Skiathos Town (khora) is the chief place and indeed the island's only real town, where almost all the permanent inhabitants of the island live. It was built in 1830 on two low-lying hills, when after the War of Independence people left the town located at Kastro and settled near the harbour. It was reconstructed after heavy German bombardment during World War II. Skiathos officially became a town in 1965 and today has a population of 5.000.