People from Zakynthos

Dionysios Solomos (Greek: Διονύσιος Σολωμός 8 April 1798 – 9 February 1857) was a Greek poet from Zakynthos. He is best known for writing the Hymn to Liberty (Greek: Ὕμνος εις την Ἐλευθερίαν, Ýmnos eis tīn Eleutherían), which was set to music by Nikolaos Mantzaros and became the Greek and Cypriot national anthem in 1865 and 1966 respectively. He was the central figure of the Heptanese School of poetry, and is considered the national poet of Greece—not only because he wrote the national anthem, but also because he contributed to the preservation of earlier poetic tradition and highlighted its usefulness to modern literature. Other notable poems include Ὁ Κρητικός (The Cretan), Ἐλεύθεροι Πολιορκημένοι (The Free Besieged). A characteristic of his work is that no poem except the Hymn to Liberty was completed, and almost nothing was published during his lifetime.

Ugo Foscolo (6 February 1778 in Zakynthos – 10 September 1827 in Turnham Green), born Niccolò Foscolo, was an Italian writer, revolutionary and a poet.

Demetrios Stavrakis (Greek: Δημήτριος Σταυράκης, 1735/40 – 1801), also known as the so-called Romanos (Greek: ο λεγόμενος Ρωμανός) was a Greek painter of the Heptanese School. His uncles were famous painters Andreas Stavrakis and Stylianos Stavrakis, active on the island of Zakynthos. Demetrios influenced both Greek and Italian artists. According to the Institute of Neohellenic Research, fifteen of his works survived. His most notable work was The Profit Jonah.

Nikolaos Kallergis (Greek: Νικόλαος Καλλέργης, 1699 – 1747), also known as Kalergis. He was a Greek painter during the Greek Rococo and the Modern Greek Enlightenment in art also known as Neo-Hellenikos Diafotismos. His art also exhibited Venetian influence. Painters of the maniera greca began to refine their art. Philotheos Skoufos, Elias Moskos, and Theodore Poulakis were all active painters on the Ionian Islands prior to Kallergis. They set the stage for the transition to the Heptanese School. Panagiotis Doxaras is the forefather of the new painting style. He was the father of Greek Rococo and the Modern Greek Enlightenment in painting. Kallergis became an active member of the school. Kallergis also represents the Greek Rococo. His art began to exhibit qualities of Greek and Italian Neoclassicism. His style influenced countless painters. Examples include Nikolaos Kantounis, Nikolaos Koutouzis, Nikolaos Doxaras, Spiridione Roma, and Eustathios Karousos. His most famous work is Christ and Angel it is at the Zakynthos Museum.

Petros Klampanis (born July 15, 1981), is a bassist, composer, arranger, producer, and educator.

Charalampos Mavrias (Greek: Χαράλαμπος Μαυρίας; born 21 February 1994), known as "Charis" (Greek: Χάρης) or "Harry", is a Greek professional footballer who plays as a Right back and right midfielder for Cypriot club Omonia and the Greece national team.

Gregorios Xenopoulos (Greek: Γρηγόριος Ξενόπουλος; December 9, 1867 – 14 January 1951) was a novelist, journalist and writer of plays from Zakynthos. He was lead editor in the magazine The Education of Children (Η Διάπλασις των Παίδων) during the period from 1896 to 1948, during which time he was also the magazine's main author. His was the trademark signature "Σας ασπάζομαι, Φαίδων" ("yours faithfully, Phaedon)", which he used in letters ostensibly addressed to the magazine. He was also the founder and editor of the Nea Estia magazine, which is still published. He became a member of the Academy of Athens in 1931, and founded the Society of Greek Writers (Εταιρεία Ελλήνων Λογοτεχνών) together with Kostis Palamas, Angelos Sikelianos and Nikos Kazantzakis.

Giovanni Demisiani (Greek: Ἰωάννης Δημησιάνος; died 1614), a Greek from Zakynthos, was a theologian, chemist, mathematician to Cardinal Gonzaga, and member of the Accademia dei Lincei. Demisiani is noted for coining the name telescope (from the Greek τῆλε, tele "far" and σκοπεῖν, skopein "to look or see") for a version of the instrument presented by Galileo Galilei to the Accademia dei Lincei at a banquet honoring Galileo’s induction into the Accademia in 1611.

Lili Bita, or Lili Bita Zaller, was a Greek-American author, poet, translator, artist and drama teacher.

Ioannis Kolokotronis (Greek: Ιωάνης Κολοκοτρώνης; 1805–1868), or Gennaios Kolokotronis (Greek: Γενναίος Κολοκοτρώνης) as the other were calling him was a Greek warrior of the Greek War of Independence, general and Prime Minister of Greece. He was born at Stemnitsa, Arcadia, but he grew up at Zakynthos. He was a son of Theodoros Kolokotronis and his mother was Aikaterini Karousou (Greek: Αικατερίνη Καρούσου). He acquired the nickname "Gennaios" (meaning "brave") during the Greek War of Independence in which he fought valiantly despite his youth. He took part at the Siege of Tripolitsa, together with his father.