombi there are also fortifications, ruins of houses and reservoirs.
After the formation of the independent Kingdom of Greece in 1834, by
royal decree, Tolon became the administrative center of the municipality
of Minoa (Minoan Municipality) in honor of Minos, the legendary king of
Crete. After the liberation of Crete, the refugees who remained in this
area formed a fishing village. In 1912 (Government Gazette 262А), the
community of Tolon was created.
From the middle of the XX century
summer resort.
In the bay of Tolos is a cluster of small islands: Koronisi, Romvi,
Daskalio, and further out in the open, Platia. In Koronisi there is the
church of the Holy Apostles, where ceremonies take place. In Daskalio is
the small church of Zoodochos Pigi, which allegedly functioned as a
"hidden school" during the Turkish occupation.
The beach of Tolos
starts from the organized beach "Psili Ammos" in the north and ends at
the port of the village, where several fishing boats are anchored, and
excursion boats for Hydra and Spetses are served.
Every year on the 24th of June there is a revival of the custom of Ai
Giannis of Kleidon.
A reference point every year is Good Friday,
where the procession of the Epitaph takes place in the sea.
Every
year in autumn at the end of September, the "Trata" festival is
organized. It is a big celebration, where maridas are offered. A feast
and dance follows.
Tolo has recorded significant population growth in all censuses until 2011. In 2011, however, it recorded its first negative population change. The increase in 1981 and 2001 was particularly significant.