The most renowned cave in this part of the Aegean is on Antiparos, on a hill that’s 250 meters high in the southern part of the island. Next to the entrance of the cave is the small church of Agios Ioannis. The cave itself contains three large halls and is more than 100 meters deep with huge stalactites and stalagmites, many of which contain ancient inscriptions.
They tell of conspirators who tried to assassinate Alexander the Great were found out and hid on the island. The most spectacular stalactite is 8 metres tall and it is called the Agia Trapeza (Holy Table). The name refers to mass which was celebrated here on the 24th of December 1673, in the presence of the French ambassador in Constantinople, marquis de Nointel. An inscription in Latin verifies the event. In more troubled times the cave also provided shelter for the inhabitants of Antiparos.